Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-10-31
Important Correspondence Between GEN.
eraI Lee and General Grant, Relative
to the Treatment OF Negro Soldiers
aud General Buffers Rstalistory Mea-

sures.
The following is copy of the interesting
and important correspondence indicated above:
HEAp'qRs RMy NORTHERN VIRoISIA(
October 10, 1854. I
Lieut.. Gen. L. S. CRAM, commanding L. S. Armies!
GENERAL: In accordance with instructions
from the Honorable Secretary OF the Con-
fcderate States, / have the honor to call
your attention to the subject of two communi-
cations recently addressed by Major General
| b. +. Butler, an officer under your command,
to the Hon. Robert Ould, commissioner for the
exchange OF prisoners.
For the better understanding OF the matter,
| | enclose copies of the communications.
You will perceive by one Of them that the
writer has placed number OF officers and men
belonging to the Conf 1erate service, prison
ers of war captured by the United States forces,
at labor In tie canal at Dutch Gap, in retail
alton, as is alleged, for like number Of Fed
cral colorcd soldiers, prisoners Of war in our
hands, who arc said 10 have been put to work
on our fortihcations.
| The evidence of this fact is found in the ail-
davits of two dc C1crteIj from our service.
The other letter refers 10 a copy of a notice
| issued by confederate officer commanding a
camp near Richmond, calling upon the owners
to come forward and eSt-blsh their claims TO
certain negroes in the cu.t ody of that officer.
The writer of the letter proceeds to state that
| some of the negroes mentioned In the notice
are believed to be so'ders of the United States
army, captured in arms, and that, upon that
belief, lie has ordered to such manual labor as
he deems most fitting to meet the exlgency an
equivalent number of prisoners of war held by
the United States, aud announces that he will
continue TO order to labor captives In war TO 4
number equal to that of all the United States
soldiers whom he has reason to believe are held
to service or labor by the confederate forces,
until he shall be notified that the alleged praC.
tico on the part of the confederate authorities
has ceased
Before stating the facts with reference TO the
particular negroes alluded to, beg to explain
the policy pursued by the Confederate Govern
mcnt toward this class of persons when cap
tured by our forces.
All negroes In the military or naval service oil
the United states, taken by us, who are not
Identified as the property of citizens or residents
of any of the confederate States, and regarded
as prisoners of war, being held TO be proper
subjects of exchange as recently had the honor
to inform you.
No labor is CxaCted from such prisoners by
the confederate authorities.
Negroes who owe service or labor 10 cltiZens
or residents OF the Confederate States, and who
through compulsion, persuasion, or Of theiI
own accord, leave their owners and arc placed
in the military or naval service OF tho United
States, occupy different position.
The rights to the service or labor of negro
slaves in the Confederate States Is the same
now as when the States were members OF the
Federal Union.
The constitutional relations and obligations
of the Confederate States TO the owners of this
species Of property arc the same as those &C
frequently and so long recognized as those ap-
pertaining to the Government of the Units(
States, with reference to the same class Of per
sons, by virtue of its organic law.
From the earliest period of the independence
, of the American States II has been held tha
one of the duties incumbent upon the seyera
, common governments under which they hAV
! from time to limo been associated, was the re
: turn to their lawful owners of slaves recapturet
from the public enemy.
1t has been uniformly held that the captur
or abduction of n slave does not impair tn
right Of the owner to such slave, but that tn
b right attaches TO him Immediately upon recap
ture.
Such was the practice of the American State
during their struggle for Independence. Tn
: Government under which they were then asso
d ciated restored TO the owners slaves abducte'
. by the British forces and subsequently recap
!. tured by the Am :rcan armies.
T In the war of 1872 with Great Britain tn
+ course pursued by the United States Govern
: ment was the same, and Il recognized the righ
J.. OF the owner to slaves rccaptured from th
y enemy. Both the Continental and Unite
r States Governments, In fact, denied that th
g abduction Of slaves was belligerent right; an
!. the latter Power insisted upon, and ultimatel
secured by treaty, pecuniary indemnity fron
the British Government for slaves taken by II
')rces during the war of 1912.
r And II Is supposed that slave belonging Il
II q citizen Of a State in which slavery Is recog
= uized, and which is regarded as one OF th
J. Tnitct Statps, we've 70 escape into the Confed
Il crate States, or he captured or ahducted h
their armies, the legal right Of the owner to rC