The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-03-13

= & ~ 4
what shall DO done with she
Prls0mers1
The capture Of 10 900 rebels It Fort Don
.lson the capture Of three oy four thousand
At Roanoke, md tho anticip,ted capture Of
thousands more at Nashville, in Missouri.
ct Norfolk, and various other places, gives
importance to the inquiry Of what is to be-
done with the prisonersi
Whatever other Union States may think
proper TO do, It IS important tia. the Union
men of Kentucky should look to this matter
as wise men-men who are capable Of look.
ing beyond the mere present. to. the effect
that the release Of these men ia to have on
the future. In the moment Of victory men
are prone 70 bs foryiving, and the gcnerosi-.
ty extended to foe may be in the end rs.
warded as vas the hnsbandman's sympathy
who warmed the seemingly frozen snake
into life 1t bit him as soon ss vitality had
been restored.
As to the leaders who recruited soldiers
in the State, put arms into their hands, and
brought them back with sword and musket
and fire to desolats the State, there can be-
no question ss to the fate they deserve
They are traitors in the most criminal sense
Of the term, AMI, as Mr.. Clay said, .they
deserve traitors DOOM" They are with.
out excuse, and there is no paIliation for
their offence. But what is to be dona with
the common soldiersr These are now spo-
ken Of as deluded young men who did not .
know what they were doing, and having
now had enough Of their rights, II fpermitted
to come home, they will be good and loyal
citizens. Permitted to come homei and
howr Are they to coma home, and become
once more part Of the voting population
Are those men, who have endeavored to de.
stroy the Government, both State and Ma
tional, and who have killed many q gallant
youth who was fighting for both, to cona
again among US, claiming equal rights and :
privileges with those who have peri.ied life. =
health and fortune in defence ofthe old Flag
Is there to be no difference between patriot.
ism and treason. Is the secessionist to
march up to the polls and neutralize the
vote Of Union man. Isit just--is it right
that It should be so! But, say those who,
desire their return, if they come back, the
Constitution Of Kentucky prcscribes the
qualifications Of voters, and the Legislature
cannot add to or take from them. That Is
true, and that is the insupnrable objection
to their being permitted to return. There
is no constitutional provision that prevents
the Legislature from saying that those reb.
els shall not return; and that is what the
Legislature ought to say.
They haYe chosen Dixie for their portion,
and let them 60 to Dixie and stay there
As to their becoming good citizens again, he
who hopes to see it knows nothing of human
nature. They left here with great crime
in their hearts; they have been mixed up
with lawless and brutal soldiery they
have become reckless of all rights Of proper
ty, and are familiar with house burning,
robbery, and the vices Of dissolute camp.
Will they forget this training' Not they.
But they will come home with the coil Of the
Knights of the Golden Circle around them.
and win be banded as one man in schemes
of vengeance againstth Union party. They
will amalgamate at once with tho secession
element that has staid sbbome and the two
together will hold the balance Of pop e.
watching every opportunity to SOW dissens
ton amongst ourselves, and setting them
selves up to be bid for by any denagog9e,
that may solicit their support. If the Union
party wishes to maintain its ascendency,
they must look we'll into this thing. - SO,
Some of the rebels are said to be mera
boys. Tha. may be, but they are very bad i
boys. But great many Of them are in the
maturity of flife, and have chosen rebellion
in the full possession Of their faculties, and
have taught these aa much as they know
themselves-and that is to hate the General
Government and the Union people Of Ken
lucky. A man who fights or challenges
another to fight duel, no matter what tho
provocation may be, !. is disfranchised for .
term Of years. Shall not the man who aim
ed at the life Of society itself, be in some
way disfranchised' Ought he not to bs
banished at least term Of ten years from
old Kentucky, sntil he is willing to return
like . repenting prodigal, having filed his
belly with the husks of secession, and made
better man by tho sobering influence Of
exile? III rs ~
These views may startle those who SYM
pathiss with this rebellion. they may seen.
severe aud unforgiving, but they ere. true
nevertheless. The soldiers ought not to be
permitted to return and enjoy the privilege
Of voting. Ifthis cannot be prevented, We
see no other course but to keep them out
Of the State until the power Of Che Govern
ment, and the strength Of its defenders ID
put beyend the reach Of contingencies -
Fraskfert Ky) Commonwealth.
Csoss HoLLows.--'.C Cross Hollows," from
which Prices army and . body Of Arkansas
troops have just been routed by Gen. Gu tis
is on the Fayetteville road, eighteen miles
from that place and sixteen miles from the
Arkansas limo, in Benton county. The road
passes due south at this point along the bed
of deep valley with procipitous sides, COW