Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-02-19
TELEc RAP HIC.|
LIST OF PRISONERS ESCAPED
FROM RICHMOND.
Indian Depredatiens in Texas.
$l5.000,00O Confederate Money
and Large Amount Of
Cotton GObbled.
A Characteristic Letter from Gen.
Butler to Rebel Commits
siOner Guild. r.s ~
NEW York, Feb. 16.

NEW YORK, FEB. 10.
The Times Washington special says Gen.
Butler has issued an order forbidding the sale
Of liquor to be drank on his premises under
penalty of fine and imprisonment at hard
labor. Also an order that all estates in his
department abandoned or occupied by rebels
be taken possession Of by the superintendent
of negro affairs or Treasury agents. =
The House will probably accept the Sem
ate's tax on whisky of sixty cents on the gal
lon, by eight or ten majority.
Capt Todd, Provost Marshal Of the Dis
trict of Columbia, is reported to be relieved
from duty and placed under. arrest. Cause
unknown.
The 1ri5une's army dispatch reports the
review of Merritt's cavalry division Saturday,
during which 1t. Knight, of the 18th Indiana,
was thrown from his horse, receiving injuries
supposed to be fatal. 81 e.
The Tri6une's dispatch also has the fol-
lowing:
The correspondence between the authori-
ties Of the United States and the rebel author
ties in the exchange of prisoners, and sub.
mitted to the Senate, has just been published.
We copy the letter Of Gen. Butler defining,
the position of the Government and himself
al FORTRESS MoNRoE, Jan. IL, 1868.
SIR: Your note addressed to Maj. General
Hitchcock in relation to an appointment by
the United States of commissioner of ex.
change is returned. This Government claims
and exercises the power of appointing its own
agents to represent its interests irrespective
Of any supposed sanction by the Confederate
authorities. No right Of declaration of out
lawry by those authorities of any officer or
soldier of the United States can be admitted,
or for moment be regarded by the Govern
ment Of the United States, as it certainly will
not be by the persons upon whom such in
timidation is attempted. am instructed to
renew the offer, leaving all other questions in
allegiance, to exchange man for man, and Off
Ger for officer of equal rar,k, actually held in
custody by either party, until all prisoners of
war SO held are thus exchanged. take
leave to express the hope from humane con-
siderations to those confined as prisoners of
war on either side, that this offer will be &C.
cepted. l am further instructed to inform
you that unless the flag of truce sent forward
under the sanction of the commanding Gem
eral of this department is recognized and
respected by your authorities, all further
communication between this Government and
the Confederate authorities by flag of truce
must cease. However much the loss of its
ame.iorating influence upon the rigors of
what ought to be civilized warfare is to be
regretted, but the responsibility Of such a
determination must be left with those whom
you represent. -.. .-..e.-t -
have the honor to be very respectfully
your obedient servant,
BENZ. z. BUTLER,
Maj. Gen. and Com. of Exchange
To Hon. RoBT. OuLD,
Com. of Exchange, Richmond.
FORTRESS MONROE, Feb. Is.
The following is from the Richmond Eram-
liner, of the 18th:
1.-THE following is a list Of the principal
officers who escaped, their rank. Among
them, we regret to have to class the notori-