, 1865-02-23


twcnty-six stills, and probably three Or four
hundred barrels Of petroleum per day, when
running ut full capacity.
Another del icate and fashionable color is Il
Light blue, called " azulinc," which, as well
as the now famous and popular color "Ma-
genta,'' is now produced from petroleum. A
lotl tn called "roseine," Ii In course Of ex-
pertinent. These colods are ascertained BY
dropping The oil in q certain state into tho
wnter. by which the most beautiful hues are
brought out.
A CARD FROM THE HON. #.
AAS&AQ1kEA,
The Case Of Prisoners in Close Con.
tnement or in Irons-A Reply to
General Butler.
[From the Cincinnati Commercially
Editors Commercial:
It is well known TINT many Of our Union
officers and men were Kept by the rebels In
suhterrnncan cells, OF IN irons, either Us hos
tages, or under pFetenses OF retaliation, OF
under sentence of their so-cal1ed Military
Commissions. Language is inadequate to de-
scribe the treatment to which they were gpb-
tccted, It will suffice to soy that last Nav,
june and July, the hostages kept in the eel.
lars Of the Libby tamong whom was my half-
brother, Capt: Markbreit, OF Gen: Aycre1l's
stan,) were reduced to such extremity that
they caught the rats In their cell, and ate
them, in order to appcase the cravings Of
hunger.
Their cases, as we'll as the cases of all pris-
oners Of War In close confinement, or in irons,
have at last been settled in most satisfactory
manner BY Gen. Grant, whose prompt decI-
Of our brayest aud nobIegt officers and men,
who could not have endured their suffe1ings
much longer. But why were they not lihe-
rated months ago? The facts which I now
propose to submit to the readers of your pa-
per will answer this question.
speech, that he never obstructed the exchange
OF prisoners. Whether this statement ia cor
rect or not, with reference to ordinary prison.
ers, It Is not my business to Investigate. But
with regard to prisoners Of EaE held by the
tebe1s In close confinement or in irons, am
prepared to prove that Gen. Butler did OBJ
6tEuet and prevent their release and exchange.
When the first proposition was msde for
the exchange Of one Of that Class of prisoners
Of war tMajor Soft, Of Ciarksburg, West Vir-
ginfa, who had been sentenced by rebel MIL
ltary commisaion to fifteen years imprison-
mcnt ut hard labor, In alleged retaliation for
9 rebel Major Armsley, then In our 1lands,)
1tr. Ould, the Southern Commissioner Of E3-
Change, made the following counter PROPOSE
tion, which have literally transcribed from
the original document:
II accept the proposition. would further sug-
geet that all difficulties connected with the dcten-
contement OF irons, be satisfactorily adjusted
On the basis herein indicated: Let all prisoners Of
var on each side, be released from Confinement
placed in the condition Of ordinary prisoners OF
eent to their respective homes for their eqaivn-
leDts.
tsisnedl "Ropxa1 ou1n,
ssAeent for Exchange" !"
Lieutenant Colonel Mu1ford, Assistant
AEeat ior Exchange. reported this PROPOSE
t}on to Major General E. 4. Hitchcock, Com
missioner missioner of Exchange on the part Of our
ed 1t to the Secretary Of War for his accept
ence. This Was last September
Mr. Stanton accepted the proposition, and
directed General Hitchcock to order it 10 be
carried out. At the ssme time, Colonel Null
ford was instructee to notify NJ. ou1d, that
1n obedience to these Instructions, Colonel
Mulford 50 notified the rebel Commissioner
on the 18th Of September, and from that mo-
mcnt, claim, 1t became aniagEeement, which
our Government was, IN honor, bound to car
r. ont.
returned to FORTRESS Monroe, and without
any authority to that effect, overruled the
Secretary Of War, and prevented the cxecu-
tton Of the agreement, on the ground that 1t
would effect the release Of some prisoners Of
war who had been sentenced by our military
commissioner
Before proceed to examine this objection,
1fubnit, that after official notice had been
given to the rebels, Of the acceptance by our
government of the proposed arrangement, It
was too late to inquire who would be affected
by its execution. A nation Is bound by the
same 1ulce Of honor and good faith, that
shonld regulate the conduct H private inili-
yiduals. Our government is not compelled
to enter into agreements, or cartels, with
rebels md traitors. But when 1t chooses to
do 60, when it does enter into agreements
with them, the National honor requires that
the pnb1lc faith be kept, even with rebels and
traitors. At all events, the question whether
. certain agreement Is open to certain oblec-
tions OF not, should be considered before It is
has been given to the other side.
On 1inc ground Of tic Noncompliance on
our part with the above agreement, after it
had been properly made aud ratified: the
rebels refu8td to listen to any proposition
for the exchange Of my brother or other prIs-
oners, In close confinement or in irons.
a long controversy followed, ,of which It Is
not my purpose at present to give the details.
will simply state thnt in the beginning of
January 1t had become necessary for me to
appeal from Genernl Buffers decision and
proceedings to the President, who applied to
General Hitchcock for particulars. General
Hitchcock very properly suggested that the
original agreement might still be carried out
The President then directed General Hitch
cock to place all the papers on file In his Of
fee, with reference to prisoners In close con-
f1nement in my hands, to be by me personally
delivered to General Grant for his decision.
I repaired to City Point without delay, and
submitted the papers, together with o, short
Lieutenant General. General Grant at once nee
decided that the original agreement should
not have been interfered with, and ordered
its immediate execution. The result Is known,
1aaaycd the lives Of many Of our brave mar
tyrs, who would sosn have persisted in their
dungeons, had General Buffers policy been
adhered to for few weeks longer.
4 few words more, with reference to Gen.
Buffers reason for setting aside the. original
agreement, and1 shall have done. He would
not consent to give up any rebel prisoners Of
war, sentenced by one Of our military COM
missions. But he seems to have overlooked
agreement was intended to cover. It must
be borne in mind that it did not refer to DO
itical or other prisoners, but merely prison
ers of 4car and to one prisoner Of war san
tenccd By our military tribunals, the rebels
held at least i've sentenced BY their military
commissions. Our poor sufferers languished,
also in the penitentiaiies and stone quarres
Of Virginia and North Ca1nlina. All those
unfortunate prisoners, and all the HOSTAGES
heretofore held by the rebels, are now On
their way to their homes and families. to
thank God for the removal OF Gen. Butler. !
which opened their prison doors. To Gen.
Buffers unauthorized interference, they owe |
useless p1olongation Of their suferings for |
four long months, and, before the iudsmsnt-
seat Of impartial history, their emaciated |
and haggard forms will rise to accuse the man
who claims that he "neVer obst1ucted Bic
exchange Of prisoners"
Very respectfully, yours,
Cincinnati, Feb. 70, 1865.
sThfs is the excuse he gives for his unautaor. |
ixed interference In his letter to the 9ecreta " of
War, dated September 18, and On file in tho proper
Office.
Table Of Distances.
The following table shows the distances
from eachJ Other of the places which are now
the chief points Of interest in the military |
field:
From. .afnt,.
to Charleston. .....,....,. 81
BranchTiite to kfngviiic. iic..-...-..........:. q
BranchVQIe to Florence. ce...................,1G6 |
Nfnnchyille 10 Columbla. a....--.............R9 R9 |
Branfhstlle to Augrst1. .........:.. .......,. Is
4rnnchV!llo to Wilmington. on..--.............sI8. 1
Htanch!iileto Charlotte. tte.-.................:.1I |
Ghaflestpn to Florence. 1D3 !
Hltn,ngton 70 Florence, !