Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-29


Three wears ago, when took the IA
wrought BY the patriotic ladies of my villag
nome for its first company of volunteers,
told them that thereafter, while the war last
ed. INV speeches should be TO my country
enemies. IN
have helped to make some speeches sine,
70 rebel audiences, and from. my observation
Of their effects, am led to hope that you, m!
fellow citizens, may always be spared from
listening to such terribly emphatic speeches
Applause.
As a soldier, perhaps | ought still to ad
here 10 that promise of three years ago, TO
we in the army believe that the day of the
sayeYs is past, and that of the doors is at hand
az this time one worthy action has to us {
deeper meaning than a volume of the mos
elaborate orations, and we feel that you share
our reverence for the silent elOquenee OF no
bic deeds.
But early in November the citizens of thi,
country are to fight a peaceful battle at the
haIlot-box which, in its result, is fraught with
higher interests and more lasting influences
thsn any that could be won or lost by soldier:
on the tented field. fCheers.
In time past you have covered Us from the
!. FIRE in the rear" and sustained US by your
cheering words, and as your day of trial
comes, from the trenches of Virginia, the
f4vous of the Gulf, and the fields of Georgia,
~. echo back your battle-ery, and cheer you
on to victory. In your preliminary skirmish-
Ing Of yesterday you drove in the strong
o1tn1sts of the allies Of our enemies in Penn
s,lyanis, Ohio and Indiana, and spread terror
and Iisnay through his main ranks. Great
applause.
4I,asr a. Fhu Of
her had the breach made in her sides in go,
PATCHED up with the plank of the Chicago
Platform, but that timber is proving too shaky
10 withstand the heavy broadsides of the
Union batteries Renewed applause.
The old party line ship is going down and
The only way to save her crew is as the life
boats of the Redrsdrge saved that of the
.il,Bamq Let us give them cordial vel
come to me broad safe decks of our staunch
Union craft I'm very much afraid there Is
10 neutral yacht at hand to save their Cap
tain. Laughter and applause.
/ cannot speak to you tonight as as a par
tizau, do not feel like a partizan, and hope
/ am not one, for this appears a fitting time
for every man, however humble, to lay aside
urre party issues and try to elevate himself
the dignity of a patriot.
II soldier could desire TO belong TO any
party, it would be the one that has at heart
equally the true interest of all the citizens,
tie party of the country undivided. Cheers.
II there is anything he must condemn, iii
hat blind partisan seltishness which would
faise and divide our country to share with Its
enemies the spOils of Office and the plumber
~ tue citizens.
When the quarrels of Aristides and Them
i~tOcles threatened to destroy, by dividing,
the Athenian Republic, Aristides saved the
people from anarchy by saving, You will
never be happy and tranquil, o Athenians
until YOU have cast ThemistOcles and myself
together into the gulf where you throw yOul
criminals" How happy would il be for Oul
people at this time if partisans could cast not
turiT leaders but their prejudices and their
plssiOns behind them into the gulf of oblivion.
You will expect me to say something Ofmy
late companions, the Union prisoners in Con-
Tolerate hands. Ihave neither taste nor tai
ent for relating personal experience, and
should blush to speak at this safe distance
even harsh truths of men who were brave and
fortunate enough TO capture me. While in
their hands / said to them more unkind
things than | would say of them here. At
Charleston | remained with three others in
the JAIL rather than give parole for change
81 quarters, because we did not think it right
70 sacrifice possible chance of escape; and
Ne told the rebels that when exchanged we
should have less complaint to make of their
injustice because our own conduct would need
no palliation.
As Americans we should avoid individual
ties and think by aggregates. In obedience
10 your desire l will speak briefly of my OBJ
servatiOn regarding others. | have readmany
published statements of escaped prisoners,
and have not found any that thought exag-
gcratiOns. History furnishes no parallel for
the cruelty practically rebel officials upon
Union prisoners in their hands.
We soldiers have not failed to observe that
with characteristic fairness, a recent party
Convention "reprobates the delay of our
own Government in the matter of exchang-
ing prisoners, but has no word of censure for
its quOndam allies whose inhumanity furnish.
ca its strongest argument for such measure
We will be charitable enough to suppose Their
anxiety has a different cause from that re-
Gently expressed by President Davis in his
Macon speech. Only those who know me
best would fully credit statements / might
make of individual sufferings, and have no
desire to harrow up your feelings, or arouse a
bOOtless Indignation against men who are at
once the instruments and the victims of a
criminal system.
Ny views upon the treatment of our pris
Oners, and the desirableness Of an early gen
eral exchange have been recorded in the
strongest language l could command, and
shall always be ready TO sustain that record.
Copies of it have been placed in the hands OF
some in power with the hope of inducing them
TO use their influence in favor of an exchange,
and the most gratifying replies have been re-
turned. am confident that the Administers
ton is making every effort for this object that
it can make consistently with the National
faith and honor; and know that the men
most interested desire nothing more. ZAP
plausel Some of our officers who had at
tempted unsuccessfully to escape were lying
in hospital at Macon with their legs so torn
BY the dogs that caught them that they could
not stand (SensatiOn.) Others were crowd
ed into yard like a mule pen, living upon 8
pound of unsifted corn meal and two ounce:
a a n " ~
is EXPECTED! O