The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-02-07

tile TO us; who are falling OF, more and more
rapidly nom the support OF the war who are
our only sure and trustworthy peacemakers.
retaliation, upon Them would be unayailing as
we'll az nndeserved. The Richmond authuri-
ties care nothing for them, except as they rep
resent muskets, and often treat them almost
| as barbarously as they do our prisoners.
The Rebel officers are our effective materi-
/ al. Hurt them and Richmond shrieks. Al
most to a man, they belong TO that class
which brought on the war, which controls the
war and which, In spite ofall the white wing
| messengers between Bangor and Oregon, will
continue the war, just as lolg as theycan
keep any considerable armies in the feld-
Submission, for them, means determination
not as men; but as the controlling political
and social Power of the South. They will
fight now just as earnestly as ever-not with
their old, confident expectation OF early and
complete success, but with dogged, desper-
ate Micaw wber-like hope that, as in the past, SO
In the future, at the hour of her EXTREMIST
need, something will turn up in their favor
Let our Government, for example, be able to
say to JEFF. Davis: We have selected from
your officers in our hands the equivalent, as
established by the cartel, for our privates
whom you hold in Salisbury. We are giving
them as,nearly as possible, the same food, the
same clothing, the same fuel, and the same
you furnish us satisfactory evidence that you
are giving to our soldiers, as far as your re-
sources will permit, the treatment due to pris-
oners of war, o. AKA ss5 ayEo 5re44f
will this remedy heesil 2 & There are Two
precedents which may throw some light upon
it. When the Rebels had selected Sawyer and
Flynn forsexecution,o our Government did not
protest or threaten but quietly ordered the
commandments at Fortress Monroe, the nom, MT
hoe oh loa hat Iad
menace, to execute Lee and Winder. On
that Summer morning at daylight, when we
learned Of thislaction, one uproarious and spon-
taneous shout of delight went up from the in-
mates of Libby Prison. We were satisfied
that they would never harm a hair of the
heads of Sawyer, and they never did. q a.. e..
Oae day last Summer the Richmond auth or
tiles received a letter running In this wi i:e |:
Learning that you have placed certain negro
soldiers of the United States at work on y, ur
fortiacatiors under fire, 4 hereby inform yeu'
what aos That l. protest against it ~ No.
"That propose to appoint Commissioners to
less you stop it? No. But II hereby info I'M
you that 1 haze placed an equal number of
your officers at work on my fortiAcations lin-
der fire, and shall keep them there till you ex-
tend to the negro soldiers the treatment due
to prisoners of war. And have the honor to
be, sir very respectfully, your obedient ser
want, Benjamin f. Butler, MalGen. Com
mandingn Before that days sun went do wn
10 Richmond the negroes were put back in
Libby Prison, with the other prisoners of .r !;
ana they never were placed in the fortidca-
tions afterward. ~ 49, g n q ~ ~ q .
ipIwould notlapeak, dogmatically upon this
subject. l know that there are embarrass-
ments attending IL !; and that no mans ipse
dtEtt can afford certain solution OF the prob
lem. But thereris no time for delay, Our
Salisbury prisoners die at the rate OF 13 per
| cent q month They enlist Ia the Rebel army
-rdriven. there BY HUNGER and cold-at an
equal rateai Aside from all considerations of
humanity, as portion of our military power
they are being extiEguished at the rate OF 25
per cent month-an argument which even
Mr.. Stanton must appreciate. .ef. o.f
I'VE enforce from the soldier his duty to The
Government When he fails In it we shoot
him. Are there those who forget that The
Government owes a corresponding duty, and
one equally binding, to the soldier-the duty
of protection? d3gN
II this question Is postponed and daliisd
with, IL will be a stain upon the nations h,,
or, and a needless and inexcusable cruelty to
the aching hearts in forty, thousand loyal
homes. The country expects from the. Prt,,i.
dent, from the C6binat and from Congress,
some immediate and effective action. The re-
| sponsibility cannot be evaded or shuffied off
| from one tnanother. If there are any better
| and wiser measures, I'M God's.name let them
be adopted. If not, there is a demand, in
tones which oHght to be Sery audible in Wesh-
/ iuGsan.afor an Immediate General Exchange,
or Immediate Retaliation in kind upon Rebel
officers. ~, 4sis9 .aisls3, 5ses9 S a. d. r.
u NEW-FoRK, Thursday, Feb. 2, 1885,