The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-06-04
THE LIBBY PRISONERS.

There is no blacker stain on the nine
teonth century than the conduct of the
rebels to the prisoners whom they have
taken; and of all the vllainous treatment
which they have exercised, the worst seems
to have been that which has taken place
Immediately under the eye and direction of
| Davis himself, or within u stone S throw Of
his private residence.
That starvation practised has been neces-
STATED by deficiency of provisions, no one
now believes. 1t is even stated that the
quantity of provisions which has been col.
lected in Richmond is SO great that an army
| for its defence could be subsiStcd for Il year
| upon them. 1t would really appear that
the rebels have proceeded upon the diabol-
ical calculation that by starving and NAL
treating our men, they would be out of con.
dition, when exchanged, to take up arms
again. And they have done their work eff
iectnally. Multitudes of these miserable
men are beyond the reach Of medicine
Men of high stature and powerful frame
have been Systematically reduced to skcle
tons, have beer sub ectcd to starvation and
othcrli treatment, ST Oh that not only Il body
but the mind has been affected: and absolute
idlocy brough; on Orcr one hundred eases
OF this sort are reported. Men III the prime
OF l'tc and health have entered these dungeons
to come out weak, emacated and entirely
childish, the mind as well as the body hope
lessly gone. The men charged with the
duty of receiving these prisoners, when re-
turned, have actually been brought to tears
at their miserable state. Is our Government
justified IN taking no decisive action in this
matter? Let us examine the other side
First: we have delivered over to the rebels
between g.. 900 and 5000 prisoners more
than VIC have received by official statements
We were cheated in this in the most bare
faced manner and have had to fight these
very men (tor example, those pnroled by
Grant at Nicksburg,) a second time, while
they were still, according to the laws OF war
virtually IN cur possession.
Secondly: we have given our prisoners
the very same rations which our own soldiers
receive. all amount VIGOROUSLY much
larger than men actually require, or even
can conveniently CONSUME. The following
circumstance, for the authenticity of which
pe can louch, is strikingly illustrative OF
the liberaIity with which we have fed our
prisoners. At u depot ut which large
number are confined, the Commanding Gen
cral found tlatthe prisoners were systematic.
ally conccalinGthat portion of their rationS
which "asbcyond theirpowcr olconsuming for
what purpose did not exactly appear. lie
ovcrhauled the barracks, and received thcte-
from between forty aud fifty carloads Of
provisions thus sccrcted! Mark the contrast
between this excess of food, and the inger-
ing starvation OF our poor fellows in Rich
mond!
1t is very true that the question of retail.
ation is Il most difficult one, but the suffer
ings Of these UNHAPPY captives demand that
no stone shall be left unturned. TO retail
late upon common soldiers would probably
be Intellectual. Except as .oodfor POWDER the
IpnI1lS m
their rank and file. But the rebel troops
are chiefly Differed by slaveho lders and
their sons Punishment visited on them
would be felt in every family OF the controil-
ing classes in the South, aud would bring
about pressure upon Davis, which. stepped
rs he is iii cruelty, he could scarcely with
stand.