The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-11-29

General MsreddFs Reply To Commissioner
OHA-A SOrehiHg Rebuke Of Rebel DH-
Phcity--InsiacsrTty of he Rebel GoUeyR
R.ent.
lspecisI Correspondence OF PhGa 'slphis Inquirer 7
NORFOLK, Va, November IL, 1868.
The rebel Commissioner, 0uld. who
has been endesvoring to defraud the
United States in the exchange of pris-
Oners, has proven himself TO be an out
right falsifier, as the following, by his
own admissions TO our Commissioner of
Exchange, will show:
OFFICE COMMISSIONER eF ExCHANaK,l
FORTREss MONROE, Va, Nov. 10, 1863.S
Honorable Robert 0uA, Agent Of Exchange,
Richmond, Va:
Sir-I acknowledge the receipt of
your communication Of October 81. /
would have been surprised at its contezts
had | not been previously acquainted
with your habit of pleading, and Of per-
Verting the truth.
In the last interview but one which |
had with you, you stated to me, dis
tinctly and une quivocsl'y, that you would
make declarations of exchange whenever
you conscientiously felt that you had the
right to do so, foe the purpose of put
ting men into the field You made this
statement not only once, but two or three
times. In my previous interviews with
you had taken the precaution to have
verbal propositions of any importance
made by you reduced to writing; on
this occasion | refrEinsd from my usual
course, now much TO my regret, as | will
do you the justice to say that have no
doubt you have forgotten what occurred
at that meeting.
The following extracts, from two Of
your letters, will probably serve TO c1n-
vince you that it is highly probable that,
while lAboriug under the excitement
hinted 1t above, you may have made the
statement attributed 10 you. From
your letter dated October 2, 1868, take
follottiDg: ...
81 now inform you, in view of the 70
cent declaration Of exchange made By
you, coupled with your failure either to
agree TO or decline the proposition made
to you on the 24th Of August last, in re-
lation to paroles, that the Confederate
authorities will consider themselves en-
tirely at liberty to pursue any course IS
to exchanges CT paroles which they may
deem right and prop,r"
Again in your letter to me Of October
I6, you stated as follows:
Il reserve to myself the right to make
further declarations Of exchange, from
time to time, based upon the paroles in
my Office, until have declared exchanged
a number of Confederate soldiers equal
to that of Federal troops declared ex-
changed by your Lass noticeF'
In these two extracts you srrJgste tS
your Government aud yourself the right
to declare exchanges. OF cOurse Gov
eminent in 80 prosperous condition IS
the COnfederacy, with men in supera-
bundance to put into the field, would not
declare men exchanged for that purPos3,
nor would high toned, honorable gen.
tlsmsn, who has reserved TO himself the
right to declare exchanges, use that right
with the idea Of putting men in the field.
Yet it is well known that many officers
and men captured at Vicksburg, were in
the battle Of Chickamsuga. deem it
proper here TO say . few words in rela-
tion TO the Is 900 paroles which you
state you have in your possession, and
which you claim IS valid You rest the
validity Of these paroles (Which | have
never seen, and which you acknowledge
to have been ascumulating for many
months) on General Orders Of the United
States Government, Nos. 40 and 100.
These two orders announce general rules
based on the usages Of war, bat = cartel
having been sgreed upon, no order OF
either party could set aside its prOVis-
ions (Which | have stated to you on sew
eral occasionsl For instance, . com
mandsr on bsing captured might under
some circumstances, give . parole for
himself and bis command without violAt-
ing General Order No. 100 (Which in
eludes General Order No. 49), bus unless
the pAroling was done ut City Point or
other named place, il wonld be in viola
tion Of the cartel, nor could exceptions
be taken 10 this course By the parts
granting the parole, because the validity
Of TIE parole depends on . strict comPh-
ance with the provisions Of the cartel.
Paragraph 130 Of Order 100, which
prescribes the duties that . pSroled
soldier may perform, is also, % s5ms
txtent set sside By ths eariel which
restricts these duties 10 . much more
limited field than th0Order. Paragraph
l3i, which you attempt TO make 50 much
oi, 10 also redered imperative By the
cartel, because il could Only apply 70
paroles not given st the points desig-
mated for delivery; bat ell such
parJles are By the cartel made invalid,
and the paroling party therefore, has no
preiext for claiming the reception.
Had such claim been adnittsd, the
effect as Gettysburg would have befn 10
give denerAl Lee the privilege of placing
biz prisoners in our hands, 10 Be de-
liFsFed 70 bin q City Point, q oar oWn
-. s..sii--ssss. -s.s r1enf 10 sell II