Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-08-19
slanton. the GraYe-DIgEer.

sure in eulogizing Stanton, and frequent
ly parades his name, coupled with the re-
mark that he is the "terror Of copper.
heads and traitors" we beg leave to call
its attention to the following card from
Junius Ii. Browne, to the New York Tri-
bune. Mr.. Browne was formerly an army
correspondent of that paper, and of course
is "loyal" man.
After reading his statement, we think
no one can fail to see that this man Stan
ton, with whom the journal is so greatly
captivated, is one of the most infamous
and cold-blooded tyrants that has dis
graced the world since the days of Nero
aud Caligula. And we are still more
surprised that President johnson should
retain for an hour, as one of his con6den-
tial advisers, wretch whose hands are
reeking with the blood of twelve or fifteen
thousand brave and patriotic soldiers
Let the Journal go on with its fetid ad-
ulations of Stanton. Judged by its
standard, he is entitled to the highest
niche in its calendar of Abolition saints:
"THE EXCHANGE QUESTION AND SECRETARY
STANTON. oE.--Lste!y, Mr.. Charles A Dana, al.
ludng, in the journal of which he is the ed
tor D chief, TO statement in my recently
published volume-'Four Years in Secessia -
that Edwin NJ Stanton is responsible for the
J failure to exchange the thousands of prison
ers of war held in the South, avoided the
question at issue, and entered into an elabo
rate explanation to show that the twenty
. months detention In captivity OF my con.
frere, Mr. Albert d. Richardson, and myself
was in no manner attributable to the Secreta.
ry Of war Neither of the correspondents of
the Tribune has ever made any complaint,
privately or publicly, Of his long captivity
' and l should be deeply mortified to suppose
that any would think that, after we had
escaped, we were so lacking in good sense
q and humanity as to maunder or make accu-
sstions against an officer oil the Government
from mere personal feeling, when tens OF
: thousands of captives we're perishng by sys-
tematic cruelty in the rebel prisons of the
South.
"Mr. Dana, as have said, does not under
o take to meet the main and only important
q QucbIlOu UeJOuu RtucEhl huu luCiubDtdl
- declaration that not one of all the prisoners
II could make Mr. Stanton responsible for the
- tortures he suffered 10 the South This il
! simply not true, as all who had any acquain
tsnce with the administration OF affairs il
d Washington during two years previous to the
l. close OF the war must, should think, have
been aware
10 "Mr. Richardson and myself spent nearly
?, week in the National Capital after our escape
~ endeavoring to do all that was possible fo
=. the release OF the brave men in the hands o
ot the enemy; and every one we met there tolC
II the came story, that the Secretary of Wa
was the obstacle in the way of the resumption
rs of the exchange
n, Moreover, General Butler, in his speech a
O. Lowell, Massachusetts, stated positively tha
:, he had been ordered by Mr.. Stanton to pu
ID forward the negro question TO complieate anC
" prevent the exchange. Col. A. d. Streight
: of Indianapolis, Indiana, a fellow prisone
10 with us in the Libby, told Mr.. Richardson
after our return to freedom, that, in an in
terview between the Secretary and himself
the former declared to him that the Govern
Of ment could not afford to exchange able bodiet
A. men for skeletons. Other officers and civil
ians, whose names ! cannot now remember
y have assured me that he had used to theu
S. the same language in effect and there is nj
- doubt whatever that that was his policy ant
~ his determination until the clamors of tn,
in people compelled him 10 retire from his bar
IN bsrous position.
Every one is aware that when the ex
III change did take place, not the slightest alter
Iy alton had occurred in the question, and tina
"A our prisoners might as we'll have been re
- leased twelve or eighteen months before as
= the resumption of the cartel, which woulC
! have saved to the Republic at least IL 900 o.
$4,000 heroic lives. That they were no
o. saved is due alone to Mr.. Edwin M Stanton
ne peculiar policy aud dogged obstinscy and, al
of have remarked before, he is unquestionably
the digger of the unnamed graves that Grove
'h the vicinity OF every Southern prison will
t. historic and Dever-tobe forgotten horrors
e II regret the revival Of this painful subject
but the gratuitous effort OF Mr. Dana 10 reev
Id the Secretary of War from a responsibility b,
seems willing to bear, and which, merely q
q question of policy, independent of all con.
III sderations of humanity, must be regarded a
e. a great weight, has compelled me to viudi
Ia cate myself from the charge Of making grsv
'' charges without due consideration.
of "Once for all, let me declare that hav
On never found fault with any one because wa
detained in prison, for l am well aware tha
IN that was q matter in which no one but myself
is and possibly few personal friends, wou
G feel any interest," that my sole motive for im
peaching the Secretary of War was that tn
e. people of the loyal North might know to WHOM
er they were indebted for the cold booded an
needless sacrifice of their fathers aud brothers
" their husbands and their sons.
he "JUEIUs HENRI BROWNE
=. New York, August g. 1866"