New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-03

Il tliiNft l.Dp lot the iIitpIl, WIZ NN4fN''~
10 endure - have heard OF them somewhat
vaguely. and with the hope that such cases as
came to public knowledge might be excep-
tiona!; but the report that lies before us diSpcS
such hopes. We are forced at last 10 peheVe'
As this Committee believe, that cruelty to
pr ,oners Is with the Rebels a system, and that
our brothers whom the fortune OF war made
prisoners have been treated deliberately worse
than the slaves whom the law Of bondage and
| The public opinion Of Southern States made II
lawful 10 torture.
The report of the Committee accompanied by
the evidence on which then. opinions are based.
After reading both, il seems to us that the IAN
guage in VIII oh the Committee have embodied
thcirconclusions fails to include the full horrors
which the facts supply, yet the opinion OF the
Committee is in substance that the outrages oil
the Rebels upon their Union prisoners are worse
than ANYTHING inflicted in the course OF civilized
warfare upon those who have fallen into the
hands of their enemies They say generally:
The evidence proves beyond all Of doubt de-
termination the part Of the Rebel authortie deliberately
and peeny pscticed for long time past to subject those
Of our soldiers who have been unfortunate as to fall into
their hands system Of treatment, which has resulted in re-
ducng many who have survived and been permitted
to return to condition both physically and mentally
which no language adequately describe"
1t has been known before, on the testimony
of those who have escaped from Richmond,
:" that the general practice Of their captorS was
70 rob them, as soon as they were taken prison.
ers of all their money, valuables, blankets, and
good clothing" and that, upon their arrival at
Richmond, they have been confined, without
blankets or other covering in buildings without
fire, or upon Belle Isle with, in many cases, no
shelter, and in Others with nothing but old dis
carded army tents, so injured by rents and holes
as TO present but little barrier to the wind and
storms" The frequent consequence OF this ex-
p0sure has been, by the testimony OF those who
narrowly escaped the same fate, that men have
died from cold during tho nights in which these
hardships were imposed upon them.
II has been known, also, that the anguish of
hunger has been added TO the slow suilerings
from exposure, and the Committee now ALL
thoritatiyely say:
In re.pec, 70 the food furnished by the Rebel
suhoe, the testimony prove. that the ration Of each man
ally in.ufc-n in quantity % Prefere me hfdHh @
eld even had been Of proper quality which was not 1t
consisted usually At tbs most, Of two small pieces OF corn
bread ms many Instance the witnesses state OF corn
md cob. ground together and badly prepared and eootedo
a, times. abou, two ounces Of meat. u.usfy Of poor
quality and unit TO be eaten and occasionally a.
few black worm eaten beans. something Of tha, Kind
Many Of our men compelled 10 sell 70 their guards
and o,her. for price they could such clothing and
blankets they permitted to reoeive Of that forwarded
for their by our Government, r. order 10 obtain additional
food sufficient sustain lie thus, by endeavorins to avoid
one prvaou reducing Themselves 10 tho destitute comb
ton IN respect to clothing and covering that they In be
fore they received any Government When they be-
came t sui dseased consequence Of hi, exposure and
pr,.on and w,r. admitted into hospitals their treat
men, wa. little n any improved to food though they.
doubtless suffered lcss from exposure cold than before
Their food ., n,ucien, quantity aud together
uHf, In quality
II has been known, also, that il was the fire.
quent practice of the Rebel guards to murder
their Union prisoners, and to the general con-
yic,ion on this point the Committee now add
this explicit testimony:
Th-y abused and shamefuly treated ano-,
every opportunity Many have been ncrce..ly sho, and
allied when they ei TO comply with a the s"msnds Of their
jsor sometime. fof violating rules OF which they had not
been informed rowiei great numbers in building they
have been fired and kei by the sentinel. outside when
they appeared the window. for the purpoe Of obtaining
little e.h One man. whose comradr IN tie sefVice. In
battle In captivity had been fortunate to BE-
tos- released from further tomsn .hoi dad h.
waving with his hand hs, adeu to his friend aud other in
stance. o. equally uuproyoked murder disclosed by the
testimony
II has been known also that the prisoners
who returned emacated and broken down fell
into that condition from a state Of health aud
strength, in consequence of the terrible prva-
tons of their Imprisonment and to that general
evidence this is the precise affirmation added
by the Committee:
"The person, saw. were assured by those In
ch.rge them have greatly improved since they have been
received in Il. hospital. Yet they dying daily
Of them ben. In the very throe Of death as your Commee
stood by bedside and witnessed the sad spectacle there
presented AL those whom your Committee examined stated
that they have been thu, reduced and eaeia;ed entirely in
consequence Of the mercess treatment they received while
prisoner. from their enemies and the physicians in charge OF
them fitted by their profession and experience
express opinion upon hs subject ell that they have
no doubt tha. the statements Of their patients entirely
correct"
Furthermore, it has been suspected, though
there has been reluctance to believe, that
these cruelties became intense in proportion as
the victims Of them were brought closely under
the influence of the Rebel authorities; and that
impression now passes into assurance on such
statements as this:
at will b. observed from tho testimony that oil the wit
who testify upon tina. point state that the treatment they
received while confined Columbia, South Carolina, Daltcn
hum