, 1864-04-25
Ql)i:fagu Nrlbnue.


President Lincoln, in his remarks ut Balti-
more, observed, that the mode in which re-
dress was TO be sought for the outrage OF
Fort Pillow, vas not yet determined on; and
indicated that it might be'a question Of some
difficulty. We have Confederate prisoners
enough in our hands, md IT would seem TO
be easy to select three or four hundred men
out Of Camp Douglas, by lot or otnel"se,
and order them shot at once bot u VIII
hardly do Tor the Government OF the United
Stats to proceed with rashnees, or to be
cuiuy OF any act which may aavor Of crnelty.
itIs hard to say what might be properly
done under some conceivable circumstances;
but in seeking redress for violstion Of the
law, We must proceed lawfully, 10 ~ to se
cure the appreciation Of civilized nations,
and to stop the mouths Of tho rebels them
selves ....
The men who ncrpetrzted the horrible
atrocity Of numbering men after surrender,
were not a parcel Of unauthorized guerillAs.
.Ead they been such, We might proeesd to
hunt and kill them AZ murderers, without
any further ceremony. But they are the reg
ula1 soldiers Of the Confsdcracy, wearing it,
uniform, bearing It's commission, and re-
ce1ving its pay-acting thus in all respects
under 1ts authority. Tbs first steps in our
course are therefore clea1. We must know
Of the rebel authorities il these acts are done
by their orders or permission; II they will
take the responsibility Of them, or dis.sow
them, and relnqulsh to punishment the per-
pctrators.
The rebels themselves, have inst set m ex-
ample OF the proper mode of procedure.
They found, or pretended to hnd, upon the
person OF Col Dahlgrcn, whom they killed.
a copy Of orders-zeal or fpueious-dctailing
tue work to be donaby his command WHEN
Richmond should be in their hands Sons
of the items were, the taking oil Of JeG D.-
Wis, and sundry acts Of burning and devasta-
ton; aTerrcd to be contrary to ths rnles OF
regular warfare. Aurcbeldom has continued
10 be greatly ezaspcrated by these orders,
which they Affirm to be genuine, but which
have been supposed to be fo1gesles, for tho
sake OF effect, Their. mede OF procedure has
been to inquire OF our military leAders In
Virginia If such orders were given to Col.
Dal,lgren; and If he was carrying ont the
policy of the United States government In
the cndeavor to act upon them.
Gen. Meade and Gen. Fitzpatrick have both
rcpltcd. that no such orders were given to
Col. Dahlgren; and utterly disavow all re-
spousibillty for them. Thus the matter We
suppose viii rest, unless it may still be used
as sort Of bugbear in the way of firing the
Southern heart But assuming that anEsnch
papers were found upon Col Dahlgreu, their
mode OF procedure was obviously the proper
one in the premises.
If JEFF. Davis ayows the act Of Forrest, It
will then be necessary to consider the next
step. It will tnen be for us to decide upon
what act Of retaliation We will enter. In
that case 1t might be proper to proceed to ex-
trcmc measures at once-even to tic pntting
to death Of prisoners in our hands-should
such step. seem safe and proper. It would
doubtless be lawful
But Ii Davis disavows the act, and is
ready to accord some sultable satisfaction,
something less Of stringcney might be insist
cd on III our demands. But in any event the
gang which perpetrated the massacre are the
proper subjects Of vengeance. II Davis will
give up Forrest, Chalmers and their bloody
crew, very we'll If not, proclamation Of
outlaWry is the least that can be thought OF
They are no more entitled to protection in
case of being taken prisoners, than parcel
OF tigers with the blood OF men upon their
jaws.
At ulI cycnts we must go far enough to
yindlcate justice and protect cur black sol
dic1s In the future.