The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-07-31
The Recent Flag Of Truce from Presi
don't Davis to Abraham Linnoln

eont Davis to Abraham Lincoln.
After the reading Of the message, by re-.
quest Of Mr.. Perkins. Of Louisiana, the fol.
lowing correspondence was read by the
Clerk. The subject being in relation to q
matter about which there has been great
deal Of anxiety felt:
RICHMOND. July 6, 1861.
To Abrahdn Lincoln, President and Cou,uau.
derin' CHIEF Of the Army and Nary of the
United Stdtes:
SIs: Having learned that the.schr. Sa.
rannah u private armed vessel in the ser
| vice and sailing under commission issu ed
by authority Of the Confederate State. of
America, had been captured BY one of the
vessels forming the blockade squadron off
Charleston harbor, directed N proposition
to DO mnde to the officer commanding that
squa dron for an exchange Of the officers
and crew Of the Savannah for prisoners Of
war held by this Government, "according
TO number and rank" To this proposition,
made on the 18th nlt, Capt. Mercer, tn.
officer in command of the block ,ding squad.
ron, made answer on tho same day that
"the prisoners referred to arc not on board
OF any of the vessels under nv command. 4"
1t now appears, ty statements made with
out contradiction in newspapers published
ir New York, that the prisoners above men.
toned were conveyed to ihat city. and have
there been treated, not as prisons or. of war,
but ne criminals that they have been put
in irons, confined in Jail, brought before the
courts o: jusiice on charges of piracy and
treason, mud Il il even ruinored that they
have been actually convicted Of the offences
chaiged, for no other reason than that they
bore arms in defence of tho right. OF ;his
Government and under the authority Of its
commission
could not without grave discourtysy
have made the newspaper statements above
referred to, the subject of th. communics.
ti"n, il the threat Of treating as pirate. tn.
citizens Of ihis Conf.Geracy. x-ned for its
srrvice "n the high scis, had not been con
i"ihrd in your proclamation "f the -
April last. That proclsnali, N, however.
seems to afford sufficient justification for
considering these published statements as
not devoid "f probability.
IL il the desire Of thi. Government so to
conduct the war now existing ns to mitigate
its horrors 1 far a. possible; and, with
this intent, its treatment of the prisoners
captured by its forces has been marked by
the greatest humanity mud leniency consis
tent with public obligation some have
been permitted to return hOmc on parole,
others 10 remain 1T large under similar con
ditto" within this Confcdcracy, and all have
been furnished with raiIons for their sub.
"isiencc, ,uch ss Sr- allowed to our own
troops. IL is only since the news has been
rrcrivcd OF the treatment Of the prisoner,
taken an the Savannah. that ! have been
compelled To withdraw these indnlyenries,
N ! To hold tn. prisoners taken by u, IN
strict coniincuI-nt.
jast regard 10 humanity and TO tn.
honor OF this Government now requires
me To state explicitly, that painful as will
b" the necessity, this Go, rrnmcnt will deal
on, I" tn. prisoners held by it II. same
treatment and the same fate ~ shall be TX
perieicrd by those captured on tie Savnn
nah AID IL driven TO the terrible i,rrr.sity
of retaliation b, v"ur execution If nnv OF
the officers or the crew uf III, Savannah,
that retaliation will tee -Atc,dvd ~ far /.
shall toe requisit. to secure the abandon
mrnt of n practice unknown to the war
fare of civilized unan and 80 b,rbarou- as
TO di-grace the nation which shall br guilty
"f inaugnra,ing it,
With thi. view, and bee Iusv il may not
have reached you, now rrncw the propo
sl.i"n made To the'c0nlinandrr Of the block
ading squadron. exchange fir ti,e prison.
rrn taken on the Savannah. an equal nun
Der "t tho.e now held by US, according to
rank. ] am, sir, yours. g..
JEFFERSON DAVIS,
President and Commander. in. Chief of the
Army and Navy Of the Confederate States.