The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-01
WASHINGTON.
wAsnsoros, Jan. 81. lees.

announced last night Of this committee. He Is
not connected with them not aid or sympathize
in the movement
RETALIATION IN THs TREATMENT or PRISONERS OF
WAR.
tho retaliation resolution finally passed tho Senate
day. so modified that its sponsor, Den Wade could
hardly recognize it, The changes the phraseology,
however, did not materially affect the essence The
President Is directed to retaato the outrages and IN
treatment OF our soldiers In conformity with tho usagcs
OF war among civilized nations He Ii requested take
all proper means to procure early exchanges Of prisoners
curing the continuance Of the and to send commits
ones OF prisoners to the rebel prisons TO note AMI report
70 him any recurrence neglect or brutales on the
part OF the rebel authorities In this shape the measure
passed without division greatly the astonshment Of
s radical friends, who had expected stubborn fight
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
the Following resolutions offered in the House to-
DAY oy the Hon. Freeman Clark, but objection bens
made by Mr. Stevens they over under the rules
~. noSovec' lnat IN order that the government may
nave ana the people understand its fixed and deter
mined policy In reference restoring tho currency Of
sne country to Its nominal value, tho COMMITTEES OF
ways and Means hereby instructed 10 inquire into
the expedency OF imposing special tax Of one per cent
on a' sales OF the country for tho period one year.
and tax Of three fourths Of one per cent for
one year thereafter and a tax or onehalf or
one per cent thereafter, until the whole sum
Collected equals in amount the United States
Issued 0y the government and that the proceeds OF
"a us may from time to time be collected DO espc-
ciaiy appropriated to the redemption OF said notes. until
al arc redeemed and cancelled and also that the Score
ary OF the Treasury be authorized at any time after the
close OF the TO issue bonds having less
nor moro than forty years to rum TO amount equal TO
all Of the Treasury interest bearing legal tender notes that
have been or hereafter h. issued dispose the
same from tmo to time as may be required to pay said
notes az they mature, from aud after tho close
minaton OF the rcbelion, and report by bill other
wise.
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT LOAN.
The financial arrangements just concluded between tho
Treasury Department and Jay Cooke contemplate the
continuance OF subscriptions tho thrtes through
the national banks in New York. Philadelphia, Boston
and elsewhere as heretofore
CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN LOYAL VIRGINIA.
The Alexandria (va.) Journal says the civil govern
ment has been restored the Eastern Shore Virginia
and that In few days civil government will bc restored
in every county whore suppressed by the of
General Butler
Rebel Barbarity to Prisoners OF War.
TESTIMONY OF MIR. RICHARDSON BEFORE THE COM
MIrTEK ON THR CONDUCT OF THE WAR.
WASHINGTON, Jan 81, 1866
The following testimony given to-day before the
Committee on the Conduct of the War by Albert d.
Richardson
was captured by the rebels May g. 1883 at midnight,
on hay BALE in the Mississippi river, opposite vicks.
burg. After confinement six different prisons was
sent to Salisbury N. c. February 1894 kept there
until December Is, 1884, when escaped For months
Salisbury the most endurabie prison ! had seen
There were six hundred inmates They exercised
in the open air, comparatively well fed and kindly
treated Early in October thousand regular prisoners
Of arrived.
Our treatment Immediately changed into q scene Of
cruelty and horror The prison was densely crowded.
rations cut down and issued very regularly;
friends outside could send in plate Of food;
tho prisoners suffered constantly often Intensely
want OF bread and shelter those who had TO live die
on prison rations always suffered from hduger. Very
frequently divisions Of one thousand men
would receive ratons for twenty -four hourssoinc-
times were without morse Of food for forty eight
hours
Few who had money would pay from 1--WE 70 twenty
dollars In rebel currency for q little loaf OF bread Many
though the weather very Indictment and Ere
qucnt sold tho coats from their backs and the
their feet assured authority entirely trust.
worthy, that great commissary warehouse the
prison filled with provisions that the commlssary
found difficult to find storage for his -four and meal;
that when subordinate asked the post commandment,
Major John II. Gee 'shall give the prisoners full
give them quarter rations. 4" know from personal
observation that corn and pork abundant In the
res,on aoou! Salisbury FOR weeks the prisoners had no
were barefootcd Not In twenty had overcont or
blanket; many hundreds were without shirts and hun.
drcds more without blousea Ono Sbley tent and one
"A" tent were furnished each squad of hundred
men With the closest crowding these sheltered
he 'e crp under The buildings IH 1 s
crod throsgh the nights In the open air upon the
FROZEN ground II the rebels al the time Of capture
had not stolen shelter tents, Blankets clothing and
money we would not have suffered from cold. IT tho
prison authorities had permit us either parole
under guard To cut logs within miles Of the prison.
would gladly have bait comfortable and ample
barracks In ono week. But tho commandant would
no, no. consent. Ho did not even Furnish one -af
tho fuel needed. The hospitals IN a horri.
bic condition. More than half who entered
the hospitals died In very few days The deceased
always without collins, loaded into the dead cart
piled each other like logs Of wood aud so driven out
10 be thrown in trench and covered with earth The
rebel surgeons we're generally humane and attentive and
endcavored to improve the shocking condition Of the hos
pitas but the Salisbury and Richmond author dsrc
garded their protests On November rs many Of the prison
ers had been without food for forty eight hours
desperate; without any matgred plan, few OF them
said, 1--WE may well die In way another Is,
US brak out Of this horrible place. Some Of them
wrcsfed the guns from relief OF fifteen rebel soldiers
just entering the yard killing two who resisted and
woundlng ave six others and attempted open the
fence but they had neither adequate concert
action. Before they could effect breach every one Of
the garrison WAS termed on them; the lcid pieces
opened with grape aud canister and they dispersed tn
Their quarters In i've minutes from Its beginning
the attempt was quelled, and hardly n prisoner
was TO DO seen In tho yard. The rebels killed
IN all sixteen and wounded SIXTY Not one
tenth Of the prisoners had part the attempt and
many OF them we're ignorant OF until they heard tho
guns Deliberate, cold blooded murders Of pcaceable
men-where there pretcncc that they break
ing any prison rcgulaton-were very frequent Our
lives we're never safe for moment Any sentinel,
at any hour OF the day or night could deliberately
shoot down any prisoner fire into group 81 priso-
ncrs, black or white, and would be taken on
his post for u left about SIX thousand 1--we hundred
remaining In garrison. December 49, and they were
then dying the average rate Of twenty eight
per day, or thirteen per cont per month The
simple truth Is that the rebel authorities are numbering
sold Mt Salisbury by cold and hunger while they
might easily supply them with ample food and fuel
They are doing this systematically. and, believe,
killing them Intentionally, for the purpose either OF
forcing our government 10 exchange, forcing
men into the rebel army