Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-09-24

doubt the right of the United States 20 a
drove of Confederate mules, or a herd of
Confederate cattle, which should wander or
rush across the Confederate lines into the
lines of the United States Army. So it seems
70 me, treating the negro as property merely,
if that piece of property passes the Conieu-
crate lines, and comes into the lines OF the
United States, that property Is as much lost
to its owner in the Confederate States as
would be the mule or OK, the property of the
resident of the Confederate States, which
should fall into our hands"
Gen BUTLER concludes his letter with the
following trenchant paragraphs:
81 have forborne, sir, in this discussion, to
argue the question upon any other or differ
ent grounds of right than those adopted by
your authorities in claiming the negro as
property, because | understand that your
fabric of opposition to the Government of the
United States has the right of property in
man as its cornerstone. OF course it would
not be profitable in settling question of ex-
change of war to attempt to argue the ques-
ton of abandonment of the very cornerstone
of their attempted political edifice. There
fore have admitted all the considerations
which should apply to the negro soldier as a
man, and dealt with him upon the Confeder-
ate theory of property only. t'
g. unite with you most cordially, Sir, in
desiring a speedy settlement of all these
questions in view of the great suffering en-
dured by our prisoners in the hands of your
authorities, of which you so feelingly speak.
Let me ask, in view of that suffering, why
YOU have delayed eight months to answer a
proposition which by now accepting you adj
NIT to be right Just and humane, allowing that
suffering to continue so long! One cannot
help thinking even at the risk of being
deemed uncharitable, that the benevolent
sympathizers of the Confederate authorities
have been lately stirred by the depleted con-
dition of their armies, and desire to get in
TO the field to affect the present campaign,
the hale, hearty and well-fed prisoners held
by the United States in exchange for the
halfstarved, sick, emaeiated and unservicea-
BILE soldiers of the United States now Ian
gushing in your prisons. The events of this
war, if we did not know it before, have
taught us that it is not the Northern portion
of the American people alone who know how
to drive sharp bargains.
"The wrongs, indignities, and privations
suffered by our soldiers would move me to
consent to anything to procure their exchange,
except to barter away the honor and faith of
the Government of the United States which
has been so solemnly pledged to the colored
soldiers in its ranks.
Consistently with national faith and JUS
tice we cannot relinquish this position. With
your authorities it is question of property
merely. 1t seems to address itself to you in
this form. Will you suffer your soldier, cap
tured in fighting your battles, to be in con-
fnement for months rather than release him
by giving for him that which you call a piece
of property, and which we are willing to ac-
cept as man!
"You certainly appear to place less value
upon your soldier than you do upon your ne
gro. l assure you, much as we of the North
are accused of loving property, our citizens
would have no difficulty in yielding up any
piece of property in exchange for one oftheir
brothers or sons languishing in your prisons.
Certainly there could be no doubt that they
would do so were that piece of property less
in value than five thousand dollars i'll Con-
federate money, which is believed TO be the
price of an able-bOdied negro in the insurrec-
tiOnary states.