St. Mary's beacon., 1861-10-17

The Exchange a Prisoners.
We observe. says the National tnteiii-
tRencer. that very many Of our contempo-
rsrics are discussing the duty Of che tsov-
esnn,snt. IN thr msss-f @f regulating N az
change Of prisoners. anil the opini"n, -
/ far a We can observe. II universally ex-
pressed that some determination should DC
reached ou this subject more comiormabae
| ~ the conceived Interests and welfare ct
the military service. Upon this point We
have to commend the following suggcs-
tons # the New York Times
"A numb.r of Rebel prisoners cap
tured in Western Virginia have been
sent from Fortress Monroe to Craney
Island. under q flag Of truce. aud de-
livered to their friends. T'sere - no
m.~af;oa that IN erch"ag~ IF - cqmraienf
number had teen .rmun'ed Surely sui
6c;ent consideration has not been given
to this subjec, by the Washington au-
thori,irs. They must fail to appreciate
how profound an anxiety prevails AIMING
the friends Of our men how la the hands
Of the encmy in regard to their vel.
fare how much suffering exists becsusc
Of their absence; how much suffering
che prisoners themselves endure. They
must also fail to understand how prejn-
disi.l al effect this apparent inssusibili-
ty of the Government to the fate Of It's
faithful soldiers has upon the enrolln,snt
of volunteers This Influence is knomn
i to b more artire thin any other ia dix-
co~vusii.g rnlisn@nts. That this inacnsi
bility isonly apparent it is needless to say.
In the provisions made for the com,
fort Of troops. fur the maintenance Ut de-
serted families. for the support Of dis,-
blcd soldiers, thc Government has shown
the utmost tenderness for the welfare Of
those whom war visits with inevitable
discomfort and poverty. But in this
matter of prisoners in Rebel custody, it
is possible that too great heed has been
paid to technical considerations. II 8"
il It not quite time all such points
should be waived? If inaction is luc
I. fear Of recognizing the Il b q as
bcligcrcnts such fear is assuredly ground
less No recognition "a" L~ mare rert>r4
th"s tic return "f or prisoners tothrm ""
der t.tg If tr"re. Such recognition,
could certainly obtain no more emphasis
from the reception Of corresponding
number of our own men under a SINH
lar flag. If the want Of prisoners to.
offer in exchange has been the difficulty
it has certainly ceased to b" SO since
the capture of the IIatteras forts. Fort
Lafayette. Castle William, Brlluc's Is
land. arc thr'nged with Rebel captivcs or
captivcs guilty oftrcasou. whose condition is
an offence tohumsnity. There seems there
se, to be not ouly no reason why all
exchange should Lot he negotiated, bat
every reason why it should AMI il the
Government will he 1T the trouble t"
revise its decisions upon the print, We
feel AL assurance that its previous ju,lg-
ment will he reversed The question is.
one not only of urgent expcdicncy, but Of
the nercst humanity"
From dc Philadelphia Eay";er Oc' II.
THE CEErlrrcArE OF rux LEGION or
HoSox The long promised scroll that is
70 be distributed I" the soldiers Of thr
present campaign will soon he ready for
distribution. One will be given I" each
Of the soldiers. whether in the regular
service, volunteers, either for the war OF
the thee months. The one adopted by
Secretary Seward is now being prepared
in Albany. 1t is about twenty inches by
thirty: a handsome Autograph Of an ca
gle with outstrctchcd wings, over which
is. in circular line, the sentence, ar
!gi"n Of Honor," beneath it. Il IpuriJm.
hmm" and :. Wnshington."
In the centre Of the eagle is the Cod
dess Of Liberty aud the Goddess Of JUS
tice. with joined hands, seat j upon f.-
~ dragon. with their heels upon its head
! the Goddess Of Liberty waving an Amcr,-
can flag; by the side Of the Goddess of
Justice lies scimctar. and in her left
hand is bundle Of fagots. from the cen
tire of which Ole is projecting, on the end
OF which il tomahawk. In a semi-cr-
Gle from one side to the other Of the eagle,
are the notices of all the States. The
right foot of the eagle clasps all olive
branch, and the left bundle Of arrows.
TROoPs AT ANNApOLIs-The Annapo-
lis Gisefte says that " large body Of Fcde-
raj troops. about six thousand in number.
arrived there on Saturday AID Sunday,
and are cncsmped on the College Green.
They arc under command of General Viele.
Another regiment arrived on Tuesday,
and brigade left Washington on Tues.
day morning. to march to Annapolis by
the way Of Governors bridge The Gu
setsc says there appears to be an intention
to aggregate at that point very large
torce-some say 90. 600 meu-the Object
Of which is hot known.