The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-03

RgTALIATIoS-Whi lille our authorities have
dealt with Yankee prisoners in spirit of hu-
mainly, and in accordance with the usages OF
civilized warfare, loyal southern citizens who
have had the misfortune of falling into the
hands OF the Northern barbarians, have been
treated with a refined cruelty that recalls
the memory OF savage Indian barbarities. -
The crew OF the Savannah" bound hand
and foot, have been incarcerated in the cells
of the New York Tombs, in icetid chambers
previously occupied by robbers, high waymen
murderers, pirates, and the general scum OF
Yankee vagabondism. But few days eince,
the Police Com missioners Of Baltimore have
been removed from Fort McHenry, where
they had been imprisoned without cause and
without law, to occupy similar apartments
with thieves and pickpockets, In New York
prison houses. The Venetian Council OF
Ten," IN the darker days OF its diabolical
power, would not have dared 10 have done
worse.
Now, we are free from finding fault with
those placed above us, high in uu thority. We
have, on the con trarv, the most unbounded
and unqualified reliance In the wisdom, pa
triotism AMI official efficiency in every officer
of The Confederate Government, from the dis
tinguished head thereof down to the loves t
clerk in Is employment. But they cannot see
every thing-cannot do all things cannot be
omnipresent as regards all thoughts. And,
hence, we earnestly represent that it is full
time to act for the future with the Yankee
Government in q spirit of unmistakable RE-
TALIArioE.
/. is said that SHINING member of a SHINING
family was once bitten by rattIesnake in
Ohio. When the poison OF the reptile rankled
in the previously obdurate creatures blood
his heart dilated with religious reverence and
he sent for minister to pray over him. The
ln1t hahn. ,,-.., ,txap~
d"rstood his patient thoroughly, and prayed :
"Oh Lord, we thank thee for rattle
snakes. We thank thee for the rattlesnake
which bit Henry. And, oh, Lord we pray
thee, send a rattlesnake to bite Jim, and an
other to bite John and, in the fulness of thy
mercy, neglect not to send the biggest kind of
rattlesnake to bit the old man for nothing
but mathematics will ever bring the Shocks
family to repen tance."
We believe that this prayer was at once
soundly theological and uns xcepticnabIy phil
osophical. And so we believe that nothing
short OF nnsquivocal retaliation will ever
bring our Yankee enemy TO abandon his ont
rageous baTbarity and cruelty, and 10 recog
nize the code of civilized warfare, but the pay
ment OF HIM of in his own coin-With com
pound interest.
We have confined in Richmond now, several
hundred of the enemy's prisoners among ~
them "Colonels' and members Of "COnsress -
They feast snmptuously daily upon the ia of
the lan4. Some of them deport them selves
Win III dlT oi lInpuuent arrogance winch WAS
wholly foreign to them upon the field of bat
tie. We are told that they have hired
messengers to wait upon them. They send
for ard drink whiskay gaily as if they
were the free schoOlmen Of old Epicurus.
Meantime our friends pine in the dungeons
OF the North; bound like maiefac tors, insulted
by vulgar jailors and turkeys, and within
hearing of the depraved bias phemies of every
spscies of congregated vilainy. We demand
then, in their name. can eye for an eye, and a
tooth for n tooth" Let seven Of these fellows,
for each one, he sent down South, and con
fined in the cells of the Fortresses of South Cs
rolnn, Alabama, and Louisiana, RS hostages
for the proper treatment OF Southern gen tie.
men, now maltreated in the Charnel houses of
the North. We want to hear of no more
circumstances, leniency, or humanity. When
We have to fight barbarians, you must deal
with them as such otherwise, you will be
the victim.