The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-11-16
The Abelition uf the Cartel.

No person can read the correspondence
between Commissioners Guild and Meredith
without becoming convinced, IL he had any
doubt before, that the Yankee Government
acted in bad faith in the matter. Mr.. Guild,
In fact, does not hesitate to make the charge
II direct terms, and he is borne out so fully
by the facts of the case that even the New
York World-a paper not very friendly, ii is
true, to LincOln's Administration, yet still
az warmly in favor of reconstructing the
U0ion by force as Seward himself-is obliged
to admit it. The whole transaction is emf
nently Characteristic Of Seward, and not less
90 Of the Yankee nation, whose peculiarities
have become provcrbial all over the world
1t was, ina word, an elaborate attempt to
take an advantages thorough Yankee
trick-an exhibition of contempt for good
faith when it stood in the way Of a low scheme
for getting the better in trade-a substitu
. ton of low cunning for genuine ability-a
mistake of policy common to knaves, who
cannot be taught to look beyond their noses
or to see that rascality, though successful
for the moment, puts an extinguisher upon
all future hope of advantage by the distrust
which 1t engenders. A large number of
prisoners was taken at Gettysburg and pa
rolled by the officer to whom they sur
rendered, as had always been the practice
under the cartel. They were passed through
our lines and into those of the enemy. 1t
struck Meade that they would be very
useful in the battle then raging, and he made
them fall into the ranks. An apology had
already been provided for him. The Yam
kee Government, In view of this very thing,
had decided that paroles to be binding must
be signed by the COMMANDMENTS Chief An
honorable man would have scorned to profit
by such knavery. But Meade is not au hon.
orable man. He Is Yankee. He took ad-
vantage of 1t. and put the men to work at
once. It SO happened that very few days
after Port Hudson surrendered to the Yam
kees. The officer commanding had heard
nothing Of the new Interpretation put upon
the cartel. He paroled the prisoners; he
wAs not the COMMANDMENT Chief; and So by
the rascality of the Yankees themselves we
recovered brave army of seven thousand
men. Knayesy thus reacted upon itself, and
recoiied upon the heads Of those who first
set Il In motion. The cunning Yankees were
too ''smart" for themselves.
The reasons why the Yankee Government
put an end to the cartel are obvious enough.
They believe their own supply Of men to be
inexhaustible. The degeneration, therefore,
Of the services of the prisoners they lose can
easily be cured by fresh recruits. At the
same time, they think our means of recruit
ing are exhausted. Every man they retain,
therefore. they regard as drain to that ex-
tent which cannot be made up. They think
It is the same thing as killing the like mum
Der In the field of battle. At the same time
they hope to gain another advantage by
leaving their men with Us. They think they
win aasist them In their fayorite policy OF
starving q ont. They aremistaken in this,
but that b the true Interpretation to be put
npon their conduct. The whole transaction
isgenuine Yankee-utterly base, az every
thing originating with the Yankee is
wretchedly short sighted, a. knavery always
must be-miserably awkward and bungling,
- I'll things originating In falsehood must
b. Dean swim saga he never heard more
than three we'll constructed lies In his life.
and be Was the most acute OF observers.
Aeredith's defences OF the rascally conduct
OF his Government are certainly not among
the most ingeniousof Inventions.
There y no evil out Of which good may
not come. Our troops have been in the
habit Of sufrendertng too easily heretofore
The object, In too many instances. has been
- get exchanged, and pay visit to { heir
homes. Under the present system they
win have no chance TO see home during the
War e they are taken prisoners. Besides,
the Yaakses ase preparing TO make their
prisoners more uncomfortable than they have
ever besa. Oar men In tutnre viii not be
tskan - sasily.