The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-12
The Hitch in the Exchange OF Pris'
OnGrS.

A correspondence between Commi.s-
sioners Oull and Meredith is published,
in " hich exception is taken to the deela-
ration Of Exchange by the former declar-
ing two divisions of the Vicksburg pris-
oners--a Texas regiment and Waul's le-
gion-cxchanged. The Federal Com
missioner says that, in view Of that dec
laration, he has declared 19, 400 Federal
troops Oh parole as exchanged, which
stillleaves balance in favor Of fthe ankecs
OF l0,024, which balance he now claims,
or that the same number Of exchanged
Confcderates be returned to their parole.
lie says:
Your declaration was wholly unwarranted
Under the cartel, and it might with gtcat
propriety be set aside. In it you Jailed to
announce to me the 9th section, ~ siontlshca
in the Richmond Eisqaiye,, OF the 10th lust,
which covers Z! officers and SOFA eHiiste
men. You did not, according to the teilns
Of the cartel furnish :i,c with any "lat, or
even give me the number OF men, by which |
could declare equivalents, nor did you give
me any time to prepare my announcement.
here deem it incumbent upon me TO state
that consider your Course Ill this matter
deliberate breach OF good faith OH the part
OF the authorities uadcr whom you act The
18th article of the Caitel (Gcncral Orders No.
142, 1852, J would have authorized you to dis
charge prisoners of the Federal forces, fur
nishing "iist" OF them, and then you could
have discharged an equal number Of your
own officers and men FROM parole The
Cartel not only contcmpiates mutual eX.
change of "lists," (articIe 81 but expressly
| declares (ar.icle A that no exchange rs to be
| considered complete until the officer OK sol
dier exchanged for has been actually restored
| to th lines to which hc belongs.
As to the paroles given at Gettysburg ana!
elsewhere, you made an agreement with my
predecessor, Lieut.. Col. Ludlow, to take ci
effect from May I'D, 1868, that all paroles
given not in accordance with the Cartel
should be considered null and void. How,
then, can you claim rs valid the Gettys-
burg paroles?
Ii you have any rolls or lists of any men
whom you have paroled that have not giyci.
you credit for, or if there should be any er-
rors IN my account, Will be happy orectify
the same.
You declared exchanged, befor nly predc-
cessof was relieved, certain officers captured
az Viclsburg, in whci, declaration he refused
to unite. There are but two officers, be
licye, (GCncr'als Stevenson and BowcE,) who
are covered By your declaration of the 18th
inst. Ii the other officers named have not
been returned to their paroles, Us requested
by Lieut.-Col. Ludlow, you are indebted to
US for their equivalents. The Chief ground
of the objection to that declaration is, that
at that time there were no equivalents OF thc
same grade in our possession, (the only con-
dition which would haze warranted your
making the dcclaration) } and if we consented
to it we would be obliged to Offset them Ly'
officers Of inferior rank.
Commissioner Ould, in his reply, con-
flutes the statements of the Federal Com
missioner, and Thus concludes:
know not what you mean by your refer
encc, on your third pase,to art of the Car
tel. All the officers and men whom de-
clared exchanged were actually restored to
our lines" All the officers and men whom
l requested you to select as equivalents for
then. in the exchange had been restored to
yOHr lines"
The parties whom l have declared cx-
changed have not been returned to their
paroles, as requested by Lieut.-Col. Lud-
low" l do not understand by what sort Of
reading Of the exchange notice OF the 18th
of September you make out that only 1.-TWO
officers (Gens. Stevenson and B0wenp were
exchanged. My letters of July 13 Septcm.
Der IL, and September II will inform you of
all the Vichsburg pri5 oners, officers and
men, whom have declared exchanged.
Your objection TO the declaration of the
tACuliiSC VI t1lC scitCii1 OulCtiS
Vicksburg, because there were no cquiva
Tents Of the same grade, is exploded by the
provision of the Cartel which declares that
''msn and officers Of lower grades may be
exchanged for officers OF a higher grade"
have thus answered all the items of your
letter OF the 2lth Sept. regret the extreme
length of the reply. l have, however, con
fined myself to the matter Of that letter, ant.
to such subjects as were directly connect ed
with its cOntents In 4 future communities
tion will call to your attention the instances
OF the violation of the Cartel by the Federal
authorities. Notwithstanding the expression
OF their sudden regard for that instrument,
will show they have continued those viola
tions from its date to the present moment.
now inform you, in view Of the recent
declaration of exchange made by you,
coupled with your failure either to agree to
or decline the proposition made to you on
the 9th of August last, in relation to paroles,
that the Confederate authorities will consider
themselves entirely at liberty to pursue amy
course as to exchange or paroles which they
may deem right and proper under all the cir
cumstanccs Of the case. At the same time
am directed to express their entire willing
ness to adopt any fair, just and rcciprocll
rule i'll relation to those subjects without
any delay. Respectfully,
Your Obt servant,
ROBERT OuLD,
Agent Of Exchange.