Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-02
Starving Prisoners at the south Moth.
ing New.

Starving Prisoners at ths South Moth
ing New.
New York city Ia fast becoming famous for
the number Of journals II permits TO be pub.
llshed and circulated in the interests Of the
rebels. The more bold OF these journals, such
as have a ready apology for every crime against
Justice and humanity the people OF the South
chose to commit, have from time to time at
tempted to dlscredit the most convincing proof
that our prisoners were shamefully treated,
and even starved to death In Southern prisons.
Another class ofthese Journals, while affecting
loyalty TO the Government, do their work for
tho rebels In less prttentious style, but have
always pleasing apology for every great crime
committed by their Southern friends. They
would admit that Union prisoners In the South
were insufIlclently fed, and In some cases, per.
haps, not treated with that tenderness and 70.
gard which the chivalrous people Of the South,
proverbisl in their respect for Justice and hu.
mauity, were accustomed to bestow on those
who came among them In q different way.
But that even this was forced upon them BY
the necessities Of war and the Strengthened con
ditoa Of their commissariat.
It is safe to say there Is not shadow Of
truth to base such contemplate apologies on.
The cruel treatment our prisoners have re
celved at the hands Of southerners 10 nothing
more nor Ices than the natural offspring Of that
barbarism which slavery has entailod on and
which yet holds SO prominent place In the
political and socisl systems OF the South. And
to DrOve that thia st t,rvioo ,,rtaon.r. a.. ~.
thing, we to-day publish on the outside Of our
paper curious document published In 1851,
and which appeared as an APPENDIX to a book
written In that year by Mr.. r. O, Adams, on
the law lmprisoping all colored seamen enter.
ing the port Of Charleston, 8. G. Mr.. Adam,
shows that starving prisoners was then prac.
ticed by the authorities, and that attempts tc
apologize for II were at that time made BY
''the chivalry." This document also disclose.
another fact, which It would he well for such
Euglishmen as are expeudlng their surplui
sympathy on Southern rebels at this time tc
bear In mind.
When South Carolina asserted that not only
must Eoglishmen respect and bow down before
her peculiar Institution, but such OF them q,
hnd ousky competitions be made to suffer i'm
prisonment for being found within her terri
tory, the respectful remonstrances OF theIl
consul were treated with insult and his person
with rudeness. Britlsh subjects were impris
oned and maltreated then, Just as loyal mer
are imprisoned and maltreated by the ehipalrt
now. There are good men in England who
have not forgotten this insult offered to their
honor By plAveryi and among them Is Lord
John Russell. Hehas not forgotten how South
Carolina, when the subject became too press.
ing for her to resist, shielded her cowardlce
by referring 1t to the General Government at
Washington.
Ifit be true that every despotism falls under
its own weight, then nothing can be surer than
that slavery is destined soon to share the same
fate.