Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-18
Exchanre orPrl.oner..

The question of exchanging prisoners II oe-
coming matter of great practical impor-
tance. The success at Hstteras mas put US in
possezsion af seven hundred rebrls, al ua-
usosl proportion of whom are officers; while.
AZ Washington aud other points. We have
enoupb Others to make the entire aggregate
at least thousand. Ball Run left fifteen
hundred Of our soldiers in the hands OF the
r,.bei< These men are now 10 Richmond,
anxiously locking for sume action on the part
of our government that shall bring their re-
lease A very considerable proportion OF |
them are three mouths volunteers. whose |
term of enlistment has expire :; some OF them |
were entitled to their discharge before the |
battle. At the time of their volunteering for |
the defense of the capital. they had made no
arrangements for an extended absence from
home, aud in consequence not only their bus
inees is greatly suffering, but the families OF
| larg. numbers of them are in a state OF post
tive want They themselves, though we have
| reason to believe that they are not harsoly
treated still are without money, aud, IN the
present nonin tercourse between the two sec
| tjoas, are without the means OF procnr'ug
| aay. With no changes of clothing. none oas
| the coarsest food, and nothing but the hara
| floor to sleep upon, they have none OF the
comforts. and few of the necessaries OF life.
| The case of the won nded is particularly nara.
| In reference to them we cannot 90 DETER
than to repeat the words of Richmond pris-
| oner, whose letter has already appeared III
our columns:
| The wounded, enough to IN q regiment, are
| receiving as much attention IS possible from
nur surgeons who have remained with them;
also from the citizens they have many little
tokens of kindness; but .hsy die off every day,
Wounds at first deemed but slight assume
| malignant aspect, aud the patient sooh dies.
This is consequent upon chagrin and fretiui
feelingl from a sense of Imprisonment aud the
| absence of home comforts Let the govern
| ment redeem these untortunates. II Ii cannot
us. aud YOU will see the wan and listless eoun-
ten .nces brighten up with the light OF new
life aud the fatal hopeiessness always engen-
dered by sickness combined with absence
from hume will give way to sensation "nicn
will be restoration ITSELF"
1t is uudeniably wrong to leave such men
for an indefinite period in such condition
. They are entitled to the special care oil the
government 10 whose call they were so
prompt to respond. They generally became
| prisoners, because of their very Gdelity and
! | acknowledgements they were the last to hG
! from the dishonored field. There were pol
! troons under the federal flag that day who
| were they in a similar plight, would not be
+ | worth a moments concern But those men
: did their duty, and every way deserve the
# protection OF the government they nave non
Y orably served.
2 The system of exchanging prisoners,
n | adopted must OF course have some restrlc
n tions. Is cannot apply to merely polltlca
r prisoners Their ohenses are strictly civil
# and the rules and privileges OF war hsv
a nothing to do with their case. 1t ought no
!. | to apply to federal officers who have turne
N | traitOrs-the men who were educated by Tn
20 | government and loaded with honor and oil:
r | function, only to repay it with the most II
= famous treachery, in its hour OF need. 10
ss | rank and file of the rebel army general
o serve under constraint, or because they haV
r | been misled by the gPOssest mlsrepresents
pr lions. They may well be treated with LENT.
20 But officers of rank committed their teaso
cI with q full understanding of its criminalit.
I aud in spite of peculiar obligations to
A. faithful. We talk of the pirates of the Sal
n | annah, but there Is not one OF them VINO Ma
"a | SO well deserves to swing at the yardarn
nd Commodore SAMUEL BARRON, for forty-elgi
al | years in the receipt OF the pay and honors
"A | his country now prisoner on Governors |
- land. Traitors of this stamp ought not to
exchanged; they should be visited with
punishment that would serve as an everlas
=. lag warning to all who engage to defend Il
y. flag of their country. But, we trust, that q
practice of exchanging will be adopted I
- prisoners generally. Our federal authorltl
10 have already taken one step toward Ii.
90 first they held no prisoners; they simply q
or, | ministered an oath OF allegiance, and gave
| discharge. Now they administer no oat
- but hold in durance all rebel soldiers W
lar fall into their hands. Having gone so Tar
,nt to recognize and keep prisoners, they 10
tad now as we'll turn them TO practical accou
;ch in the way OF exchange. Ii will work
ad harm to tue public interests, aud yet AM
led great rehel 10 ii ue h,Ju " W Ill
,on | their Countrywide N. 7. World.