Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-11-09
Correspondence of the New York Times.l

Correspondence of the New York Times.l
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Oct. 27.
1t will gladden. the whole country and
carry Joy and hearts ease 10 hundreds of
thousands of homes TO learn that an agree
mont has been made whereby those who
iinGer IN Southern prisons will hen ceforth
receive adequate supplies of food and clo-
thing. In the impossiblity Of general
exchange o prisoners it is a matter Of ro-
Joicing that their sutlerings will be thus
lar allevlated, and they made as comforta-
bic as 1t is possible for men in captivity to
be. The agreement looking to this bene.
hcent end, has just been concluded be-
tween Gems. Grant aud Lee, and only
awaits the settlement of practical details
10 take immediate effect.
The proposition, be it said to the credit
oil the rebels. came from themselves, aud
was first made in communication under
date of the 9th inst, addressed by Mr.
/ Ould Confederate Agent o! Exchange, to
Major-General Hitchcock Commissioner
of Exchange for the United States. Mr..
Onld's communi ication in substance reoit,
ted that as there is prospect Of large
number of prisoners being held by Doth
sides during the coming winter, it is desi-
rable that each of tao belligerents, with
out being freed from the obligation of
feeding aud clothing the prison yrs held
by them respectively, should be allowed
to furnish their own captves in ia J'a-
er's hands with suoh additional comfort as
humanity may prompt. He Therefore
proposed that we shall be permitted -
send to the South clothing, blankets rn5
tor - . A.
the Coniederates; they being a. ow III to
do the same by their prisoners IN our
hands. He further proposed that they
shall be allowed to purchase abroad the
articles intended for their prisoners hcl5
by US.
This overture was referred TO GeD Grant.
who replied III a COMMUNICATION 60 Gen.
/ Lee, under date of the 1874 inst, accept
/ ing Mr. Ould's proposition, nud stGJng
that he was authorized by the Secretary Of
Waa to make arrangements for the nutl-
al relief Of prisoners held by the two psr-
ties. looking" he adds, "entirely 10
the alleyiation Of the sutieringi of those
held in captivity, | will not interpose any
obstacle to any plan that may be agreed
nnon that, gives equal privileges 20 bo,a
belligerents."
Gen. Lee, on the following day, Oc,ober
10. replied 10 Gen. Grant acknowledging
the receipt of bis communication, and
stated that he took il as an acceptance
on the part OF Gen Grant of Mr. Olld's
plan. he suggested further. that the al
ticles sent 10 the prisoners should be con-
fined to articles Of necessity aud comfort,
as clo hing, blankets, meat, bread, coffee
sugar, pickles, vinegar and tobacco; and
proposed that an officer from each side
should be specially detailed and paroled
10 see TO the faithful execution Of the ar
rangement.
On the following day, Oct. 90, General
Gran. rejoined, stating that Gen. Lee had
rightly understood his former communi-
cation in the sense Of an acceptance of Mr.
Ould's proposition, and reiterated his So
,lictude Cor tho well-being our prisoners
as well as those Of the rebels. /" 1t is,'
declared Gen. Grant, my desire thai all
prisoners of war should be made as CONT
Portable as it is possible for prisoners un-
der restraint to be, and j will favor any
proposition looking to that end" Gen.
Grant, moreover, requested that a detail
ed plan should be made for carrying this
purpose into effect.
! This communication closes all Of the in
teresling correspondence between Gener-
ais Grant and Lee that has so far taken
place and thus the matter nov rests 1t
is earnestly oibe hoped that The practical
details will be completed with all possible
dispatch and prompIitude. so as to permit
this beneficient mcasuio o 10 take immedi-
ato effect
1t is certainly matter Of congratuIa.
ton that it should be in such hands as
4 those Of Grant and Lee, whose practical
wisdom and humane deposition cannot
be doubted.
There are nj present insurperabie obsta-
cles in The way OF an exchange Of prison
ers obstacles rendered nsuperablc by
the violations of the cartel on the part of
the rebel authorities, but there is no raa-
son why these technical differences should
be allowed to stand in the way ofthe COM
fort well-JeiDg, and even the life ofthose
in bonds we ere sure that. if the relatives
and friends of those in Southern prisons
can e assured Of tho faithful observance
Of the benign provisions Of the conven-
ton Just concluded by Generals Grant
and Lee it will modify their anguish at
the continued captivity Of those they love,
and whose release on terms of justice and
honor the Government finds it impossible
to effect.