Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-27
Exchange of Prisoners.
From the y. Y. World. ]


On no subject connected with the rebellion
is public sentiment more decided than in urg-
ing the government to take immediate mea-
sures for an exchange Of prisoners. We are
receiving evidence OF general concurrence in
our positions. from private sources. as we'll
as through the public press, Ia aaF extent
which Indicates extreme disappointment at
the non-accomplishment uf the. object The
Hardness of the administration in his matter.
however it may b. justified. is Incompetent
sible to the multitudes, no arc either rush
ing to arms or sustaining those who are in
arms for the national defense.
One of the latest manifestations of the pub
lie sentiment reaches Us from prominent men
in Michigan, including some o! The most hon
ored names of the peninsula Such an ex-
preston from such estim tble souIccs deserves
more than ordinary consider ltipn. The
general sense of right is quickrned in these
remOnsirants by particular sympathy for the
gallant Colonel Wilcox. and other Michigan
volunteers. yet grooming In thu comfortless
prisons of the South. "When will this ques-
tion be settled?' they emphatically inquire.
sThree hundred thousand volunteers now ia
the field desire to Know, as their friends de-
sire to know, what sh III bc their fate in case
of capture by the enemy @h, Their indefinite
imprisonm,n mt in rebel dungeons or honora-
BILE exchange, aff1rding opportunity for future
service to their country?'
While repudiating the idea that such ex-
change would be an implied recognition OF
the rebel confederaey," they assert that even
granting this position. which thy do not.
the government has already sane Toned other
acts of equal Significance. They refer, for
examples out of many such acts, 20 the terms
of capitulation at Fort Sam:er-to the send
ing and receiving flags of trnce-to the ex-
change of prisoners by the opposing generals
in Missouri-to the course oi General Batter
in receiving, and that OF the government in
treating, the Hatteras garFi-ons as prisoners
of war-and to the recognition of Kentucky
neutrality" between our government and
| the southern cOnfederacy. "W,il it be prac-
| tieable.' they ask, Ito hang as traitors the
| two thousand prisoners now have, With
| all the multitude we shall have?" "WiiI It
| be expedient TO retain all we captures Or
shall we adopt the battle cry of no prisoners
and thus settle the question, leaving the reh
els to retaliate by hanging or shooting our
volunteers like dogs?' If not this, then let
US have fair aud prompt exchange. Let
the great evil no longer continue. ''In the
name of heaven" th' y exclaim, "let US
promptly have a rule OF action-an open.
known rule--by which our volunteering
thousands may know what TO expect. rather
than continue the present silence aud inact-
ion on subject which aft cts .aiiiieus beside
those now IN or eniisIiag for the battle
! field"
England, in the war OF The Revolution,
took the position toward Us that our govern
ment now takes toward th: southern rebels
refusing to exchange prisouers-but soon
: | abandoned il; and exchanges afterward be-
came frequent. Bu.tiid not England all the
+ while. with true Rriiieh Periinac,ty and valor,
continue her eEdeavors TO sub lue Us? Had
she succeeded, and crushed US in our national
infancy" car Michigan fIiends inquire,
"woud The fact of baying exchanged prison
, ers with US have altered the fact of England
. success. or made US a nation despite of that
! success If We crush out the rebels, as We
mean to do, the exchange of prisoners will
not make the rebel confederacy a nation. and
ii We do not crush them they viii become q
nation whether we exchange prisoners OIL
not
We deem it due alike to the subject and q
d The estimable citizens who have addressed
!, themselves 10 US, that their complaints and
their hopes shall have, as we now give them
b free utteTance.