Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-01-15
ofthe Mussatine Daily Journal ]
FROM WASHINGTON.H a
The Hoiidays-" Volasteers' Roll o, Honor
The Exchange Of PTisonsrs- etc.

=
The Hoiiday,-" Volawteeys' Roll 0, Honor
i. The Exchange Of Pfisoners- etc.
| WASHINGTON CRY, Jan. 8, 1864.
The Holidays are over at last, and, for one,
| am heartily glad of it. Egg nogg may be
all very well for those who like it, as may also
rum pur ch, not to mention the other fhfernal
: decoctions wherewith Christian housekeepers
tempt engenuous youth into the paths Of
fashionable immortality, and elevate the regu-
lar old soaks into respectfully, during the
gay and festive period spoken of, but we to,
tai abstinence folks cannot see it. AS for me,
though in favor of the largest liberty in mat
ters of fashion and taste as well as in ref.
erence to the /" unaEenabl, right Of man."
never could see any fun in {" big bust y
And the holidays DO not-snount to anything
batter here. wish we couid have a Presi
dent'swife of sense enough and independence
enough to inaugurate new era in the mat
ter of New Years day calls. Why cannot we
have some lady of influence and position who
will have nothing on her side board, in the
| drinkable line, which could intoxicate? Who,
whose respect is worth having, would not
respect the woman infinitely more who should
give her guests cup Of Java, or Of chocolate,
with nice cut of turkey, a little chicken
salad say, with some slice or so Of tongue, and
some other relishing edibles, than she can be
respecfed who does her best, by the tempting
bowls and sparkling gob'ets' help, to get all
'ho men il the city walking zig gag wise on
the first day Of the year throw these in
terrogatories out for'thc general good. lap
peal to history! Tell me, thou reverend
chronicler of the grave, whether there is not
many youth of brilliant promise ruined
hopelessly by strong drink who acquired his
: appetite therefor at the side boards of those
who would blush crimson to be placed among
the Qrog- shop keepers? The reverend chron-
icler answers eyes," emphalicaly. But here
endeih the first lesson. sr e..
i have lately been looking over the " VOL
unteers' Rpll of Honor"-a heavy pamphlet
iu flashy style published by Barclay & Co,
of Philadelphia. 1t is the most ,unmili.
gated humbug this war has produced, except
ing always poor Little Mac. 1t would meet
with nothing but contempt, were its contents
known before purchase. But the title is a
taking one sufficient, Of itself, to secure the
sale Of large edition We're the book not 50
absolutely and beyond expression SOFT This
has made it drug in the market, and, be-
cause the copies had been returned to the
publishers, had to run all over the city be-
fore could find one, being somewhat anxious
to see, having heard that it contained a favor
able notice of our gallant 22d Infantry chief
ly from the county of my residence Amore
absurd thing than the account of the Twenty
Seconds fight at Vicksburg l never have
seen-the impossible things it did, and its
Colonel did, are not out dono by anything
ever seen by Munchausen. And here is the
veracious conclusion of the whole matter :
The rebels carried back with them into
the city, fifteen pr,vates and one officer, u ho
roNnded and erhnusted, were a that were
left Of the most spleudid regiment in the SER
vice All honor to the gallant Twenty Sec
ond Iowa Volunteers, now living only in the
memories and hearts of its millions of ad-
mirers !" -..-..t
! protest against this lying fanfaranade. -
1t is a libel upon our soon-to-be honored Ex-
ecutive, who will scarcely relish tie idea of
his sti gallant and effic mt old regimen! be
ing fairly be pufftd cut Of existence It is a
iibol upon the brave boys of the regiment,
who have honored themselves, their State and
their country, on many a field, and will do
their whole duty always in the future, and
without getting themselves into such a situa-
ton as will enable the rebels to wipe them out
completely. The Roll Of Honor started out
as monthly, but guess it will be killed
before fairly alive.
Ger. Butler IS brin ging tho question Of an
exchange o: prisoners TO az s,ue, c,ea. and
SHARPLY fined, wherein here Can be no mis-
taxing as to which side is in the right ana
gStict in the wrong The eoyern,sent hs, ing
add,d three ccunsi to his j ri>dic,i"n, ard
placed under his charge all our prisoners OF
war awaiting exchange in the neighborhood
of Fortress Monroe, he proceeded to the new
duties assigned him with characteristic
promptituds and efficiency. In the first
place, he personally visited the camps of the
prisoners, saw with his own eyes their cond-
ton, and learned what the men had in the
way of shelter, clothing, etc. He then had
the head cooks brought to him, end heard
full accounts from them of what the prison.
ers got 10 eat during every day of the week.
These accounts were taken down in short
hand by phonographer, written out in full,
signed and sworn TO by the rebel cooks afors.
said. From all which it appears, without
going into the details of the bills of fares,
that the rebel prisoners in our hands have
been all the time we'll sheltered, well clothed,
and well fed. Herein the proof is clear and
absolute-composed of the sworn statements,
not of our own men, but of the prisoners
themselves, and of those whose business it
was to deal out to the men the food assigned
them by our government.
With this proof in his hands, Gen. Butler
sends $50 rebels to City Point, with the sim
pie proposition that he will exchange them,
man for man, for Union men in rebel hands,
leaving all questions in dispute to be discuss.
ed afterwards. In due time. $40 of our men
were returned, but with the announcement
that no more exchanges would be made until
we gave up all rebel prisoners IN our hands,
when the Confederate Government" would
do likewise. The modest missve went on to
state Furthermore, that our government be-
fore receiving any more Union prisoners must
1 give up all claims touching our colored troops
and their officers, and must officially consent
that Gen. BENZ. r. Butler shall be hanged in
case of his capture by the rebels-his officers
and soldiers ditto. Then comes the refusal
to have any intercourserw;th Butler. -. ,.l
i From all of which. it will be seen, rare old
Ben. has got the rebel authorities in q very
awkward fix. That is to say, he has placed
them, or managed to let them place them
selves, so unqueStionably in the wrong that
even Fernando Wood will hardly have the
brazen impudence to defend them Wepace
ourselves squarely on an homes. record, in
: sisting only on simple fair dealing-man for
man, a rebel prisoner far Union prisoner.
!, that is all Of it. Just letouT men come home
to their friends and families, AMI we will do
the same by your men-this single p'oposi-
ton, so sensible, practicable, and just, is in
sultingly declined by the rebel authorities,