Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-02-08
The care of Rebel PRISONERS of War.

| The Care OF ReDeLTE1soheio VI '
In the YanLee.ssuete, Mr.. Lane. (Rap) Of
Indiana. presented5thc petition.of citizens OF
Fort Wayne, Indiana, asking that the rebel
prisoners now in Northern prisons be placed
under the care and control OF discharged
Union prisoners, and be furnished with The
,samerations and clothing furnished Union
prisoners in the South. ~ -
Mr. Lane addressed tho Senate CD the sub:
ject Of the aboye- memorial, advocating action
in accordance with its suggestions.
Mr.. Wade, (Rep.) of Ohio, interrupted Mr.
Lane to offer joint resolution, that all pris-
ofers, both officers and soldiers, Of the So call
ed Confederacy, who are now or shall be
hereafter in the control and keeping of the
Federal Government shall receive the game
rations and the same amount OF clothing, and
be subject 10 the same treatment IN every.
respect, as Federal prisoners officers, who
are now or have been in the keeping or pow
er Of the sJcalled Confederate. Government;
that this treatment shall be changed fer bet
Ter or worse, whenever the President OF the
United States shall have reliable information
that the treatmentof our soldiers in South
era prisons is changed for better or worse,
and that any officer III charge; ofrcbeli prison.
ers who shall fail to carry out this policy shall
be dismissed the service.
Mr.. Lane, Of Indiana. said this resolution
did not 40 far enough, 1t did not provide
that he,rebels should be kept under the care
ofreleased prisoners of the Federal army.
This was very important part OF the matter.
It,had been said that retaliation would make
the war more bloody He did not care how.
bloody it was. He hoped'it. would make cV-
cry Southern -river@run with the blood OF
traitors. There we're forty four thousand
Union prisoners in the South, and double
that number of rebel prisoners in the North.
We owed it to the brave men who had gone
forth to 6ght in good cause to- inaugurate
this system.
Mr.. Wade said that year ago committee
on tie conduct of the war found more than a
hundred dispositions concerning the barbara
ties practced upon our soldiers in thu South.
Many men.were dying when their testimony
was taken 1twas The general impression
then that if the rebel barbarties were sub
stantatcd by this Investigation the executive
authorities would iaaugurated system of re-
.taliation. The report was printed and left
no doubt that all the stories of rebel cruelty
were true. But yet no action has, been To-
ken by The executive authorities. &c was
sorry 10 sec so much sympathy extended by
the people ofthe North to people who inau
gurated the rebellion, while they TRANQUILITY
tolerated these craetics to our soldiers in
the South. lie was sorry to see people send
ing provisions to rebels in Savannah, while
our soldiers were starving.ins Southern pris-
onsse Ha had d,heard that . distinguished rcb.
el was recently arrested while coming North.
and ;hat the President had threatened to re-
taliate if hair of his head was hurt. Ii re- :.
ta!iation was jusiifuble in the case Of rebel.
how much more SO was it in the case of our
brave soldiers? Ii might be right enough
to rets!iatc for Mr.. Foo'c; ,buthe Mr.. Wade)
'would not hurt dos in retaliation tcr ary-
ching done TO such aman
On motion OF AIr. Howard, (Rcp. J of Mich
igan, the matter Was referred to the Military
Committee.