The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-04-25

selves, who happen to be their interiors
in rank. Il It unreasonable to ask the
Government 70 sse to it, that the spirit
Of the law Of Congress shall not be evaded
by indirection and that examples Of pas
sion and violence and murder shall not be
exhibited in our camps with the conniv-
ance or under the authority Of our military
officers
The Senator from Ohio made to us, a
few days ago. q most extraordinary state
msnt Of the condition of affairs ut the
capital OF his own State. In one Of the
military camps in the city Of Columbus,
are several hundred rebel prisonees of war.
Some OF them are atteaded by colored
servants, claimed as slaves. These SER
wants have been transported at Govern
ment expense. fed, clothed, and doctored
By the Government; and while the rebel
officers are allowed the freedom of the
city upon parole, the servants are strictly
guarded and confined in camp by our
own soldiers. The free StAts Of
Ohio is virtually converted By the order
or BY the assent of : military COM
mander, and against the wishes of the
people, into . slave State !; and that order
is enforced BY men in our employment
and under our pay, And this state Of
things does not exist in Columbus alone.
Much Indignation was felt and expressed
in the State OF Illinois, where the same
practice was allowed to prevail among the
prisoners captured at Fort Donelson. The
greater part, if not all. Of these prisoners,
who had slaves attending them It the
camp near Chicago, were transferred soon
after arrival there, the Government paying
the cost of Transporting both whites and
blacks. Whether this transfer was
prompted by knowledge of the popular
indignation that had been excited, and q
fear lest the tenure BY which the prisoners
held them as slaves Eas hourly becoming
more and more insecure, | will not under
take to say.
How long, think you, will this method
Of dealing with the rebels be endured BY
the freemen Of this country Arc our
brothers and sons to be confined within
the walls of the tobacco warehouses and
jails Of Richmond and Charleston, obliged
to perform the most menisl Offices, sub
sisted upon the most siinted diet, their
lives endangered if they attsnpt TO obtain
. breath Of fresh air, or Q beam Of Gods
sunlight ~ window. while the rebels
captured by those very men are permitted
to 60 at large upon parole, to be pamper-
ed with luxuries, to be attended By slAves
and the slaves guarded from escape by our
own soldiers? Well might the General
Assembly Of the State of Ohio ask, in the
language Of . committee of their Senate !:
Why we're these slaves taken at all !?
They were not, and had not been in arms
against the Government--their presence
at Fort Donelson Was not even voluntary.
Why are they retained in prisony They
have done no wrong-thcy deserve no
punishment. It is to furnish rebel officers
With servansi And was it for this they
we're transported at the expense Of tho
Government and are now subsisted at her
cost l. our constitutional provision thus
to be made q, nullity, and slavery prac.
tically established In Ohio And this
under the protection and at the expense
Of the Federal Government"
MIR. McDoug,l. Will the Senator allow
me to ask : question of the Senator from
Ohio?
Mr.. Grimes. Yes, sir.
Mr.. McDougall. Was il stated that the
slaves Of Tenncsses were kept % prisoners
re ~>~ - nk:a 9 r III ~as-..l.-x.I
you 90 to state it.
Mr.. Sherman. Slaves were captured at
Fl. Donelson, brought TO Ohio, and put in
the same prison with their masters, and
kept there.
Mr.. McDougall. And held as prison
en?
Mr.. Sherman. Held there and render
ed menial service to those officers. i
Mr.. AcDougan. Iundeystood you to-
state that they waited on their masters
but did not understand you to state that
they were held BY the Government or the
United States.
Mr.. Sherman. They we're held by the
Government of the United States, and
draw rations now, and are supported BY
the Government Of the United States. /
will state for the benefit Of my friend that
1 have hers letter from the chairman Of
the committee Of the Senate who made
that report.
Dir. Grimes. The Senator will permit
ne 10 90 on, and it can be read after
wards. b s1
Mr.. Sherman Certa;rlu a e
Mr.. Grimes. in the month Of Febru-i
ary last, an officer Of the Sd Regiment of
Iowa infantry. stationed At small town,
in Missouri, succeeded in capturing sew
eral lbridge-bprners, and some recruiting
officers belonging 70 Prices army. The
information that led to their capture ~
furnished by two or three remafkably
shrswd and intelligent slaves. chimsA By
Z LiAatenant Cclnnc. i 4! lie TssSs: srasy.