Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-01-30
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.

The question of an exchange OF prisoners
NAV he regarded as practically solved by the
orrorgements into which our government has
entered, and by which, conducted as they are
,bouph direct negotiation and correspondence
between the commanding Generals at particular
ronts on both sides, all the ends of military
Justice and humanity are fully subserved, while
no pol,ical admission is made or gained on
either side. Such admissions are properly
left in allowance, and the final character of the
revolt is to be determined only by the arbitra-
ment of the war at its close instead of being
made the incident of a negotiation that should
be conducted with reference purely to military
considerations. But, while such are the terms on
which exchanges are effected from those taken
as prisoners on either side upon land no regu-
lation has been established respecting the fate
Of the persons detained on charge of piracy,
because found waging war on our commerce on
the high seas, and in retaliation for whose
treatment it is understood that the Confederate
authorities have imprisoned in the common
Jail a corresponding number OF United States
officers.
The manner in which the exchange of prison.
ers Of war is effected is substantially the same
as that which was practiscd in the days OF our
Revolutionary struggle The whole matter
was in the hands Of the military authorities of
either side, and the exchanges made were at
their instance alone
The condition of those persons taken from
the armed vessels of the Confederate authorities
is an anomaly Our government has taken
strong ground against all privateering holding,
as we believe Justly, that private property
should be protected and respected in time of
war as much on the sea as on the land. But
the root of the difficulty lies beyond this. 1t is
still further claimed by the United States that
the so called Confederate States are merely
rebels against lawful authority, that they have
no legitimate nationality; and hence that the
private armed vessels sailing under the colors
the confederates have assumed, and making
captures of the merchant vessels of the people
of the United States, under the pretended au-
thority of letters of marque and reprisal from
NOIilthSiHAN "iN "S'ii'S "iN'i''''e
any recognized legal authority, ard are there
fore nothing more nor less than pirates, and
if taken and convicted liable to the penalties
affixed to the crime of piracy.
The sentiment is gaining ground in some
quarters that, for the sake of the brave officers
of our army who have been taken prisoners by
the rebels and who are now held as hostages by
the Confederate authorities for the safety o
those crews of the private armed vessels of the
rebels which have fallen into our hands, it il
best that our government should put these mer
whom we now hold in confinement as pirate,
on the same footing as prisoners of war. TIT
Legislature of Michigan has already passed
series of resolutions iustructing their Senator
and requesting their Representatives in Con
gress to use their proper influence to brin
about such arrangements. We must comics
that it strikes us that this is the more human
and better course. The lives of such men a
Corcoran, Lee, Wilcox and others is wort
more to us than all we shall gain in attempt
ing, in the prcselt state of public sentimen
the conviction and punishment of the prisoner
thus taken by us as pirates, however richl
they may deserve their fate.