Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-16
Especial Dispatch to The wOrld.l


Z ing OF Chambersburg.
Especial Dispatch to The World.l
ARMY OF PoroMAc, NEAR PETERsBuRG,]
Aug. 10, via Washington, Aug. II.
The Richmond Sentinel, of the 9th inst,
reports the rebel loss In the attack OF the 3Oth
ult. at nine hundred and fifty killed anu
: wounded, and three hundred prisoners
The affair is spoken of with much exulta-
ton. and anxiety expressed for Grant to
fire his other mines.
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
Speaking of the exchange OF prisoners,
Il saws: Stanton must be the most unleei-
ing monster of all connected with the Lin
coin government, as he alone Is responsible
for stopping the exchange Of prisoners
!, Commissioner Ould has endeavored, Dy ev,
cry honorable means, to induce the Federal
authorities to resume the exchange, ana II
Is believed that the Federal commissioner
would have consented long ago but for the
interposition of the man who presides over
the War Department at Washington. Even
Butler, beast as he is, was disposed to ac-
cede to the liberal proposition OF MIR. Ould,
but was oyerruled by Stanton. We do not
EXPECT any member of the Lincoln govern
ment to feel sympathy for the cruel suffer-
ings of the gallant Confederates confined
in loathsome Northern prisons, but we GER
tainly had reason to suppose they would
have some tender feeling for their own
prisoners languishing in confinement III the
South. We frequently see accounts pub
lished in Yankee papers OF the sunerings OF
Federal prisoners. If stanton Deneves
those statements to be true, what q fiendish
disposition he must have, when he alone
has the power to affect their exchange, and
refuses to permit it to be done.
H THE BURNING OF CHAMBERsBURG
1t discourses as follows: The feeling Of mag
unanimous forbearance is at length exhaust
ed. Overwrought humanity has quilted the
mercy seat and given place to the spirit OF
revenge. We are Christians, long-suffer-
ing and forbearing Christians. We are as
soldiers, chivalrous. generous and humane;
but we are also men, with the feelings, moral
obligations and rights OF men. Twice be-
fore have we invaded Pennsylvania; twice
before have we captured Chambersburg;
twice ere this have we had the opportunity
to retaliate upon Pennsylvania the ten
thousand cruel and inhuman atrocities COM
mitted by the Federal troops in the South.
On each occasion, in pursuance OF just re-
taliation and '. ithout violating the laws OF
war, we might have burned her cities and
laid waste with fire and sword the rich and
beautiful valley of the Cumberland. this
densely peopled, highly improved and fer
tile valley we might have destroyed and
carried off more private property. burnt
more houses, turned out Of doors TO
starye more women and children, and
inflicted in every form more human
misery and wretchedness in q week
than could the Fedcrals in a month in any
section of like extent in the South. We
magnanimously forebore TO do so as we do
not war upon women. The piteous ap-
peals of the weak and defenceless melt
and unnerve the sternest and grimmest SOL
diers, and we yield to pity what we would
not surrender to force. We are too proud
to be cruel, too proud to tread upon the7
worm. to break the bruised reed, 10 insult
and oppress the weak and downfallen. On
each of the former occasions. we should, as
an act of even-handed justice, have retail
ated on Pennsylvania the savage atrocities
she has helped to inflict upon the South.
We should thereby have taught the North
the salutary lesson that savage warfare is
game that two can play at. Had we done
so it is probable she would have abstained
in some measure fSop perpetrating the
murders, arsons. rapes4nd Hbperles that |
still mark with infamy the march of her ar |
mics through the South. We may operate
on her fears, but not on her humanity or
sense of Justice. We no doubt hoped that |
the example of our generous and Chris
tian forbearance, our chivalry and hu-
manity, our respect for the usages of
civilized warfare and national law,
would not be lost upon them, and that,
in future, they would initiate our ex-
ample. and conduct the invasion OF the
South more like civilized men and Chris |
4 l., 10 Ia, huf
we hoped in vain. Their subsequent course !
has been more un- Christian, more openly |
violative of the laws of war, the injunctiOns |
of Christianity and the feelings of human
ity, than it was before we thus spared them |
A course of duty, duty no longer to be |
neglected or delayed, accounts for. and will |
forever Justify the burning of Chambers |
burg. This Is but the beginning of the |
end. We know that this burning will rem |
der you more cruel than ever, that you will
try to Law waste the entire South, to subju-
gate it, to confiscate our lands, to make
your negro soldiers a police guard to insult,
watch and rule the native whites. Nine
out of ten of our men and all of our wo-
men would prefer death to such subjuga-
tion. You have not made us desperate, for
we are full of hope, and become the more
hopeful as you become more crnel- Yes, If
bilt WOIbb COulCS W tiiO WOioS VIC VIII iSdNO
the South as field for you to devastate-
If you can find anything to devastate-
for you to plumber and thieve in, where
you have left anything unstolen, with
none to oppose your onward march but
women and children and aged men; while
our regulars, who would in such case num-
ber almost, or quite, million-say half a
million at least-divided into many separate
commands, all breathing vengeance, and
thirsting for blood, booty, and retaliation,
will march into the North and Northwest,
where there is a rich town orvillage at every
five miles; where munitions of war and pro-
visions of all kinds abound; where more
than Asiatic wealth invites the raider and
plunderer; where no base of operations, no
wagons or other means softransportation will
be needed. We will leave the South for
you to CLEAN in, while we gather rich har-
vests in the North. You cannot invade,
subjugate and hold the South, and at the
same time defend the North. Our armies
would meet with but little opposition un-
less you gave up the South, and to give up
all your possessions in the South would but
end the war, and that Is all we ask. There
are several other articles in these papers
which would like to send you; as cannot
get leave to send the papers, but must defer
! them till tomorrow.
The Smelling Of Petersburg-Fires