The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-10-12
Ths VIA FrIaI.
EThs OBJ Of Wn1 n ll|alr q aom0

| The tTlAl Of Wulz is klzoly 10 como
to an abrupt conclusion, The health
tof tho prisoner has ggadaally failed.
and ot the rate Of decline going on for
a fortnight past, lis pbysital energies
l%ill have been exhausted before tho
testimony 6or.the defense can possibly
be bropght 10 a conclnsioR,. So far AZ
the objects sought for in this trial are
conceriied, II mikes little differenc6
whether WRz diSs in Bed or tipon tho
scatioid. q sWhilethe testimony shows
him to.haye besnla brutals nlcreiless,
and despotie, and q murderer, il also
shows q .mpch more important fact,
to.wit: tliSt the terrible condition OF
the Andersonville prison pen, AMI the
starvation, sickners, and suffering of
its.inmates, were known 20 the Rich.
mond authorities andtacilly approved,
tf'not purposely provided for, BY them.
The testimony Oft rebel Surgeons,
and Of officials detailed to yisit Andcr-
sonville, is TO The effect that the
wretched sanitary condition Of tho
place, the insuflieiency ofits aceomo-
tdalons, the 1inadequacy of7nedicines
and hospitaI'stores, and thogreateon-
scquent siclnes, suffering and m6rtaIi,
ty,, were made the subject Of official
comnlhnications TO Richmond, and
uhmiStakably brought toflie notice of
the authorities 3 Though there isindio
rect testimony, as set going toshow
that systematized starvation vas part
fofan established policy in tie "treSt-
ment Of Federal prisoners there are
sufficient, indirect and circnmstantiai
facts brought out TO wmrantthe con-
cl1sion that such q policy Vas not dis
tasteful to the head OF the so,called
pkoyerhmcnt md his advisers. They
had the discretion MOTTO commit them
selves, by official actor written order,
to the sanction Of such barDarities, but
that t1oy made no effort TO prevent
the misery ana mortality of Anderson
vile, and quietly passed over all sng-.
gcstiops for their mitigation are facts
concusively established by. the gegi-
fdende. Nor we're motives wanting.--
Two objects were TO Be gained bytho
inbumanf policy 0Ofl deprivation and
starvatiop-ste force, the Federal Coy
Pernihentinto an exchange Of prisoners,
and reduce the number Of effective
men who, might be returned by OK
change to the service. 1T is net 0,bd
concealed that The rebel authorities
carried on the war with cruelty un-
known to civilized nations. The aum.
mary shooting and hanging of Union
mel in the Southern tStatesys rot,te-
caIse OF what they did, but what they
felt and believed is but single ir-
stance illustrating the cruel and re-
lcnLles3 purpose Of the men who car.
ried on the war against the Govern.
ment. The barbarous treatment of
such as were not shot, but were inear-
cerated in rebel dungeons, is another
instance going to show that nothing
but fear OF retaliation, or apprehension
Of forfeiting the good opiniah Of tho
Christian world, prevented then from
openly practicing the same barbarism
on their unfortunate prisoners of war.
The duieter way was adopted of. ab>
pointing unfeelihg @tetches. as super
intendents and wardens OF the prisons,
and permitting them TO practice upon
the prisoners whatever cruelties their
deyiiish natures suggested, pretending
all the while to haveno official knowl-
edge ofthem The trial Of ,WIRz has
developed these facts at least, and
brought home to the so-called rebel
government the responsibility for
such crimes as make humanity blush,
and would disgrace any cause tor
which man ever Observation-Disclosures
Ii Commercial. |"s