The Portland daily press., 1863-12-07
The Exchange Of Prisoners---Cen. Hitch
cocks Letter.

The Exchange Of Prisoners---Gen. Hitch
cocks Letter.
II Is to be deeply regretted that any persons
should be found so lacking In patriotism that
they are willing to peryert the facts in rela-
ton to SO painful subject as that which in
wolves the best good of our brave men who
are now suffering the horrors and barDarities
Of rebel prisons, for purposes unworthy the
human heart - the fostering OF prejudice
against the government and the men who are
50 devotedly laboring in its service. we need
not say that difficulty has arisen ON the
question of exchange of prisoners, between
the rebel and federal Commissioners appoint
ed to arrange this business, nor need we it,
form our readers Of the persistent efforts of
the opposition press TO exculpate the rebels
from all blame in this matter, and to inflame
The public mind by representing the whole
hitch in this business to be the result ofunreas-
enable demands on our part, or willingness
to sacrifice the lives of the white Union pris-
oners-officers and soldiers-for the benefit OF
the negro; for every intelligent person who
is accustomed to read the papers OF the OPP
position is familiar with this fact; and yet
more deliberate or mischievous perversion of
truth and facts has seldom If ever been perpc-
trated.
Fortunately for the information OF the
American people We have a full statement OF
this whole question, from an officer Of high
rank and every way competent TO speak, and
whose word will be accepted by the American
people. We allude TO the recent letter OF
Major General E. A. HITCHCOCK, written at
Washington, Nov. %. and addressed to the
X. Times. We can perform no better SER
vice for our readers than to give full abb
stract Of this lucid letter, its great length pre-
GLIDING us from giving it entire. Gen. Hitch
cock, In commencing his letter, says:
The condition of our men held as prisoners of war
in Richmond the extreme suffering TO which they
have been subjected contrary to the usages OF war
and the dictates ofhumanity have naturally aroused
the sympathies of our people, and the question is
asked by many, why are they not exchanged
He then proceeds to give statement oil
facts from which an answer to this question
may be gained He rectes the facts in relation
TO the message to the rebel Congress from
JEFF. Davis, referring to President Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation of January LIST.
He quotes the following passage from that
m .ssage 10 indicate the policy which the
South determined on:
So far as regards the action Of this government
on such criminals as may attempt its execution ire
ierring to the proclamation OF the President OF the
United States)I confne myself 10 Informing you that
mos 70
authorities all commissioned Offices Of the United
states that may hereafter be captured by our forces
in any Of the states embraced in the proclamation,
that they may be dealt with in ace0roance with the
laws Of States providing for the punishment of GRIM
;aa,s engaged IN exciting civil instructions.
Gen. Hitchcock has no doubt that II was the
determination of Davis to enforce his diabo-
zeal threat, and says:
Ihazsrd nothing in saying that the sole reason
why this threat has not been more openly executed
in the south has been the prepondeiance of North
ern power, shown by the superior number of
prisoners of war held in the North against those
held in the South and if this inequality could now
be neutrazed or il the South coud succeed in cap
turing excess of prisoners over those held in the
North, not moment would be lost by the rebel au-
fhorities in putting force the threat of Mr. Davis.
Whoever doubts this must be utterly ignorant OF the
spirit which animates those who are struggling in
the south destroy the Union of States in behalf Of
government whose cornerstone Is slavery
Whatever.Dayis' purpose may have been at
the time of writing his message, 1t has been
entirely thrown in the shade by events just
now being developed, growing out of the
most solemn acts of the government of the
United States" Gen. II. says:
1t generally known that when the Congress of
the United states proceeded to authorize By law the
employ ment Of coIored troops for the suppression Of
and breadth of the South one Of real or
well-afected indignation, accompanied with the
widest threats of against such officers
mi xht be captured with colored troops, while the
eoiored soldiers msclves, it eyerywher be-
ieved should be either returned or sold into :lay.
SOUTH that this class OF troops were not entitled to,
and should not receive the protection Of the laws of
war, and the strongest terms which infuriate mad
mess could devise or invent used In condemna-
tion of the authorized by the United States
government. What has actually been done upto
spirit Of vengeance openly declared, II may be I'M
possible determine in detail, except In few scat
tered instances but i most significant fact that
In no single instance has the smallest evidence come
10 light tending to show that any officer connected
with colored troops has been captured alive and held
in the South as prisoner of war; nor has any col
ored man, employed as . soldier of the United
States, been captured in the South, aud accounted
this garng fact might be sufficient to show the fell
purpose OF the rebel authorities TO countenance If
they have not directly ordered the destruction of
this class of troops, whenever and wherever they
nnhappily fall into their power.
1t Is not to be supposed that information of
Sucn DafDATiIieS Woulu oItcH conc 10 Hgnt
through rebel papers, but the evidences are
not wanting that such inhuman outrages have
been perpetrated. An officer at Port Hudson,
10 letter to his father In New York, says:
We have ju,t received information of positive
character we only had before that LIST Lieut.
Geo IS. Coleman, of New York city. who cap
tured about two months ago while out on raid, was
hanged within twenty-fou aflerward, together
with some twenty privstes lcolorcdl who were with
him.
This is not presumed to be an isolated case,
but Is indicative of a too frequent practice
among the rebels. Says Gen. Hitchcock:
The government of the United States, in authoriz-
ing the employment of colored troops for the sup
preston OF the rebellion, bound itself, and Is
doubtedly under the most solemn obligations 10 use,
its utmost power to throw that class Of troops
the protection Of the laws OF war, and stands en-
"a 9ed before the world 70 make compromise
Whatever which shall jeopardize the claim Of this
class of troops when captured to be treated with that
humanity which is due TO all other troops in like
circumstances, according 10 the laws Of civilized
warfare.
which the rebels have violated the laws of war.
do not know of single instance In which they have
respected those laws In their treatment of colorod
troops and when the rebel agent OF exchange offers,
no has done, to exchange all the prisoners of
in his hands against all that we have in our hands.
the surplus TO ROMAN parole, it would manifest
the most stupid blindness on part to imagine for
one moment, that he has ever intended to include
coorcd troops as subject 10 exchange He might
say and with verbal truth, speaking Individually,
that he would deliver, under certain conditions all
prisoners in his hands. without intending include
this class OF troops because, by the action of the
confederate authorities not single man, officer