Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-30
Tha Exchange Of Prisoners.

The Exchange OF krlsOnefs.
Tia exchange of prisoners question seems to be q
vsry simple one The Yankees appear 70 be willing to
rsyve the cartel and have indeed, sent rs some thou
Shds Of prisoners lately, under the provisions OF that
aRrsemsnt But in she progress Of the. exchange
heretofore, while Meredith acting for them, 9
number Of questions ind contradictions arose, which
remain una5ustsd. Il is nov insisted BY them, that
before the exchange proceeds ell questions in dispute
shs be looked into and settled: Among these are the
claim We mako to discharge from their paroles the
prisonsrs taken at Yieksburg and Port Hudson-he
right 70 creditlfor thesprisOners PaTOed BY Genera
Lee on the field Of Gettysburg, &C., 30. Upon the
determination Of these and similar questions, depends
The ascsrtalnmsnt Of the surpui Of prisoners on the
one side OF the other and the number which either
party has right TO declare exchanged and liable to
daty.
They make this settlement, perhaps not unreason-
ably, prereq u;sits TO the sending any more OF our
men 20 as Il Is as much our duty theirs, aud far
mere our interest," to adjust these questions and get
our brave and suffering men baek-for in addition to
the fact that a Confederate soldier is worth greatly
more as a lighting man, than Yankee soldier, IL mu {
be borne In mind that the Yankee prisoners are rap
;dy approaching the end Of their term Of enlistment,
vbsn they will be mustered out Of service, while the
Confederate prisoners are " in for the war;
But n the opinion Of soma meonEdsfAte persons il
20 prevail with whom PassOn,OF pride Of opinion, OF
sentiment has taken the place OF reason, We must re-
i.Ot the opportunity of iberadng from prison
from the 9Th, disease suffering aud death that sur
round them from the agony Of spirit and aching Of
soul under which they are sinking, at fearful rate,
fhn
chance Of adding whole corps Of the brAVest of the
brave 10 our army, because, forsoOth, the Yankees
have selected as their representative TO arrange the
matters in controversy Ia very proper representative OF
YSnksos beyond dOub old brute and villain, whom
the President has directed any Confederate officer or
soldier who may succeed In capuriog him. at once to
pus 70 death.
No one hopes more sincerely than ourselves that this
nav W. be DONE and that this model Yankee gbbeted
in all languages a. "ths Beass," may meet dogs
death, with grape vine halter But it is for the Van
KEGS and not for to say Who in matter Of necessary
negotiation Is their ttes representative. Gould they
command the bodily attendance, as they often do the
invisible aid Of the devil himself would. to secure
a humane and PATRIOTS end, consent to overhaul Hc-
counts and adjust balances with hm. When the bust
ness vas settled we should expect him to return to bic
Sulphurous abode, and should sndsGvOr 10 avoid all
further intercourse; and IL it Butler We should
know that when the trAnfa stOn ended, he would
stand RENTED to bis condition Of OutAWry, and We
should hope 10 see him day incur the ignOmniOus
death denounced against him. either case, We should
overlook pro hae vice, the personality Of the agenL
and consider him only as the embodiment Of the Yankee
racs and government and as such not Ill chosen II
We we're At war With SaVages We have been, We
should expect TO treat we have treated, with saVa-
EsA. II We we're e. var, as We may be, with Hlyd,
We should expect 70 treat with Negro. II We should
become involved with she Feiee islanders, We may
have 20 treat with a CAnRibal Being at with
Yankees, We ara not surprised at being asked to
treat with Beast. The shame and Disgrace of beng
40 represented II further shame and Disgrace can at
tAoh 70 them, are theirs not ours.
What We want q 10 rescue our noble boys from the
osthsoms and wasting imprisonment they are sua ring,
20 restore them the fresh pure cir and glad sunsh ne
of their native hills to the loving embraces Of kindred
and rends 10 the sight Of the banner their heroism
mas immOr.aizsd, TO the cheering welcome Of tLsir
brethren in arms and 70 the chances OF that nObe and
srrbe revenge that arms in their hands and the sight
Of the foe viii afford. We would not exAlt the msera
bic old blsAr eyed wretch, surnamed the Beast into
puch consequence as to enable him 10 defeat such de-
sirAbls and important ends.
five must give way 70 sentiment, instead Of reason,
n matter Of this kind, let it not be TO dark spirit
Of vindiolVs PRIDE that defeats noble object but 10
that more generous sentiment that has found some out
ward expression In this city upon the Aie return Of
aOns Of our released men-a sentiment that has drawn
our people By thousands from their homes to the sIrees
ana hills Of the city; that has mads their bosous hrob
and their eyes hnde with love and admiration the
gallant Eelows with light steps and lighter hearts ard
cheers that made the capital Of their country
bsrats, moved through Cur midst. We love 10 hate
Butler; but We love better TO feel felt when
saw these dusty and ragged gentlemen gathered around
Che august monument Of Washington, free again. with
the uncomfortable arSOur Of their souls lighting up
their broWs listening words Of graduation and warm
welcome from the selected Chief Of the country. We
shal make for ourselves no such bitter reelection in
the future As that have done said anything 70 put
an end 70 scenes Ike this aud to doom those of our
friends Who yet remain in the hands ofthe enemy 10 an
interminabls endurance Of their tOrtures.