The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-12-12

has not furnished us, but which has been
published in a Richmond newspaper, in
which he attempts to release all Of those
prisoners from obligations under their pa
role, because, as he undertakes to decide,
they were not delivered at the places NAM
ed in the cartel, when the cartel itself pro-
vides for other places of delivery than
those expressly named in the cartel, when
rendered necessary by the exigencies of
war. In the meantime, however, it cannot
be doubted that the body of men in ques-
ton have been put into the field to fight
again the Federal troops, by whom Sthey
were captured but few months since; and
this, too, without having been exchanged,
and without having been properly releas-
ed from the obligations of their parole.
Since writing the above, / have received
an official report from Gen. Meredith, one
point in which will be here stated, to-wit:
that Gen. Meredith, for the purpose Of
withdrawing our suffering prisoners from
Richmond, distinctly proposed to Mr.. Ould
that he would send him II 600 Or more Con-
federate prisoners, as many as he might
hold OF men, and receive in return our
prisoners held in the South which propo-
sition, Mr.. Ould refused to accept, but
said he would agree to general exchange;
the effect of which undoubtedly would lie
cancel the excess of prisoners in ouf hands
by delivery OF about 40, 900 for about 49,
600 to leave the rebel authorities the entire
disposition of such colored troops and their
white officers as they might capture; to ex-
pose Capts. Sawyer and Flynn to their fate
under orders in Richmond, which have
never been countermanded /; to turn loose
again certain notorious guerilla leaders to
renew their ravages in Kentucky and Mis-
souri,, (neither of which States have ever
united with the so-called Southern Confed-
eracy,) TO put into the field fresh army of
rebels, to be recaptured; and in short, we
should deliberately neutralize or throw
away a chief part of the power of the Gov
ernment at this time. through which there
may be some hope, by measures yet to be
decided upon, OF controlling the action of
the authorities in Richmond in their treat
ment Of prisoners Of war, if they are deaf
| TO those of humanity.
We consider that, at this time, the rebel
authorities owe us upon the exchange list
more than all the prisoners of war they
now hold, as equivalent for the prisoners
paroled by Gems. Grant and Banks; and
even already the question has come upfrom
Gen. Grants glorious battlefield at Chat
| tanooga, as to what shall be. done with a
body of the enemy, who, having been pa
| rolled as prisoners of war at Vicksburg,
have been recaptured in arms at Chatta-
| nooga, without having been properly ex-
| changed.
ought to state here that the Government,
OF the United States would not hag9le about
| a few men, more or less, if it were hund-
| reds, or even thousands, # the question was
the relief, and that alone, of our suffering
prisoners in Richmond; but whoever con-
siders the above statement OF facts cannot
| fail to see that other questions and points
| are involved, which it is not safe, ifit were
honorable, for this Government to over
| look.
| II should be stated, also, that an offer was
made to the rebel agent some days ago to
receive all the prisoners from Richmond,
under solemn pledge that they should not
| be allowed to take arms unless duly eX-
changed with the consent of the rebel au-
| thorities, without reference to existing diff
| ficulties on the subject of exchange; and
that this Government would pledge itself
| to both feed and clothe all rebel prisoners
| in our hands. y
| This proposition also was rejected, and
| the Secretary Of War was thus greatly re-
stricted in his means of affOrding immedi-
| ate relief to our prisoners in Richmond
but they have not been overlooked. God
forbid. The Secretary of War has ordered
both clothing and provisions to be sent
through the rebel lines to sustain them, al
though those supplies, from the necessity
| of the case, have been intrusted to the honor
| and humanity of the enamy, whose agents
may or may not permit the supplies to be
delivered.
Meantime it is well for the country to un-
| derstand that this rebellion is to be put
down by organized armies in the field act
ing upon and destroying organized opposi-
| tlon TO the Government, and no real pro.
gress can be made except in this direction,
to which end the energies of every loyal
man in the country should be devoted
The progress already made in suppressing
the rebellion may afford the fullest assur-
ance Of final success and this end will ap-
that the Corps d AJriqme, in the service OF
the government, already numbers fifty
thousand brave, athletic men Who are fight
| ing under the guidance of a body of most
earnest and intelligent officers, who count
their lives as subordinate to the cause they
| are engaged in.
| undertake to assure my countrymen
that the hopes of the most sanguine have
been more than realized, in the facility
with which the government has brought
| within its power of organization the color
ed population Of the country, and the sys-
tenn contains within itself such powers of
expansion, that slavery in the South is in
evitably destined to give way before it,
when this element is seen to work as it
will in harmony with the organized loyal
power of the nation directed to the preser-
walton of Republican institutions, and the
union Of the States under one general Gov
ernment, capable Of giving protection to
| the whole, from both domestic disturban
and foreign invasion.
Very respectfully your ob't servt.,
Z. A. HITCHCOCK.
THE NORTH CAROLINA ELECT1ON.-The
Raleigh IN. CO. Standard CLAIMS that eight
out of ten of the members of the rebel
Congress elect, from that State are conser-