Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-08-14
THs DIGGER OF rue UNNA ED
GRAVES ofs 4 THEM PRISONS.

Much has been said recently OF the rebel cru
elites 20 the Federal prisoners Of var. and tie
horrors Of Andsrsonville are cited 10 PROOF
thereof Who are responsible for the tortsres
that uere suffered ia the South by tha soidiefs
who vent forth ia tae service OF the country
With the solemn assurance that they should have
the sympathy and protection OF The Government
The suffesings Of the men Who we're confined in
the Southern prisons sere well known TO the
Administration. and especially to EDvN
srAsrox. Secretary Of War. and ii vas 10 his
be steadily and doggediy refused. As one
Of the prisoners remarks, the people OF
the LOYAL North are indebted to him FOR
the cold-blooded and needless sacrifice OF
their fathers and brothers. their husbands
and sons" II was in bis power 10 have
prevented these suffering. BY conserving TO
an exchange Of prisoners, which the rebels were
anxious to effect at any time within two years
previous to The close Of the war, but this man
srAxros objected on the ground. there
10 sbundan, evidence to show, that "tbe
Government could not afford 10 eI
change able bodied men Tor Skeletons"
hence the "digger Of unnamed graves" permit
ted these occupants to suffer all the terrible cruel
ties which he il anxious to prove. until
death relieved. He finally consented to an e1-
change OF prisoners but not until thosands bad
been sacrificed by bis cruel policy. Every new
development Of the sufFerings Of the Federal sol
diers in the SJafern prisons only adds TO the IN
fanny Of the Secretary OF War. for MA own de-
claratious are evidence that be was fully advised
OF the cruelies to which they were subject.
Knowing all, be cody and persistently refused
every appeal made TO relieve tho sufferers by an
exchange OF prisoners. until public sentiment
finally forced him TO recede from bis barbarous
position. The following communication from
JuSIus II. BRowSE. which we find in the New
York Tribune of last FRIDAY. and who was
actptive in rebedom for twenty months. demon
strates most conelusively that Mr.. STANTON is
especially responsible for the tortures our pris-
oners suffered in the South:
THE EXCHANGE QuEsrroS AND SEcaErARr
SrASTOx.-L4tely, Mr. Charles A. Dana. allu-
ding 10 the journal of which be is the editor in
chief, 10 a statement in my recently published
volume-FOur Years in Secessa that Edwin
N Stanton is responsible tor the failure TO ex-
change the thousands OF prisoners of war held IN
the South, avoided the question al issue. and
entered into an elaborate explanation to show
that the TWENTY months detention IN captivity OF
nv eonlrere. Mr.. Albert ID. Richordson. and
myself. in manner attributable To the
Secretary of War. Neither OF the correspondents
OF the Tribune has made any complaint,
privately or publicly, OF his long captivity; and
should be deeply mortified to suppose that any
one would think that. alter we had escaped. We
were so lacking IN good sense and humanity as
To maunder or make accusations against an ofh
Ger of the Government from mere personal feel
ing, when tens of thousands Of captiyes we're
pershing BY systematic cruelty in the rebel
prisons of the South.
4" Mr. Dana, as have said, does not under
+. take to- meet the main and only important ques
ton beyond the general and incidental ceclara-
ton that not one vi all the prisoners could make
Mr.. Stanton responsible tor the tortures he sut
tered ia the South This is simply not true, rs
all who had anY acqu lintsnce with the admins
tration Of sffars in w ashIngton during two years
previous TO the close of the war must, | should
think have been aware.
Mr. Richardson and myself spent nearly a
week in the National Capital alter our e-cape.
endeavoring To do all that possible tor the
release of the brave men in the hands Of the
enemy: aud every one we met there tod the same
y
stacle 10 tie way OF the resumption OF the eI-
change
Moreover. General Butler, in his speech at
Lowell, Massachusetts,. stated positively that he
had been ordered by MIR Stanton TO put forward
the negro question 10 compllcate and prevent the
exchange. Colonel Streght. OF lndisnsp
oils, Indians. a fellow prisoner with Us In the
LIBBY. told Mr.. Rich ardson. after our return to
freedom, that, in an interview between the Sec
Rotary aud himself. the former declared to him
that the Government could not afford to ex-
change able bodied men for skeletons. Oihef
officers and civilians. whose names | cannot now
remember. have assured me that he had used to
them the same language IN effect; and there i,
no doubt whatever that that his policy and
his determination until the clamors Of the peo-
pie compelled him TO retire from his bsrbarou,
position.
Every one is aware that. when the exchange
did take place, not the slightest alteration had
occurred in the question, aud that prisoners
might we'll have been released twelve or
eighteen months before As at the resumption OF
the cartel which would have saved to the Re
public at least ~ 900 or Is 900 heroic lives
That they we're not saved Is due alone to Nr
Edwin NJ. Sstnton's peculiar policy and logged
obstinscy; aud. as have remoiked before. he IL
unquestionsbly the digger of the unnamed grave,
that croTd the vicinity OF every Southern prison
with historic aud neyer.to be forgotten horrors
regret the feEiNal OF TINS patuIul SUBJECT,
but the grstuitous effort ot Mr.. Dana To relieve
the Secretary OF War from a responsibility he
seems willing TO bear. aud which. merely as a
question OF policy. independent OF all considera
tous OF humanity, must De regarded az a grea,
weight. has mpelled me TO vindcAte my sell
from the charge of making grave statement,
without due consideration
"Oace for all. let rie declare that have never
found fault with any one because was detained
IN prison. for am we'll aware that that vas
matter In which Que but myself. and possb y
few personal friends. would feel any interest
that NV sole motive Tor impeaehing the Secre
tsry OF War Vas that the people OF the loyal
North might knos 20 whom they were indebl ell
for the cold bloodsd and needless sacrifice oil
their fathers aud brothers. their husbands aud
their sons JuNus HESAI BRowNx
"NEw YoRK August : le65
ghc Kentucky Eiection-sts Results
The Louisville Democrat thus sun. up the re