Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-10-28


Madam, your obsdisnt and respectful servant,
@. T. BlAURIGAlD.
Mr.. D HARaI,, care of Mr. L! D. Orsnsnaw, r oh.
mond, Va.
CORRESPONDS BET n LEN GENERALS LEE
AND GRANT, RELATIVE TO THE TREATMENT
OF NEGRO SOLDIERS. AND TIE RETALLA-
TORY MEASURES OF GEN BUTLER.
HIADQas AMY NoRIziRH VIRGINIA,
OssoDer 10, 1854.
Lieut.. General o. 8 GRAxY,
Commanding q 8. Armies.
GKNIRAL: In accordance with instructions from :he
Hon. Secretary of War OF the Confederate Sates, !
nave the honor TO call your attention 10 the subject OF
40 eonuuncations recently addressed by hsjsr Gen.
B T. Builsr, an officer under your command. 70 the
non Rooert 0uld, Commissioner for the EIcangs Of
Prisenera
Fox me better understanding OF tbs matter, On
slose COPIES OF the communications.
You viii perceive Dy one Vt them that the writer has
slsoed number Of officers and men belonging 10 the
Confederate service prisoners Of captured BY the
Unted as forces laoer in the card at Dutch Gap,
a retaliation, a. alleged, fer like NUMBER o Fedora
coored So dtr prisoners OF war Ia cur hands who are
,Aid 70 have been put 70 work Oh our Notifications.
Tue evidence # .his tact IL found the afdAvs Of
NO deserers from our service.
The other lsIer refers TO copy of notice issued BY
Oonfee crate Cfacer commanding 9 camp near R.oh-
nonu, calling upou tue ners 70 come iofWMd Ano
s.taosn cams 70 certain negroes In the cus ody
ii tnat (fi,sr.
Toe Snssr Of the letter pr sssds TO state that some
he negro msutoaed Ia tue noGce ars believed " b,
soldiers Of the lifted BtAes Amy captured In afms
.ua That upcn thAs belief be- hss orssrsd 70 such nau
d.l labor % be deems most asbg 10 meet the
tqlvHlsnt number OF Prisoners Of war held Dy ths
cnrs 3 ATS, aad announces tsAs DO viii contnue "
tdsr 20 Ahvf espliyes IN var 70 hnnbsr tqusl 10 the.
fAl, the Uaitse Sat<s soldiers Who he has ieas1n "
1sisve are hsld 70 service of aoor ~ the Coaedsr
oross until he shall 10 no Asd toA, the alleged pfse.
;cs the part Of the IoIisdsraIs ahthsrstass Ia
ceased.
ore stating the facts With references 70 tho partou.
la ne gross tluded TO- beg 10 explain tie pcley par
usd BY the e,niedsra.s GTeransnt touards ola.
Of perso.s, Nhel cspsurss BY lts ioIs.a
All negroes In The military or naval service Of tho
Usilsd Bates, taken bI Us, who sfe MOI idsnahed
iss properly OF c.Lx,ns or residents OF sny OF The
o,ufdcras States, regarded a. prisoners Of war,
Jsng Geld 70 Do prtpsr subjects OF txenAnse, a. IT.
,sptiy had The honor 20 inform you.
NJ LABOR ID exso:ed tIon such prlsoeers BY the Con.
federst( authorities.
N.g.Oso VINO owe service or labor TO citIz,ns or res
lens Of The Confederate Safes aud who, thro Jga con
,uson, pertui ion Of their own aceori, leave the
,snsrs and placed IN the military or naval servo
II the UNI % S-ssss occupy d f,fent position.
The right be service or labor Of negro slaves,
he ConIsdsrate Safes, 10 TIE same nos a. Wnsn tb
3lAles were nenp@rs OF Inc eQefa UAon.
Toe constitutional relAIious AAa obi CATIONS OF th,
opteasrate Government 10 the owners OF tbs spse.
proptry, are Sue same a. those 10 trSq iengy and
oug reccg .iEJd % appsrtslnng 20 the GJvsrnment
ns United states, win rsisreLeS to ths same eiAss
,er.ons, by vE,us # is ors aDlc law.
