Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-07
SPEECH OF cEN. NEAL DOW,
AT PORTLAND, MAINR, MARCH "a, 1864
On His Return from Captivity in
q Rebel Prison.
h.ror.a for III. Portland tM..l Daily pr.~


Reported for tn. Portland td.) Daily Press
Ma. MAYOR, LADIES AND FELLOW err
IzErs: You will readily believe me, know,
when assure you that it gives me great Joy
to stand here tonight. The contrast be-
tween what [ see now, and what have be-
held the last nine months is wider and
greater than can tell you. In the South
anywhere have travelled have beheld the
dcsoation of war; everything saw there,
reminded me that war is desolating our
land but as come across the Potomac and
traverse the Free States, see nothing that
reminds inc of war. You know nothing of
the war except those ofyou who have offer
ed up loved ones for the honor and safety of
their country. Everywhere in the South
the land is desolate because Of the war. As
the President of the Confederate States said
they undertook an enterprise, the magni-
tude of which they did not at all compre-
hend; an enterprise that had no other pur-
pose than the establishment Of great EN-.
pire founded on human slavery.
Until within few months, the leading
men of the South confidently believed in
the success Of their undertaking. Now they
begiu to realize the tremendous power Of
the North, in its naval resources, in men,
money, and all the appliances Of war, and
everywhere they despair of success. ...
The resources of the Rebel country are
exhausted. The Rebel Government is d6s
titute of money, destitute of credit. 1t is
impossible, as the Rebels begin now to un-
derstand, 70 carry on this great war without
money, without credit, without food, and
with an absolute desttution OF almost all
the appliances OF war.
just before left Richmond the Rebel
Congress had passed an act, in effect repu-
dating all their currency, amounting to
$3.50, 900, 900. On and after the lst Of April
all the notes Of the denomination OF $l0O,
not invested in 4 per cent bonds (which are
worthless in the market) are taxed 100 per
cent. All other notes are taxed 333 per
cent-and thereafter, are taxed 10 per cent
= month. until theirnominal value shall be
absorbed in that way. The 500 Treasury
notes amount to $400, 900, 000-and those of
all other denominations to S450O0O,O0O.
This measure is distinct reputation ot
the entire circulation Of $S50,O00,0OO. AT
the same time the Government proposes to
issue new series Of Treasury notes, which
they hope will have some credit in their do
mains. You will judge whether such
scheme will be likely to succeed; whether
war can be carried on by money such rs that
whether armies such as theirs cSn be paid
and fed with such q currency. The tnan-
ciers Of the South are'destitute ofall kuowl-
edge upon the subject of finance, and they
say in excuse for this ignorance, that hith-
erto all financial operations on great scale
have been entirely in the hands OF Northern
men, and carried on in Northern cities.
You have heard from high authority that
the people ofthe South are semi-barbarians.
Educated, SO. far as they are educated at all,
in disregard of the rights Of 100000 OF
their fellow-men; accustomed as they are to
see the rights of Others trampled in the
dust, and undertaking to subsist upon their
unrecompensed labor, they learn to disre
gard the rights of everybody else, in their
intercourse with both blacks and Whites. =
You see it in their intercourse with each
other. The Union prisoners have come in
contact with this feeling very largely. L
would not be understood that there are no
cultivated people at the South. The Union
prisoner; have come in contact with such a
people and they have experienced the most
barbarous treatment. From the Confeder-
ate soldiers at the front, they have expert
enced kind and courteous treatment. But
from the "Home Guards it has been more
barbarous than any prisoners Of war have
suffered since the days Of the Black Hole
of Calcutta. IknowIof nothing in the history
of war, to compare with the shameful treat
ment of the Union prisoners at Richmond
and Atlanta, Georgia.
A large quantity OF clothing and blankets
was sent to my care to he distributed to the
soldiers I was permitted to visit them Tor
the purpose OF distributing the articles. =
Passing around the camp at Belle Isle,
saw the wretched condition Of our soldiers
as TO clothing and quarters. Nearly one
hall of them were without shelter OF any
kind and ali were in extreme want Ofcloth.
ing. As passed around the camp, they
cried to ME to send them food. Sheiterless
aud almost naked, as many of them were,
their first want was food-their chiefsufter
ing was from hunger. On my return to
Richmond, addressed note to, General
Winder, in command there, stating that
ore4half the soldiers were without shelter
and all without sufficient food, and asking
his immediate attention to their miserable
condition. The result was, that was moi
| permitted to visit the soldiers any more
| their condition, was not alleviated, and thess
stores were put into the hands Of another
officer who would conduct himself TOWARD
the Rebel authorities with a great deal mort
forbearance than was supposed to be capa
bic of. Soldiers persisted there at about th'
rate Of 500 per month, during the Winter
mouths, as we were infoi med. ....,.T ~
AS / was at Belle Isle. l went int thu
hospital, consisting Of tents without an!
iioor, The sick lying upon the ground with
out blankets, without pillows, some OF then
with sticks OF wood for pillows, and on pro
testing to Gen. Windsr against this treat
ment, / was refused permission 70 visit thes
poor creatures for the future. The Govern
ment sent large quantities of provisions t
the soldiers as we'll as the officers Niue
OF this was stolen, SO that Yankee oyercoat
were very common. Soldiers in Yanke
evercoats promsnading the streets of Rich
mond, drew 20 much attention that the
caused the coats to be eolored black. The
we're ashamed TO be seen With Yankee ovel
coats stolen from the poor suffering soldiers
Large quantities OF food as well as Of clo,l
log were sent there by the Sanitary Com
mission also, aud these we're stolen by th
Rebel authorities and appropriated to the
own uss in large amounts. a. very sma
proportion of these reached our soldiers.
Libby Prison was agreat tobacco ware
house, or rather three tobacco warehouse
a