Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-12-16


remedy is to be found not in change impressmsnt
but in the restoration of the currency to such basis
as will enable the department to purchase necessary sup.
plies in the open market and thus
rare and exceptional process =
The same remedy viii effect the result universally de-
sired of augmentation of the pay OF the army The
proposals made at your preyious sessions increase the
pay of the soldier by an additional smount of Treasury
notes. would have conferred little benefit on him. but
radical reform Of the currency will restore the to value
approxmsting that which it originally bad and materially
improve his condition. -.
fhe reports rom the ordnance and mining bureaux
very gratifying aud the extension Of means of supply
of and of from our home resources has
been such insure ability soon to become mainly,
if not entirely supplies from m foreign soun
ectiles for the manufacture OF small arms and OF gun
POWDER for the supply of ntre from artificial ntre BEDS
and ming operations generally have been SO distributed
through tue country to place our resources beyond the
reach of partial disasters.
The recommendations of the Secretary Of War other
points, infinitely detailed in bis report which is sub
ted to you and extending as they do to almost every
branch of the service, merit careful consideration.
y, EXCHANGE OF PRIs0NRRs
the baEbsrous policy With whch they insgurated the
and that of prisoners has been for some time
suspended The correspondence Of the Commissioner OF
Exchange is submitted to you by the Secretary Of War;
and has ar ady been published for the information of all
suffering useless Imprisonment The conduct OF the
authorities Of the United States has been consistently per-
incpency of the war; had just been concluded when the
fall of Fort Doneson reversed the previous state OF ng
and them excess of prisoners The was
Immediately repudated by them, and remained till the
fortune of again placed US in possession Of the larger
number. new cartel was then made aud, under it, tor
months restored to them many thousands of prs
oners excess of those whom they held for exchange and
epcampments Of the surplus paroed prisoners delivered up
by us established in the United States where the
slant communication with their homes and families. In
July last the fortune of again favored the enemy and
Vcksburg and Port Hudson The prisoners taken Of e
sbug however remained in their hands, and should have
been returned to lines parole to await exchange
Instead of executing duty imposed by the painest die
atss Of justice and good aith pretexts, were instantly
sought for holding them in permanent captivity General
orders rapidly succeeded each Other from the bureaux 1t
Washington placing constructions or an agreement
which had given dispute while we retained the
advantage in the number Of prisoner win discard
did not hesitate addition to retaining the PRISONERS cap
tured them declare null the paroles BY the prs-
captured by in the same sereso engagements,
and liberated on condition of not again serving until
changed They have since openly insisted on treating the
paroles given by their soldiers invalid and those of
binding succession of similar unjust petensions has
been set in correspondence tedlousy prolonged and
every device employed the disregard Of obga
ton which, between begersnt nations, only to be en-
| forced by sense of honor.
No farther comment needed on this subject but it may
be permitted direct your special attention to the close
Of the correspondence submitted you from which you
will perceive that the final proposal made by the in
settlement of all disputes under the cartel is that we
|
to release from ptivty any Of those held by them
In the meantime systematic and concocted effort has
been made quiet the complaints in the United States OF
those relatives and lends of the prisoners in OUT hands
who unable to understand why the cartel is not
ted in their favor by the groundess assertion that we
the parties who refuse compliance Attempts are also made
odous treatment of officers and soldiers
tive in their hands, by msstatements such as that the
prisoners held BY deprived of oud. To this last
cusaton the conclusive has been made that in
cordance with law and the general orders Of depart
nent the raons of the prisoners precisely the
in quantity and quality those served out to gal
liant soldiers in the field and which have been found su
Gent to support them her Hduous campaigns wheit Is
not pretended by the enemy that they treat by
the generous By indulgence perhaps UMPIRE
cedented have allowed the prisoners in our hands
supplied by their friends at home comforts not
enjoyed by the who captured them in battle In
trast this treatment the most revolving nhumanity has
characterized the conduct of the United States towards
prisoners held by them One fact which admits
denial norfpaiation must suffice as test The officers
of army natives of Southern and semi climates
and unprepared for the cold of Northern winter, have
conveyed for imprisonment during the rgors of the
the northern aud exposed situation
shat could be selected by the enemy There beyond the
reach of comforts and often of from home and
family exposed to the piercing cold Of the northern lakes
they are held by cannot be ignorant Of
they do design the probable result How many Of
unfortunate friends and comrades who have passed I'M
sca.hed through numerous battles will perish on John
sons II ID, under the cruel trial to which they sub
jsced but the Omnscient foretell That they
will endure this barbarous treatment with the
service, we cannot doubt. But be found to believe
the assertion that it is refusal execute the cartel
the magnity of the foe which has caused the infection
of intoerabe cruelty loved and honored de
tenders? "
TRANS MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT.
Regular and punctua munication with the Transmits
sssppi obstructed to render difficult aSomplian
with much of the legislation vestug authority in the Exc
cutive branch of the Government To supply vacancies
Office to exercise discretion certain matters connected
with the military organzations control the dstr butio
of the funds collected from taxation or RENTED from thu
treasury to carry the operations Of the Post Ofc
Department. and other like duties require under the Con
suon and existing laws the action of the President
heads of Departments The necessities Of the miitar
service frequently FORBID delay aud some legislation is RI
qured providing for the exercise of temporary authority
until regular action can be had at the seat of
would suggest especially in the Post Office Department
that assistant be provided for the States beyond the Mil
sssipp with authority in the head Of that department
this assistant all such powers now BY III
Postmaster General a. may BE- requisite Tor provisions
control Of the funds of the department in those States
their application to the payment of nail contractors; 70
superintendent of the local post Office and the
for carrying the mail for the temporary employment
proper persons fulfill the duties of postmastsrs and con
tractors urgent cases. until appointments can be mad
and for other like purposes VI thout some legislauv
p,rue"" If The mail serce hv rea,on Of the DELAYS an
hsrdshps suffered under the present
which requires constant reference " Richmond OF thei
we'll of the returns Of the local postmaster
before they receive payment services rendered.
Like provision also necessary in tho Treasury Depar
ment while, for military affairs it would seem to be su
cient to authorize the President and Secretary OF War
delegate to the commanding general much of the di
cretonary powers vested in them by law the exgenct
of the service shall require
| NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy gvesn dea
the operations Of that Deps tmen since January last
bracng information of the disposition and employment
the vessels officers and and the construction of vesse
at Richmond Wilmington Charleston, Savannah Mobi
Selma, and on the rivers Roanoke Neuse Pedee Chatt
hoochee and Tombgbee: the accumulation of ship timb
aud supplies and the manufacture Of ordnance ordnan
stores and equipments The foundres and workshops hay
been greatly improved and their capacity to supply
demands for heavy ordnance artor defenu
is only limedby deficiency in the requisite skille
labor The want of such labor and of serious
affects. the operations Of the Department.
The skill courage and activity of our cruisers at Sc
cannot be too highly commended. They have infcte
heavy losses the enemy, without suffering single di
aster aud have seriously damaged the shipping ineres
of the United States by compelling their foreign commer
to seek the protection Of neutral flags
Your attention is invited to the sugges tons of the
port the subjects Of supplying seaaen for the
and of the provisions Of theta r relation to the volu
| teer navy.
The Postmaster General reports the receipts Of that
partment for the fiscal year ending the 3Uh June last
have been $500 and the expenditures for the
period 81 s22 80467 The statement thus exhibits e
of receipts amour ting to S675, 04s44 instead of
deficiency of more than million VI dollars, US Il
in the preceding fiscal Year. 1t is gratifying to pe
ceiv that the Department has thus been made