The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-10-10
LETTER FROM J. P. BENJAMIN.

To the Editor OF the London Times:
. SIR Il find on arrival in England that pub.
lie attention is directed afresh to the accusation
made by the Federal authorities that prisoners
of war were cruelly'treated by the Coufederates
not mere exceptional cases by subordinate
officials, but Systematically, and in conformity
with policy deliberately adopted by President
Davis, General Lee and Mr. Seldom. As a
member of the Cabinet Of President Davis, from
the date of his first Inauguration under the Pro
visiona Constitution to fhe final overthrow OF
the Confederate Government BY force of arms, as
a personal friend whose relations with Jefferson
Davis have been of the most intimate and conf
dental nature, Ifeelitimperatively to be my duty
to request your insertion of this letter in vindi-
cation of honorable men, who less fortunate than
myself, are now held in close confinement by
their enemies, and are unable to'utter an indig-
nant word in self-defence..
A very material fact in relation to this charge
of cruelty was omitted in the recent letter from
your late Richmond correspondent" who was
probably not aware of it, but which 1 can attest
from personal knowledge. During the difficult
ties which prevented the exchange of prisoners
of war, cases arose which appealed SO strongly
to humanity that it was impossible for the most
obdurate to remain insensible The Federal
authorities, therefore, empowered Colonel Null
ford, their Commissioner of Exchange, to con-
sent to mutual delivery Of such sick and dis
abied prisoners as were incapable of pei forming
military service. To this class was the ex-
change of prisoners vigorously restricted.
Colonel Ould, the Confederate Commissioner
of Exchange (who has recently been honorably
acquitted by the Fcderals themselves of the
same false charge of cruelty to prisoners made
to the President, to the Secretary of War, and
to myself, repeated complaints that prisoners on
both sides were frequently delivered in a condi-
tioil So PROSTATE to render death certain from
exposure during the transit between James Riv-
er and Washington or Annapolis. Efforts were
made In vain to check this evil. In spite of
surgeons certificates that they were too i'll for
removal without imminent danger, sick men on
both sides, wearied by long confinement, fearful
that the exchange would again be interrupted,
longing for the sight of home and friends, would
either insist on their ability to endure the jour
ney, or, protesting that recovery was hopeless,
would piteously implore to be allowed to see
their families before death. The lfeless bodies
of numbers of Confederates shipped from the
North under these circumstances, were deliver
ed to us at City Poin: and the like results at
tended the delivery from our side Rigid care
was taken by the authorities of the u States to
exclude from the exchange all cases of slight
illness, in accordance with their avowed policy
Of preventing our armies from being recruited
by returned prisoners, this being our only re-
source for filing our thinned ranks, while they
were able to procure unlimited recruits from
this side of the Atlantic. From the class Just
mentioned the most emaciated specimens we're
chosen by our enemies, and exhibited as conclu-
slve evidence that we exercised habitual cruelty
toward prisoners of war. The most wretched
and desperate cases were even made the orr gin
ais for photographs which cannot lie, and re-
Voting pictures of human infrmity thus procur-
ed were affixed as embellishments 20 sensational
reports manipulated by Congressional Commit
tees and Sanitary Commissions.
l: is not my purpose to examine in detail the
question whether on us or on the Federals rests
the responsibility Of interrupting the exchange
of prisoners, and thus producing a mass of hu-
man misery and anguish of which few examples
can be found in history. The published CORES
pondence of the Commissioners of Exchange,
and certain revelations made by Federal officials
in public speeches and in newspaper articles,
will be>sufhcient to satisfy on this point the few
who take the pains to ascertain the truth; but
in response to the allegations imputed in the
latest news from America to General Hitch
cock, that 'for the delays in exchanging and
the consequent suferings of the prisoners the
fault rested entirely with the Confederates," !
would recall the following facts:
The first effort to establish cartel of ex.
change was made by the Confederates when
was temporarily 10 charge of the War Office at
Richmond, toward the close Of the Provisional
Government General Howell Cobb on our
part, and General Wool on the part of the
United States, agreed on cartel which was sub
mitted to their respective Governments for ap
prevail In my instructions to, General Cobb be
was specially directed to propose that after ex-
hausting exchanges the party having surplus
prisoners in possession should allow them to &c
home on parole till the other beHigerents should
succeed In capturing an equivalent number for
exchange. When this proposal was made by
us We held larger number of prisoners than
were in the hands of the enemy 1t was accept
ed by General Wool as one of the terms of the
cartel, but, unfortunately, some successes of oul
enemies interviewed before ratification by their
Government They obtained, in their turn, an
excess of prisoners, and at once refused to rati.
fly the cartel. In the ensuing year, while Gen
eral Randolph was Secretary of War; the Con
federates were second time in possession of an
excess of prisoners, and succeeded ia pegotiat
ing cartel, under which they liberated many
thousands of prisoners on parole without any
present equivalent. thus securing in advance the
liberation Of like number of their own soldiers
that might afterward fall into the enemy's
hands. This cartel remained for many months
in operation. No check nor difficulty occurred
as long as we made amajority of captures.
In July, 1868. the fortunes OF war became
very adverse TO the Confcderacy The battle
of Gettysburg checked the advance of General
Lee on the Federal Capital while almost stimuli
taneously the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hud
son gave to our enemies large preponderance
in the number OF prisoners. The authorities al
Washington immediately issued general order
refusing to receive from Gen Lee the prisoner rs