Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-31
THE RICHMOND WHIG.
EXTRACTS FIOM NORTHERN
Newspapers.
COMMENTS OP THE pRESS


duct 0f the worth reading. L. Gays:
gentleman direc! from Washington states that In a
couyersstiol with leading Republican Of that city, ard
who cccrps prominent position In hs party, he put
| the question 10 him "Whon will there be big 6Rh.
Over the PotOmsc?' The answer was "TheTe will BE-
no fight This contractors war, and they don't want
the war 10 end socu." .-.r
We have no defite idea of tho amour! of pressure TO
the quarc inch That would be required 8! present to
force lhe truth into the honest understanding Of th
President of the United States Unfortunately, Il has
come to pass IN theee latter days (which include ir
d fnie number of Admnistradoua) that he President
walled in from the people, and only permitted TO bear
the ruth At rare Intervals lie Is surroucted by e.
mophere made up OF the exhasiions OF the hangers
abou. the Capita-,hs peadlirg policisns--the syeo
ph OF p)ser-he beggars Of the crumbs hat fall from
Official ebessnd the rect of the sedimen. and froth OF
the usual quadrennia national boil This amospberr,
so OF nsys to good ci.zoas sspbyxates the President
and renders bin dim Of sight and hard OF bearing The
lghtnrgs OF civil have no. yet disturbed ard pui-
fed this atmosphere Tters great forces encamp
el a. Washington. Without the citys the crcss of
fo;s and eIcsmpmenis OF the soldiers Within it, the
camp foose; the contractors Of all degTee the tfioe
Of thieves, vast multitude. While the defenders al
the Government n shelter the Capital from the
bandits CT secession the blood suckers in undisurb
cd possession
While the bird Of Jovs is aloft, with the glitter rE
| thundeTbos around him, the edlies Of ais enemes
are sheltered under his WINGS Now while we have an
army o! near 200 600 men ct Washington, and vie
the and the time for action have fully come the
contractors talk Of cesy, Of going into winter
quarters and wearing cut the enemy by waiting and
Natchr g--learning. Longfeloz would have il ito L.
Dor and to wait" This will not do. Whatever force is
necessary to bring the facts into immediate contact with
the Presidential organs Of sense, wilmust be employ
ed 10 inform the highest authority definitely, and With
all necessary weight aud penetration, that TIE polcy .!
rendering the subserTent to the Contractors hes
been pursued 10 the EXTREMIST verge Of public endu
rarec. The notion Of waiting until tho Corfederates
can't march, because they will have out their shoes
and upt they shaken to pieces in consequence Of the
of outline and until their solders damage sl ttt
good guDe Is probably exploded by the opening of di
trade between the South ard Europe by the line Of
stegm.rs established by Yancey Co the Bermuda be
ing the frs arrival and the probability Of regular trips
being the clrdJ. Wntering The Graud Army the
Potomac, Il und rtsten will end the in the
throw Of the Government in one way or another.
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
The Northern press is growing unanimous 10 insisting
tha; the 4d@iGis!aion should exchange prisoners with
the Confdlraios Tue Lafayette Qadiana) Courier &C
influential Journal, says:
National Prisoars.-Tbe ll-started expedition from
Fort Hatleas 10 the camp outpost OF tho Indiana
TSeniie b. and the capture Of Qrriermaster l. w. Hart
and twenty-five others Of this gllsnt regiment which
will be remembered, was recruited In this city, brings
homo the vcxed question OF sn exchange Of prisontr,o
ous hesr;hs and hearlhs,ones. Hitherto
the Administration has declined and wholly discouraged
exchange Of p.isonera the ground that IL would
be a recognition Of the ConfederatSs bellgerents
But, in tie singls instance above mentioned, there Is
enough 70 aside all such hair splitting trchncaities
and 20 demand exchange tho high ground OF hu
maaity and the usages Of civilized warfare.
When the exig nc,es OF the hour demand that even
the pgnest provisions OF the Constitution should b set
asidr, tho Administration s straining AZ gnst and
swallowing a camel in the stubborn refusal to waive
mere Technically The anxiety OF friends and the sui
NJ in
OF the pee; ard trust that the Government will
verse It's judgment this point and exchange some of
he Confederatss taken in the capture OF Fort Hiteras
for the loyal laDgushing in the Chlrleston jail
| and the tobccco warehouses OF Richmond. We are
aware that there collateral Issues involved in this
formal recognition of the Confederales belligereu
but hold that the Government is equal to the emer
gency, and that the protection Of single loyal soldier
and his restoration to the ranks or 10 hu family and
friends IL OF infinitely importance than the nice
| distinctions which now stand in the way.
The New York Times asserts s position this oues
ton in the following emphatic manner, which, it will be
observed il directly contrary to the policy enuncated by
| Iincsln:
We must then remodel our action towards the Con-
sderate Government; must treat prisoners, In almost
oyery respect prisoners of war recognise the
sacred character of the flag OF truce but viii not er-
change prisoners for our own men taken by the
enemy. How long will the administration oil President
South are not accordag 10 the code OF nations, belger
ent enemies? Who is to blime and what Is the matter
It follows this up by making the following focibe de-
mand upon the Abolition administration:
We demand In the name Of our common country, IN
the name OF civilization end humanity, that the Southern
CoRfederaey be treated bslligrsm poper, and our
gallant soldiers be not mittcd to fade away under the
Desen cTers OF Carolina or rot In Southern dungeon
Let these be exchanged according the strict letter
Of tbe rulse OF war; and let them home to their
families. Who but they sufferers by this mistaken
| policy OF our Government
TIE st. Louis Republican says on the subject:
The Administration seems finally 10 have come to the
dstermn 10 treat the Confederate soldiers captured
by the Union forces ordinary prisoners OF war; and
not as raitors Tie order from the army headquarters
releasing nunbe Of rebels taking the oath not TO
bear arms against the Union this IL anything;
We take |. that the proceeding named Is according 10
rank, a. in pursuance Of the usages OF beiserent ma
TONS There has been good deal OF aiueanisaness eI
hibited In relation TO any Acknowledgements, however
slight of the Confederate statts as hosilc possrSs
as power at a but wc think Government has bern
more uunc,ilcu, on the subject tlan is consistent with
the efficiency and convenience Of the service.
The 81. Louis Democrat advocates an exchange Of
prisoners and says negotiations are going on for the e1
change of Colonel Muigan who was taken prisoner at
the battle of sprinfeld, No.
FIGHT AMONG TIE WAR JOURNALS
The war journals Of New York are engaged In fam
ily Quarrel The New York Herald of the 2Sd opens
Gre in the following manner
The Tribune devoted It's whole editorial page and the
7smss a oouple of columns to the case OF the Herald
Yesterday. Our advertsers--unlke those Of the two
morbund Abolition organs US but little space to
devote to repy; and besides il y not worth while 70
waste much powder on such small game. The 1tm
saws We are in favour OF JEFF Davis and the Oonfede
rates Toe 'ltrle villain" knows that be initiates BIS
father, the devil, when he writes that II tho Confed'
rates riuaphed raaf ,S'u,d property Be vorsk hsrs
The Times has oaly $4,000. according to its own con-
fession and hes ding notes to double tha. q
mount. OF course 1t could loss nothing. Nov, tbe
Herald has plenty of resl estate, and no note out VI
course, then, It would lose everything. Which paper
then, Is the likely TO favour Confederate success
the Herald or the Times.
The Tribune accuses US Of wishing war with Eng.
land. Wbyy $50 that the Coufederates may succeed,
saws the Tribune That Is very well for the Tribune,
4 l. .k.-.x. apf Anuwn oh n