Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-01


iRht In few days the entire correspondence will be
made public here by authority:
There are several seri-us difficulties in the way of
continuing an exchange II prisoners. One Is the bad
faith of the enemy in putting into aceve service many
t,ousands of paroled prisoners, captured at Vcksburg
and ese Ehere wth eeasng any OF our soldiers held
nv them Bit another difficulty of still grAVer impor-
lance is peTeRpOry refusal By the enemy 70 Exchange
eolored soldiers and their Whits officers upon any terms
,ha,ver L. we'll known that lucy have threateRed TO
Il captured soldiers into slavery, ana 10 nAnB 'ue
white oficerA
The Government demands that all officers and soldiers
aboud be fairly exchanged otherwise more prisoners
of war will be- given I e faith OF the Government
IL pledged to these officers and troops that they shall DO
protected and it cannot and will not abandon to the
savage cruelty of single officer or SOL
der who has teen called en- 10 defend the nag OF his
country and thus exposed to tie zirds OF the war;
Il ha, been suggested that exchanges might 60 on
until ell except the colorsd troops ana their White OH
GERS have been given up. But If this we're allowed
rebels would no. only be relieved Of the burden Of
maintaining our troops but they would get back their
own men, retaining their power over the very persons
whom We are solemnJ boucd 10 rescue and upon whom
they could then, without fear of retaliation, cary into
execution the inhumAn crueties they have 60 basely
threatened -.
The President has ordered that the stern law OF re-
tslaion shall thou. hesitation be enfoc,d to aVeDge
the Of the frat Union soldier Of Wha:eVer coler
VII. m tie enemy shall cold blood destroy, or Feu into
slavery All OK er gu stions bstWeen Us may be post
poned for future settlement but the fair exchange OF
colored soldiers and Of their white officers will be insist
cd on by the Govern ment before another rebel soldier
or officer viii be exchanged.
JoHH MINOR Bolts.
This person has furnisksdt to the Yankee newspapers
an sudaeous letter. which purports to have been Ai
dressed to the Examiner" Of this city but in which
has never been published AZ preliminary to the pub
lcaon Of q summary of it taken Rom the Philadelphia
Inquirer of the 24th extract the following from the
correspondence of the New York mes Of TIE 2Th:
John Minor Bolts dined number Of Yankee Mejor
Generals h residcrcs near Brandy Station yesterdAy
Among the lumber WAS the Commanding General
This probably Will give fresh cause of ofsIcS to the
Richmond junta.
Bots letter bears date October Is b.
He denies the charge that be- in interview with
Indiana Major, procla msd bimself Uaion ma2 with.
out any lie or buls He had such Interview and used
no such language. He denied hayiog said that ne
wished the Federal Generals knew half that he lneW If
the rebels and their and Intentions He sn.t
in the confidence Of tie Government or the Oomman.
ders of its forces and therefore Of their intentions he
is as profoundly ignorant as Of their resources.
In reply to tue charge of the Examiner that he Alb
hcrsed the Government, but loved its money be says
Whatever LmAy think Of the Government yet never
felt myself entirely a. liberty IN this Gad Of freedom 10
say half as much against s administration as have
Fsad in your editorial umns but have nsTer
made professions OF devotion to the Government hAye
not ceased to feel VAIN interest In the welfare o. the
people Of i!gina with whose prosperity and freedom
my own are entirely identified and will take occasion
to say here what said 10 Gen. Meade and have said
to all that my prayer that this revolution may
result in whatever may contribute mon 70 the ptrma
nent peice and h1ppiness, prosperity and freedom OF
the people OF Virginia Those are tbe blessings Of
good Government this Is what suppose Is desired aud
h. Gal6ab niana and he
rup spectators in and out of tue army may constitute
An exception They care not what sort OF q Govern
ment they live under provided they h the ligh pieces
and have their pockets well ned.
We may differ possibly, and perhaps honesty to
the best means OF attaining these desirable sads If il
Is by his tuceees of the revolution thea pray God
that the uon may sucoeed but II restoration
Of toe Union, then hope the Union may be restored
What want is Government that has the will and
power - proecsny person and my property az inst all
abuses aud that would prefer living / did before
the war to living have done sncs the il beyond
Ill question: and would be mailman 4 fool if did
no., and knaVe AID RyPocrite If were to pretend
otherwise.
Mr.. Bot denies having done anything OF which the
Confederate Government complain, unless il be that
be has not become DenocrAtIad and made no conces-
sion to Democracy On the o.hOr hand, lie complains
First "Thst the power OF the Legislative branch Of the
Government has been especially directed against him.
Second That the power Of the executive branch Of the
Government has been executed against him when under
this Diet STABLE unWritten aud unknown code called
mar.il Law. Upon no charge preferred which they
dared present before the Court of q1ry, they had
him arrested in his bed and hurried to filthy negro
jail where he kept in oitaTy confinement for eight
weeks When with 1.-THE vigilance and and research
of their numerous detectives they could find nothil &
upon which hinge charge, whilst the army ts has
been turned loose upon him. to destroy his property by
sign and by the orders Of officers in high command
and but for squad from the headquarters of General
Lee tell to what condition be would have been
reduced" Mr.. Bolts says, Have l. then Mr.. Editor,
had much reason for attachment devotion to Gov.
eminent by which have been thus treated.
You complain of thu treatment Mr.. VGllsudgAam has
received q. the hands Of his Government. He made
many violent speeches, In which he took active and
strong grounds sgiinS; his Government Tor this he
was sent amongst his friends, as they supposed But
hlye done nothing, AIKEN no part but mantAit cd firmly
and consistently - shall continue to do, my own PHI
yite op nion and the conviction Of my best Judgment
which has not been controlled by any considerations of
s(l6shness, ambition OR fear
= want no better vndication for having withheld my
approval Of this than is to be found in the fact that
there is not OF those who aided in bringing it
that would do l. II, with their present experience it had
to be gone AgAin or If they could Rave foreseen
what has folio zed al OF which did foresee aud fore
tall
Mr. Bolts denies tia. General Meade took dinner at
his table, yet makes known that he invited him to do
So and regretted that his constant engagements pre-
vented his acceptance, and should he return to the vi
cnity The offence would bS repeated. The truth IT, he
has entertained freely and Hospitality the officers end
gentlemen OF Doth armies Whose acquaintance he has
enjoyed, and shsl con niue to do long ~ he is
master Of his own lauds
Hitherto have been silent, says Mr. Bolts, a. TO the
wrongs injuries and cdignils that have been hcaped
upon me, but am not spaniel 10 lie down and crouch
at the bidding of any monster, nor to lick the hand
that smites me; and IL am thus to be selected a.
particular object of persecution and can find no pro-
teotlon from the law then will protect myseE This
cannot do against the Government against AZ army
but Gfn AID will do it when the law military and civil
both fail me- against any that this OCAfederacy
can boast.
/ cannot be induced to sWervs one hairs breadth
fom the line Of conduct which my own judgment and