Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-07-27

not only by sea, but by land-not only ships,
but IN cars-not only with those who bear
arms, but with tho entire population Of the
Confederate States. Finally, they have re-
pudiatcd tho foolish conccit that the inhabi
tants of this Confcderacy arc still citizens of
the United States, for they arc wagng an in
discriminate war upon them all, with savage
fcrocity unknown to modern civilization. In
this war, raplnc is the rule, and private resi-
dcnccs, in peaceful rural retreats, arc bonlbar-
dcd and burnt; grain crops in the field arc
consumed by the torch, and when the torch is
not convenient, careful labor is bestowed to
render complete the destruction of every arti
Gle OF use or ornament remaining in private
dwellings after their Inhabitants have fled from
the outrngcs Of the brutal soldicry In 1871,
Great Britain, when invading her rcvoltcd
Colonies, took possession of every district of
the country near Fortress Monroe, now occu-
pied by the troops of the United States, aud
the houses then inhabited by the people, after
being respected and protected by avowed in
vadcrs, arc now pilagcd and destroyed by
men who pretend that the victims arc their
fellow citizens Mankind will shuddcr to hear
the tales of outragcs committed on defence
less females by the soldiers of the United
States, now invading our homcs yet these
outragcs are prompted by infancd passions
and madness Of INVESTIGATION but who shall
depict tho horror with which they regard the
cool and deliberate malgnity with which, un-
der the prctcM fsupprcssing ginsurrccton said,
by themselves, to be upheld BY a minority only
OF bur people, make especial war ON the sick,
including women and children, and by care
fully devised measures, prevent their obtaining
the medicines necessary for their cure The
sacred claims of humanity, respected even
during the fury of actual battle, by a care
full diversion of attack from the hospitals
containing wounded enemies, arc outraged in
cold blood BY a Government and people that
pretend to desire continuance Of fratclnal
connections. MI these outragcs must remain
unavcngcd, save by the universal rcprobation
of mankind, b. all cases where the actual per-
pctrators OF the wrongs escape capture. They
admit Of no retaliation the humanity of our
people would shrink instnctivcly from the
bare idea Of waging like war upon the sick,
the women aud the children of an enemy; but
there arc other savage practices which have
been rcsorted to by the Government of the
United States, which do admit of repression
by retaliation. | have been gricvcd at the
necessity of enforcing this impression. The
prisoners of war taken by the enemy on board
the armed schooner Savannah, sailing under
orr commission were, MS | was crcdibly adj
viscd, treated like common tclons, put in irons,
confined in Jail usually appropriated to Grim
inals of the worst dye and threatened with
punishment as such. l had made application
for an exchange of these prisoners to the com
manding officer Of the encmics squadron of
Charleston, but that officer had already sent
the prisoners TO New York when the applica-
ton was made /, therefore, deemed it my
duty to renew the proposal for an exchange
to the constitutional Commandcr-in- chief OF
the Army aud Navy Of the United States, the
only officer having control of the prisoners
In making the proposal, informed President
Lincoln of my rcsolutc purpose to check all
barbaritics on prisoners Of war by such scvcri
ty and retaliation on prisoners held by lis as
should secure the abandonment of tic practice.
This communication was received and read
by the officer in command of the United States
Army, and a message was brought from him
effect that reply would be returned by Pres
hope that this promised reply, which has not
yet been received, will convey the assurance
that prisoners Of war will be treated, in this
ubbalpS SoileSl, Mltii lilaI regard 10 nul1ail-
ity which has been so conspicuous in modern
warfare. AS measure Of prccaution, how
ever, and until the promised reply is received,
still retain in close custody the men and
officers captured from the enemy, whom it had
been my pleasure previously to enlarge on pa
role, and whose fate must necessarily depend
on that Of the prisoners held by the enemy. l
append copy OF my communication to inc
President and Commandcr-in- chief of the Ar
my and Navy Of tic United States, and of the
United States, and of the report of the officer
charged to deliver it, marked Document ---.
There arc some other passages IN tho re-
markablc paper to which l have directed your
attention, having reference to the peculiar re.
lations which exist between this Government
apd the States usually termed Border Slave
States, which cannot properly be withhold
from notice The hearts of our people are
animated by sentiments towards hc inhabit-
ants of those States which found expression
in your enactment refusing to consider them
enemies, or to authorize hostiIitics agail.st
them. That very large portion of the pco-
plo of these States regard us as brethren; that
if unrestraincd by the actual presence of large
armies, the subvcrsion Of civil authority, and
the declaration of martial law, some of them,
at least, would joyfully unite with us; that
they are, with almost entire unanmity, op-
posed to the prosecution Of tho war waged
against us arc facts, Of which daily occur.
ring events fully warrant tho assertion.
The present United States Government rc.
fuses to recognize in these, our late sister
k,l H.. l. 4 r.. n