The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-02-15
REBEL BARBARITIHS.
Extract from Speech Of Hon. ]. II. How
arl. L the q. S. Senate, Jan. "a. 1865.


liAi4ii whether tae senate have before then
evidence sufficient % justify Is IL resort:u.
~ ina principle or retaliation. Julri.-
ifom some remarks that fell from the S9no
Tor from Pennsylvania. | WAS led 10 sun
pose lAal De - sill. IA doubt upon the oues
Lon whether tie prUvOcaUons given Us D,
the rebels. have been OF such a claracfei
as ID Justify the measure. On this subiec,
bee 70 lay before the Senate and before
tne country. few extracts from q dozen.
iueAt now hold IN my hand. II IS a ~
port made By committee appointed by tbe
United states Sanitary Commission a, New
YORK on the 18th OF May. 1864 In order
% snow the character Of this committee
and what We're The functions imposed upon
lAeA 1y me society. l read the resolution
under which they were appointed There
arc names here. sir. that viii 90 down ~
p0siority. The gentlemen engaged I'm per-
lOFm.ns The duty prescribed by the resoiu-
ton ana about 10 read. are gentlemen As
We AlI know, Of the highest respectabi.ity
Tor truth and veracitv Is weil as for pro-
lessional learning and industry. | rest
ana rest with perfect security. upon the We
fac.ly Of their statements. l can entertain
no doubt Whatever OF the truth Of the facts
they relate, and OF the conclusions at which
lney arrive The following IS the res0lu-
ton:
''Res0lref That Dr. EHerslie Wallace
Hon. }. l. Clark Hare, and the Rev. Tread
wei. alden, OF Philadelphia and Dr.. Val
eniine Mott Or. Edward Delafeld. and
GOuverneur " Wilkins, ESQ. OF New York
be respectfully requested 10 act as com
mission Tor ascertaining 10y inquiry and in
yeoiigation. the true physical condition OF
prisoners recently discharged. by exchange
from confinement NJ Richmond and else
where IN the rebel lines; whether they did
ia iact during such confinement, materially
suffer for want OF food, or from its defective
quality. or from other privations or sources
uI disease; and whether their privations
and suiierlngs were designedly inflicted on
them hy military or other authority OF the
rebel government, or were due 10 causes
which such authorities could not control
And That the gentlemen above named. be
requested 20 visit such camps OF paroled or
discharged prisoners as NAV be accessible
to them, and TO take in writing the depos,-
uOns OF SO many Of such prisoners as NAV
enable them 20 arrive az accurate results
ana 10 adopt such other means Of inyesti-
CATION As they may think proper"
PrehXed 10 their report IS the following
note by the committee themselves:
"Ihe commissioners appointed in the
foregoing resolution by the standing COM
mltiee Of the United states Sanitary Com
mission, respectfully submit the following
narrative and report. drawn from the mass
OF evidence collected By them, and printed
ID the Appendix. as the result Of their IN
Quiry and investigation"
do not intend 10 weary the Senate with
any extracts from this report, save such as
l deem necessary in order 10 solve the
question prOpOunded in the resolution it.
sell which appointed them. These gentle
men had every facility necessary 10 enable
them 10 ascertain the facts about which
they were 10 make inquiry. and to arrive al
proper conclusions. Speaking Ofthe scenes
oil distress and priyatiOns which existed IN
the LIBBY prison in Virginia, in the year
1868, they use the following language:
''lI was about the middle OF last autumn
1865 that this process OF slow starvation
became iutolerable, Injurious. and cruel 10
the extent referred 10. The corn bread be-
gan 10 be OF the roughest and cOarsest de-
-criptiOn. Portions of the cob and husk
were often found ground in with the meal
Ihe crust was 50 thick and hard that the
prisoners called 1t iron-clad. To render
the bread eatable, they grated it aud made
mush Of IL, but the crust they could not
CRATE.
Again:
Those who were entirely dependent on
the prison fare. and who had no friends al
the North 10 send them boxes OF food. be
gan to suffer the horrible agony Of craving
food, and feeling themselves day by day To-
sing strength. Dreams and decisions be-
gan 10 distract their minds
Although many were relieved through
The generosity Of their more favored fellow
prisoners, yet the supply from this source
vas Jf course inadequate. Capt. Calhoun
speaks Of suffering a burning sensation on
the inside, with i general failing In
strength i grew 50 foolish in my mind
that l used 20 blame myself for not eating
more when al home The subject OF food
engrOssed my entire thoughts Captain
stevens having received box from home.
sat down and ate 10 excess, and died in a
few hours ailerward. A man had a niece
of ham which | looked at for hours aud
would have stolen if had had 4 chance
But the most unaccOuntable and shame
iGl act OF All was yer 10 come Shortly al
ter this general dim'nution OF rations. IN
the mouth OF January last. the boxes
which before had been regularly delivered,
and in good order, were withheld"
That is, the boxes that were sent by the
friends OF these prisoners from their homes
IN order 10 mitigate their safIerings in that
prison.
No reason was given. Three hundred
arrived every week and ware received bv
Col. OGid. commissioner Of exchange, but
instead Of being distributed. were retained
and piled up IN warehouses near by. and in
full sight OF the tantalizei and hungry cap
lives. Three thousand were there when
Lieut.. Col FarnswOrth came away"
There was some show OF delivery. how
ever but IN a manner especially heartless. 81
desire gentlemen who have manifested
so much mercy and forbearance toward the
keepers OF our prisoners in he hands o!
the rebels. % listen 10 a few or these ex-
tracts. l wish them 10 hearken 10 this eVi-
dence; aud II Il does not drive from their
hearts that sentimentalism which would re-
fuse the protection Of Z Just retaliation 10
our prisoners n the hands OF the rebels,
then | shall be almost compelled 10 believe
that this senUmentalism, instead Of being
mercy and generosity. Is bnt another name
for cruelty and injustice. unworthy or Con
gress. and unworthy Of the character or the
nation we represent. Hearken 10 il; LEI
the whole world hear IL. for, sir, We are
about 10 take Z step which. in my judg
ment, We can fully Justify in the face Of the
civilized world
Five " SIX Of the boxes were given du.
ring the week. The eager prisoner, ex-
pectant. perhaps. OF 4 wifes or mother:
thoughtful provision for him. was called tC
the door and ordered 70 spread his blanket
when the open cans, whether containing
preserved fruits, condensed milk, tobacco
vegetables, OF meats were thrown promis
cuously together, and often ruined by th'
mingLng.
These boxes sometimes contained cloih
ing as well az food. and their contents
were frequently appropriated by the prison
officials. Lieut.. McGinnis recognized hi
own home suit OF citizens clothes Oh or
Of them, pointing out his name on tb'
watch-pOcket.
The officers we're permitted 10 send OF
and buy articles al extravagant prices. an,
would ind the clothes, stationery. hams
and butter which they had purchased, bear
ing the marks Of the Sanitary COmmis
sion"
The very clothes and provisions, in nu
merOQS instances. which were forwarded b