Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-05-16
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 1G, 1862
why arc Our Prisoners Detained,
Lant who - Responsible

W ny arc our Rrls@ner& ~ eb0h ucus
lani who - SespOnsibIe2
Thousands Of misguided, deluded and
ignorant Tennesseans, captured in arms
against the Government, by the Federal
forces, are now held as military prison
ers in the North. The prisoners them
selves all say that they are treated with
great Kindness and tenderness, and with
q humanity far different from the gross
brutality exhibited to loyal men who are
prisoners in the South. Yet still in spite
Of the ungrateful requtal made by the
Rebels for Federal cemency, President
LINCOLN exhibits lofty magnanimity,
as admirable as il is rare. No amount
of petty malice or vindictiveness seems
Y TO drive him into the semblanco of re-
/ ialiation We have even said that his
humanity was stretched too far, and that
prisoners were often turned loose who
should have been detained in conline
ment. We say then, that if the petition
Of loyal Tennesseans for the release Of
the Rebel prisoners of this State cannot
be granted by the President and our
erring kinsmen are still detained far
from home in the hands Of an outraged,
yet noble and magnanimous and for
bearing Government the oodoie response
6iEty of their detention lies On the head Of
JET. Davts, the ArcA Conpirator Of The
Rebellion. We repeat that the Rebel
Government at Richmond is alone chargeabls
wiH the detention Of The Tennessee prisoners
held By the Federal Government. This
matter should be fully understood by
all We want Tennesseans to know that
jeff Davis, the pretended friend Of the
South-Jeff Davis who called on the
men Of this section to rush forward and
bare their bosoms toSmusloet- shot can
non and bayonet that he might be shell
tered from public justice and supported
in power-Jeif Davis, who seduced
thousands of men from pleasant and
happy homes to toll, and pine and per-
ish amid the hardships and rigors of
war--Jeif Davis who has sacrificed
more valuable lives for his own aggran-
dizement than any man living, and filed
the land with widows and orphans and
bereayed parents-JeG. Davis, this moral
monster, this shedder Of innocent blood,
this human butcher, this scourge Of man
kind, traitor to his country, and reproach
to the human race, is the very man who
now stands at the door of the prison
house, and drives back the Tennessee
prisoners into confinement. How is this
We will explain how. In utter disre-
gard and contempt of not only the rules
Of warfare, but Of the laws of God, JEFF
Davis, in late proclamation, declares all
released Rebel prisoners absolUed fran Hei,
parole Of bopor, and forces them by his
Coascript bill, originated and urged By him
self mo the Confederate ranks again
This is the statement Of the Richmond
papers, and they defend the villainous
deed. He has attempted TO abrogate the
awful solemnity Of an oath before God
by a proclamation He declares from
his blood cemented throne in Richmond
that the edicts of tho Almighty are null
and void lie reviews and sets asidc
the decisions Of the high court of Hea-
ven with as little scruple as the Supreme
Court would set aside the decision OF
the lowest judicatory He nullifies not
only the laws of his country, but those
of the t,mniscient, the Omnipotent and
the Eternall The cheek turns pale and
the heart shudders at this horrid full
mination OF folly and blasphcmy from a
pigmy who brandishes his sword of
rushes and challenges the Thunderer OF
Olympus to a trial of arms The reason
of this is, that feeling the throne totter-
ing and shaking beneath him, end .ha.
he is
seen. IN ca far u,st should he wade 40 ,aera,
Returning we're as tedious as 80 o'er,'
he plays game Of desperation, and
"stakes his life upon the cast" He is
fully resolved that the Federal Govern
ment shall make no friends by the ex-
ercise Of lenity TO Rebel prisoners if he
can help it, and so he acts so as to com
pei it to withhold its prisoners to pre-
vent them from being drafted again in
TO the Rebel army as soon as they are
released He first aJsolves The prisoners
from Rsir parole Of honor, and then he