Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-03-26

WINDSOR, G. W., March !, 1864.

Gentlemen IL read several days ago,
the Geographic announcement Of the rid.
ding Of the Empire Office BY 'furloughed
soldiers.' / offer you no sympathy, for
that will avail nothing now or hereafter.
| do express to you my profound regret
that you were not prepared to infict on
the spot, and in the midst Of the assault
the complete punishment which the assail
ants deserved; but am grati6ed to learn
that some OF them did soon after receive
their deserts. But these cowardly acts
cannot always be guarded against. And
they do not primarily come from the sol
diers.' There is, therefore, but one rene.
dy for past and preventive of future in.
jutes; and that is, instant, summary and
ample reprisals upon the person and prop.
erty Of the men at home, ,cho, ylanguaye
and conduct, are Arrays tacitiny to these
outrages. No legal nor military punish.
ment is ever inflicted upon the immediate
instruments. Retaliation, therefore, is
the only and the rightful remedy in times
like these. ! speak advisedly; and reco-
commend it in all cases hereafter. tits Of
no avail to announce the falsehood that
"both parties condemn it," after the des-
tructon has been consnmma,ed. The time
has gone by for obedience without pro.
lection. l speak decided language ; bat
the continual recurrence Of these outrages
Frequently attended with murder, and
always without redress-demands it.
They must be stopped, let the consequen.
ces be what they may. Reprisals in such
cases are now the only way left for re-
turn to law and order. Very truly,
C. l.. VALLANDlNaHAM.
Although we do not endorse any course
which has for its object the overriding of
all law-and reprisal in kind where mob
violence has been committed amounts to
this-yet we cannot but confess the sul-
ferers from acts such as was committed
on the Empire Office would be excuseable
for seeking redress against the perpe,ra.
tors, aud particularly the instiga!ors. in
almost any form after they had sought
and failed to procure ample satisfaction
by due application to those tribunal whose
daty oud province it is to protect and
punish. There were many agrivatng cir.
cumstances attending the commission Of
this outrage. The instigation of it by
prominent Republicans, and more parti.
cularly the tact: completely Of United
States Martial in refusing to take any &C
ton for its prevention-ali tending to inhu'
ence and add bitterness to that par;i.an
feeling which inaugurated the riot. But
when we come fully to reflect upon the
full measure Of the consequences of arous'
ing lawless MODS to the preparation of
acts of violence and crime Courts of jus.
tice refusing protection to the sufferers or
punishment to the criminals ; and on the
other hand, the spirit Of revenge which such
conduct must incite and foster in all who
have been made the victims of these
wrongs, We cannot but be startled at the
horrors which may naturally be anticirat-
ed when this feeling Of revenge is arous.
ed TO acts of reprisal and redress.
Can we expect the masses of the Dem
ocracy in a great State like Ohio, tamely
to submit to the lawless destruction Of
their property and the commission Of eve
ry kind Of outrage upon their persons,
without availing themselves of the sug.
gestions embodied in Mr.. Vallandigham
letter to the proprietors Of Empire Office.
All that has been wanting to ignite the
slumbering fres Of revenge which have for
long so been smoldering within the bosoms
of that prescribed class at the north
known as Copperheads, was the encour-
agement Of their leaders. In Ohio they
now have this in terms which cauno, be
mistaken. Vallandigham is the head of a
party which in that State at the last fall
election cast over 100000 votes. he
has advised tina: party to seek redress for
any injuries committed agains. their per-
sons OR property by the Repub lican party
within themselves. That as all legal
remedies had failed them, there must be
no longer On their part any hesitation to
protect themselves "by instant, summary
and ample reprisals upon the persons and
property of the men a. home, who by Ian,
guage and conduct are always melting to
these outrages." We shall await with
anxiety the development Of events.
The horrors Of Libby Prison, against
which the civilized world has so loudly
but fruitlessly protested, it appears have
even shocked the sensibilities Of Rich.
mond journalist. The editor Of the En-
quirer, with usual holiness, has ventured
to express in print bis opinion of thu.
charnel house, and to describe what he
saw within its walls, while Or visit Of
curiosity to see the incareerated Yankees
He says:-
THE Libby takes in the captured Fed.
erals by scores, but lets none out they
are huddled up and jammed into every
nook and corner; aud at night the floor
Of every room they occupy is covered,
every snnare inch az II hv nnaasu slun,