The New York herald., 1863-11-11


| We haye had illustrations of this In the bogus
neutrality Of England and In her remarkable
assumption of sympathy for suffering humanity
We have no less Ginning illustration in the
ohivalrous talk and the infamous conduct Of
the rebels now In arms against this government
If We were to credit the hypocritlcal protes
tations Of the English press we could never
believe that the British had employed savages
during our Revolutionary war, or confined our
patriot prisoners in the New York Sugar House
and the Jersey prison ship, or blown Sepoys
from the mouths Of cannon or connived at rape
rapine and murder in China, or sent out pirate
vessels manned by pirate crews to prey upon
the commerce Of friendly Power. Still less
If we were to believe what the rebels gay Of
Themselves, could we realize that the gentlemen,
the arstocracy, the chivalry Of the South had 80
foully and brutally ill-trested their prisoners
of war that the horrors Of tho Jersey prison
ship and the New York Sugar House are eclipsed
by the greater horrors Of Castle Thunder and
the Libby. When the history Of this war comes
to be fairly, fully and impar!Ially written, the
historian will sicken at the record he is COM
pslled to make of outrages and enermities COM
mitted by rebels-who claim to be men--up0n
the Union prisoners whom the chances Of battle
have placed in their power, and civilization
will blush to know that such monstrous cruelty
could have been permitted In this enlightened
century.
We have now four correspondents-Mr S. T.
Bulkley, Mr.. L. A. Hendrick, Mr.. George II.
Hart and Mr.. Finley Anderson-in rebel
prisons. We believe that one Of the most
stringent reasons why these gentlemen are not
released is the fear that they would reveal to
the world tho secrets of their prison houses and
of the interior life of the rebels and startle hui
manity by this informal blazon. But, though
our correspondents are kept in durance
VILE the statements Of escaped officers and sol
diers, of deserters, and of exchanged prisoners,
give us a tolerably correct idea Of the Black
Holes Of the confederacy. From them we
know how our prisoners are dragged along on
foot for weary miles. refused moments pause
for rest, or even for drink of water, until the
designated prison is reached. There they are
shut up together, hundreds in a room, and
uutlk tuty tlC VI uiS GACuNuSIu tucy ulc hcFc4
permitted to leave this room for a moment for
any purposes whatever. Half starved, knee
deep 10 filth, covered with vermin, their clothes
stolen, the money sent to them by friends stop
ped and appropriated by rebel officials, their
letters opened and generally destroyed, suffer
ing, perhaps, from wounds or from disease, in
suited and sometimes struck by brutal sen
tinels, shot down upon the smallest provOca-
ton Or without any proyocation whatever
thus our Union heroes live in rebel prisons,
and none so we'll as they can bear testimony to
.hc quality of the chiyalry OF the 50 called Con-
federato States.
Contrast with this the condition OF those re-
bells who have the good fortune TO be prisoners
at the North. Our government supplies them
with clothes, with plenty Of provisions with
comfortable beds and blankets, aud with ac-
commodatiOns OF the neatest and most c0nye-
nent description. It is pretty certain that they
have all the necessaries Of life; for they are
continually grumbling for the Injuries Gene
raj JEFF. Thompson whines for whiskcy and for
''little dribs'' OF money, and gets them. Rebel
prisoners out West were furnished with com
pletely new suits Of clothes at government ex-
pense, and were soon after captured in those
same clothes fighting against tho Union. The
rebel prisoners on Davids Island, in this har-
bor think it exceedingly hard because they are
not favored in the same way. Presents Of food,
money, clothing and all sorts OF little dainties
are sent to these prisoners every day, and what
ever money they receive they are allowed to
retain or to expcnd a. they think proper
This is the style in which the "accursed
Yankees" the Northern barbarians," tho
''minions of that ape, Lincoln" treat their pris
oners of war. We do it because we deem it
proper, humane and Christian II IL be So
what ia the style Of the rebel chivalry!
We draw this contrast not to boast OF our
superiority, but TO reform the rebels. We are
not fond Of washing our national dirty linen in
public. If We had ever felt disposed to reveal
our weaknesses TO Europe and TO create a.
bitter q feeling ai the North against the South
~ there Is said TO be 1t the South against the
North, we could have accomplished IL long ago
by the simple recital Of some Of the most pro-
minent of rebel atrocities. Hitherto we have
have kept steadily in view the fact that, as the
Union must ultimately be restored, sectional
animosities and revengeful feelings had better
be mollifed instead OF strengthened. 1t would
have been far worse for the rebels, both In tho
past aud the future, il the Northern people had
been stimulated to hatred aud retaliation during
this war. Whether or not our present humane
policy shall be persisted in depends much upon
the rebels themselves. We hope that we shall
remain Christians in spite Of every provoca-
ton; but we know that human nature is weak
and that forbearsDee sometimes ceases TO be
popularly regarded as virtue.
-----------------~------
SEwARD's AUBURN SPEECH RATHER ORAcr-
LAa-wHAT DoEs II MEAN'--A good many pso
pie and presses are puzzled in regard to some
oracular outgivings In Secretary Sewsrd's Au-
burn speech on election eve. They want 10
know what the Premier means when he says
IL