The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30

washington Correspsndence Of the Phil. Ineuirer
This question is now seriously discussed
10 the Cabinet, without any definite answer
being arrived at. 1t is supposed that in the
next four weeks our newly sent out feet
will have captured at least four hundred
Southern sailors, who, according to the doc.
trine eDunciated by the Executive, must be
regarded as pirates. and executed as such.
But you are aware that the subject is full
OF difficulty. At the time General McCel.
Ian took so many prisoners with Colonel
Pegram, wrote to you that the War De-
partment had sent him orders to release
them all. This order, of course, be obeyed.
stated at the same time that the Admin.
istratIon had decided not to hang any of
the sailors taken on board of Southern pri-
vateers. This was true at the time. The
decision was made, not from any feeling of
clemency toward the captured sailors, but
from motives of policy. No instance of
hanging has yet taken place on either side
and the Administration felt unwilling to
begin course of policy which might be
followed on the other side.
The result of the inauguration of such a
policy would be the indiscriminate murder
OF hundreds of prisoners in the hands of the
rebels, including many valuable citizens,
and the enactment of scenes of horror une-
qualed by those of the French Revolution.
The Administration, therefore, decided, as
have said, not to hang any of the pirates
But within day or two the question has
been again raised in the Cabinet. At least
one..member OF that body is in favor, as
be expresses it, of discarding all squeam.
ish nonsense, and of hanging every rebel
found in arms against the Government,
whether taken on the sea or land" This is
undoubtedly the course that ought to be
taken, if the Government regards this mat
ter as simply an insurrection." This is
the view taken of it by President Lincoln
and he, too, although he deplores the neces.
sity of such dreadful measures, is in favor of
such course as will show tOlthe world that
we are in earnest in this matter, and that
traitors found in arms against the Govern
ment must expect and receive a traitors
doom. But the Secretary of State is in
favor of mider, and as be thinks, of a wiser
course of policy. He admits that, by the
strict rules of law, the Southern privateers.
men are pirates, and to hang them might be
Justifable; but, he says, necessity has led us
to disregard former constitutional provi-
sions, since the commencement of this strife.
In this instance, the same necessity would
seem to dictate relaxation of the strict
rule of law. If we hang these men the
rebels will hang Mr.. Ely, Col. Corcoran
and Col. Wilcox and then we, in retaia-
ton, will hang Mr.. Faulkner and the pri-
soners at Fort Lafayette. Thus there will
be no end to horrors. To avoid this, Mr..
Seward favors more lenlent course than
he would recommend under ordinary cir.
cumstances. His opinion has great weight
with the President, but the matter is by no
means yet decided. The other members of
the Cabinet are divided in sentiment on the
subject Mr.. Welles sizes with Mr.. Sew.
ard, and the Secretary of War holds about
the same views, only be objects to any fur.
Their release of prisoners, as in the case of
Col. Pegrams men. Mr.. Bates and Mr..
Blair both go for extreme measures, regard
less of consequences, and Mr.. Smith also
entertains the same views.