Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-09-13

vou claim d Res, as understood Nnd defined by
aIl writer; On national law, iu applicable SIM
ply TO imm6ast1b'c prnps1fu, and shes, too, only
attor the complete rorutj sntioa Of that por-
ton oi ~, country in wh:a!, the property /;
ritustaj, npon which this Eists fas:cns itsCls.
i ? the laws 6rd cra;0m4 % var, this right
haa asvcr been applied to nos.zbls properly.
True, il ~, believe, that the Romans Ct
tempted to apply it to tho clse Of slaves, but
for ;To thousand ysnrs no other nation hos
treating slaves differently ftcm other pro-
pertY.
But tho Romans even refused to roensltsve
mon captured from opposing bslligerents ia
civil war, such as ours unhapnily -.
Consistently. then, with any principle of
the law Of nations, treating slaves as property
merely, it would seem to he impossible for the
government of the United States to permit the
negroes in their ranks to be re-enslsved when
captured, or treated otherwise than % prison
ers of var - -
=, I hsra ftrtorna, sir, in this discussion, to
argue the question upon any other or ditt;ront
grounds Gf riga. thaa those adopted by your
authorities in claiming tbs negro as property,
bec:u.o understand tina. your fabric of op-
position to tha government Of tho Unised
''tasa+ his Tie right of pEcrsrty in man az its
corner ut.nc. o. 6 u-se it would not bo pro.
fi.ahic, in tr:t!ing question Of exchange Of
prisoners Of wlr. to attempt to argus tho
question OF abandonment Of the very oirner
stone OF thAir attempted political odi6os.-
Therefore. hcve admitted all tho considers
tions whiah should apply to tho negro soldier
~ Inar, and dsalt with HIM upon the Con>
fcdcr,.te thcofy Of property only.
| unite with ycu mos; cordially, sir, in de-
string spacdy settlement Of ali these ques>
t;ons, in ,iew u tho great suffering endured
hy Cur prisrntrs in the hands Of your authp-
ri,iC1. y: wh,:. y.u 10 !eelingiy speak. Ls!
mo .ek, in yirw oil thu. aIfsrmR, why you
havr jnny'd eight months to s.swer a pr,
position. which. 10y DoT accepting, yau admit
to ln Tiel,. ins. and humane. allowing that
suffering to continue 10 lo1gr One cannot
help thinking, eTen Il: the rick Of being
deemed unchnr,a5le. ,ha. thu benevolent
aymnathisa ~ tho Confederate authorities
,,:,yo been lslc!v stirred lay the depleted con-
hi:i"n al their armies, md dtaire to got into
tho field to ah;cs the prascnt cumpAign, the
hats hearty ard wrli-lcl prisoners held by
tho United Satss in exchange for the half
ptaryci. rick enaot1tad and unssrvicsablo SOL
Ginrs OF tho U0i'.l States noW lnuguishing in
your pSiacna. Tho events Of this war, If wo
did not know il before, havo taught us that it ia
Tot tho Northern portion OF The American peo.
IN slGns ?yho know low to drive sharp bar
g.n1.
Tae Hr3nga, inlgnite5 a1d priystions suf-
ferei By m;r sol iiers would more mo to consent
to anything to procure their exchange, except
Il, barter awsy the honor ah3 fnisa Of thu Go-
yernnicat Of thn United States, which has
bean 50 soic,anl7 pledged to tho colorca soldiers
in its ranks.
Conai=t:n,l7 with national faith and juatfoe,
We canr"s rclirquish this position. With your
authorities it il question Of property merely.
T. seams u address Itself to yGu in :his form.
Will yor suffer your soldier, captured IN
fishtiEs your battles, TO he in confinement. Tor
months rathor thaa release him by giving
.,ia ;ha. which yGu call pieoo Of property,
and which ss arc willing to accept ns man
You certainly appear. to place less value
rron Ycur soldier than YOU do upon your ne
gcn. l asenrc you. much as We OF the North
aro accused If losing property, our citissns
would hnya 10 irfiaaty in yielding up any
pirco of property theJ Lave 10 exchange for
ono Of their Lrorhers or SONS languishipgs in
yorr prisons. Certainly tLoro can DO TO doubt
tbs: ;beS would do 50 wero that pieco Ct pro.
perty les5 in value than iiys thousand dollars
in Confederate money, which is believed to be
tho rrio5 Of 6a ahe-tcdisd negro in tho in
-urrnctionary States.
Trusting fhst may receive such rorlyto
the questions rrcp,uDded in this motto as will
lead 10 pprety resumption OF tho ncgotia:
tioos for u fu,l exchange Of oil prisoner, and
delivery Of them tJ their respective autho-
rites,
have the h1nor to be,
VERY repeatedly,
Your O5ediout servant,
BEsJ T. BUrL4a,
nlni. Gsn. ard Com. of Exchange.