From tie earliest p.riod OF me iAdspendente Of ue
American Safes t bss bssn h,li mat of dut,,
ncumoent upon he teTerAi eommol govsr-menS u
,r Wh;ca they have from Time " umr, Deel assOcih-
a. WAS ths return their Ia siul oWners OF tlavss
.utur Cd irum public enemy. /. has been udiforu
held that TIE oap,ure or a0dQcloa VI slave, Zoe
OF Impair the Iigbs Of the o~Ler 70 such slave, bu
IA, he right attaches 70 Lin Immediately upon
capture.
sasu was the practice Of the American States duris.
struggle for indtp :ndenee. Tae Government III
Ter Whol they we're then sstts sed restored to tb'
Wnsrs slaves abducted by the British fJroes and suS,e
lsnug recaptured by the American sIm.es.
Ia lhs war Of 1917 with Grea. Britain, the coure
ursued BY the UuG.d States Govern ment wss the came
md 1t recognised the rgas Of the slaves re
spured ron tee enemy. Both the ContineI tL acc
Uaed States G;verD meats in f.cs denied that the as
iucon OF slaves bell gersnt right, and the late
power insisted upen AID ultimately secured by treaty
yecuniary iudemui J from the British Governments 10
:isves taken by it, forces during te war Of 1912
And it is supposed that negro bslon 81 to Q or.
z,n of State in which slavery recogn z,s and Whie
regarded ss one OF the Uui ed Ststss were 10 sss
Iheir armies the legal right Of the owner 70 reca
i'm wou DO a. clear low "a in lsl2 the Constitute
# the Uuited stes being unchanged in this partcu
aud that instrument haVGg been III eIpeed ia tie IT,
cAl decisions legislative ald diplomatic ac!s and Ell
:, spondence OF the Untsd States, as iupo.lng up
aat government the duly OF projecting, in all CO Q
oming within the scope OF in authority, the ownsrs }
ayes ~ well If any other kind Of property rscog.
Eva as such by the several States.
Toe Oonieoetate Government, bound BY the san
,ons iunona obhgstlonr considers, 40 that o! the u
,,atss did, that the capture or SEDUCTION OF Q nesr
ave does not pstcude The lawful owner from reesiD
him when captured, anal am in Uoad 10 say hata
uch tlavss when properly i'd -nnfad as belonging
z,ns OF any oil the Confederate stes, or to psror
, io,ing the protection OF their Laws, vii DO restorso
So othsr rscapured private pope-ty, 70 those sndte
10 them.
"A ing sndsavored to explain the general p,licg
ia Oenfsdetate Governments with regard to this sss
.c beg leave to state the particular facts eancsrnl
tse pr tcuar transactions referred to In the in0lose
jssannuioaiions
Thu negroes recently captured BY our forces ws'.
emit to Richmond with other Pe1eril prs-ne,e. Afei
Aeir arrival II WAS discovered that numbtr Of then
we're slaves belonging to cizoHs or dents Of sem
# the Coz d.ras aes and OF this class City nine,
{ learn was sent with cthsr negroes, 10 work on Il
,rt fca,ious araun Richmond until their shou
opo,r and claim them. As soon az / was informed
the fac, Ices thsn two days Afterwards, no. wishing
,'sy them here, ordered them 70 be sent 10 the in
terror.
n, q misapprshsnsion Of the engineer 'ficsr, !
o,.p, Inv we're trsnIfsrrsd 70 our lines 8 nth
Jane. river but when apprssd Of the error rep az,
the order for their removal II any uegross In
. uds smsng this number, who we're noi identified
the slaves of city or residents Of com, Of tho Co
fsderate 8 a.es, hey we're 80 Included without III
knowledge or authority of the War DepNtminE as al
resty explained, and the mistake, when discovered
1ould b ave been corrected.
/. only remains FIR mo to say, that negroes empoye'
upon our Notifications not allowed 10 DO place
raers they will be exposed to fre, and thsrs 10 D
foundation for any statement 10 the contrary
Tee author of the communications referred to bs
considered himself ustf 10y the report of tso dese.
ters rho do not asgs that the negroes question
1posed to any danger n pso pg prisoners at sbs
ia TIE canal ct Datch Cap under the fire Of our bat
tories.
Il view Of the explanation Of tie practices Of tie
O,nedeste Government aoote given aud OF the star.
ma of Isc,s have M ,de lave now In ecoordasc a.