The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-20
The Exchange 81 PRisouers..The
Treatment OF ColeFeA Troops.
The Richmond Examiner of the 4th

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The Richmond Examiner Of the 4tf
inst. says:
The following resolutions were intro
duced yesterday in the House of Repre-
sentatiyes by Mr.. Curry, of Alabama
They refer to one of the most important
discussions of the war, and constitute ,
document which should be committed te
history:
Whereas, By certain joint resolutions
passed by the Congress of the Confederate
States of America, and approved on the
lst of May, 1868, the proclamations is.
sued by the President Of the United
States, "designed or touching to emanci.
pate slaves in the Confederate States, OF
to abduct them, or to incite them to in
surrection, or to employ negroes in war
against the Confederate States, or to over
throw the institution of African slavery
and bring on servile war in these States, F"
were denounced as inconsistent with the
spirit of those usages, which, in modern
warfare, prevail among civilized nations,
and, therefore, as subject to repression
by retaliation, as set forth in said resolu.
tions.
And, whereas, in the correspondence
between the Commissioners for the ex-
change Of prisoners, recently submitted
to Congress...i it appears by. letters of Maj
Gen. Hitchcock, Commissioner Of Ex-
change. dated at Washington on the 9Sth
Of December, 1863, information is com.
mmunicated to the Commissioner of Ex.
change appointed by this Government,
that "untI the Southern authorities make
some distinct declaration of a purpose to
treat colored troops and their officers in
the employment of the United States
Government, in all respects, according to
the laws of war. as applicable to other
troops, We cannot recede from the posi-
ton taken by the Commander-in-C Chief,
above referred to- this position being an
order suspending the operation of that
portion of artisle four of the cartel, which
requires all prisoners of war to be dis
charged on parole in ten days after their
capture.
And whereas, it is we'll known, from
general orders issued from Washing ton,
as we'll as from other reliable sources, that
the words .'colored troops and their off
GERS" used in said letter, are meant and
intended to apply to slaves, the property
of the people of these States, that have
been seduced, distracted and impressed
into the military service of the United
States, and armed for warfare against their
masters.
Therefore, it is resolved by the Con-
gress of she Confederate States Of Ameri-
ca, That they do adhere 10 the position
that the emancipation of the negro slaves
within the Confederate States by the en-
emy, is not among the acts of legitimate
warfare; but it is properly classed by
writer's on public law, including the more
eminent publicists of the United States,
among such acts as putting to death all
prisoners in cold blood and without spe-
cial cause, or the light to use poisoned
weapons or to assassinate."
Resolved, That the pretensons of the
United States that these States, whenever
they may recapture their own slaves, ab-
Quoted and armed by the enemy, shall de-
liver them back to the enemy on parole
as prisoners of war, is, in effect, demand
that this Government shall recognize the
rights of the United States 70 legislate
within its limits, and shall aid the United
States in giving effect to such legislation
a pretension too montrous and revolving
to be yielded to for moment by the Con-
federate States,And set up by our enemies
only to create pretext for violating the
obligations of liberating prisoners Of war,
in accordance with the terms of the cartel,
to which the faith of the Government is
pledged.
Resolved, That Congress approve the
action of the Executive in refusing to en-
tertaln any proposition tor treating our
own recaptured negroes otherwise than as
the property of those from whom they
we're abducted by the enemy, and to whom
the laws require their restoration.
Resolved, That neither these resolu-
tions, nor those passed on the first of May,
1868, are to be SO construed as to exclude
from treatment as prisoners of war such
free colored persons and their officers as
we're not resident within the Confederate
States at the commencement Of the pres
ent war.