Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-02-02
HERALD,
FRIDAY, JANUARY o. 1865,
Retaliation.


advocadad by Senator wade 10 'hU'cV
mon rebel soldiers, or rebel oiilHceHs' IN
nm hams like cruSties and barDaritieS
for the purpose of compelling the rebe1
authorities - an observance of the
usages OF civilized wariare in the59
tveatment o. o4ro men On the oath
inst, Senator Sumner offered the follow
Ing as substitute for the resolution
above mentioned
Resolpei That retaliation is harsh al
WAYS, even in the simplest cases, and is
permissible only when in the first place
II may reasonably be expected TO effect
its object. and when in the second placs
ID is consistent with the usages o. civ
ilized society, and that in the absence Of
these essential conditions II is useless
and barbarous, having no other end
than vengeance. which is forbidden alike
to nations and to men.
Resolgea, That the treatment of odr
Officers and soldiers in rebel prisons is
cruel, savage and heart-Tending beyond
all pracedeN that it is shocking to
morals: that 1t is an offence against
human nature itself; that it adds new
guilt to the great crime Of the rebellion,
and constitutes an example from which
history will turn with sorrow and dis
gust
Resolred, That any attempted ifnita-
ton Of rebel barbarism in the treat
{ ment OF prisoners would be plainly inn
practicable, on account of its incOnsist-
ency with the prevailing sentiment Of
humanity among US that it would be
injurious at home, for it would barbar-
ize the whole community that it would
be utterly useless, for it could not affect
the cruel authors of the revolving CON
duct which we seek to overcome; that
it would be immoral because 1t pro-
ceeded from vengeance alone; that it
could have no other result than to de-
grade the national character and the ma
tiOnal name, and to bring down upon
our country the population of history
and that being thus impraCticable, use
less, immoral and degrading, it must be
rejected as a measure Of retaliation, pre-
cisely as the barbarism Of roasting and
eating prisoners is always rejected by
civilized powers
Rssolred, That the United States, filled
with grief and deepest sympathy for
cherished citizens who as officers and
soldiers have become the victims Of
Heaven .defying Outrages, hereby declare
their solemn determination to putSan
end to this great iniquity by putting an
end to the rebellion, of which it is the
natural fruit; that to secure this hui
name and righteous COnsummation, they
pledge anew the best energies and all
the resources of the whole people and
they call upon all to bear witness Jhat
in this necessary warfare with barbar-
ism, they renounce all vengeance and
every evil example, and plant themselves
firmly on the sacred landmarks Of
Christian civilization, under the protec-
ton of that God who is present with
every prisoner, and enables heroic souls
to suffer for their country.
Mr.. Sumner spoke in advocacy of the
above resolutions, quoting from General
Washington, Chancellor Kent, General
Halleck, Yattel, and other authorities,
against inhuman retaliation, which he
said, never reached the guilty parties.
Mr.. Wade COnteuded that the object of
the proposed retaliation was not vindict-
i've or revengeful; that it was the only way
in which justice could be secured to our
soldiers who are prisonors in the hands
Of the rebels; that retaliation had been
practiced by all civilized nations in all
wars; that our commanders had often
retaliated for guerrilla outrages by
shooting or hanging for the murder of
our men; that the measure was called
for by the people from every part of the
country as a measure of redress for the
wrongs inflicted upon our brave sol.
diers; and that Mr.. Summers substitute
instead Of causing the rebels to change
their treatment toward our men for the
better, would have the contrary effect.
The subject was further discussed and
then postponed, But there Is no doubt
that Mr.. Summers position is the cor
rect one. Great as is the emergency
strong as is our anxiety to devise meas
ures OF relief for our brave defenders
now in Southern prisons, we cannot de
scend to the level o savages BECAUSE our
enemies are savages We cannot deliber-
ately starve and freeze to death by inches
the rebel soldiers, or rebel officers in our
hands, under any provocation. If it
should be ordered, we doubt if any
would be found to execute the order,
We do not believe the brave fellows who
have experienced the horrors of South
ern prisons, could themselves be made
instruments for the infiction Of like
horrors upon rebels who may be per-
sonally innocent of the treatment be-
slowed upon our men, If we should
undertake such retaliation, we should
disgrace ourselves in the eyes of the
civilized world and erect for ourselves
lasting menunieut of infamy. But we
cannot do it. The very thought of men.
rebels though they be, dying by inches
in our midst from starvation, exposure
and cruel treatment deliberately inaict-
ed at our hands, is too shocking to civil
aized minds ever to be endured as q prac-
tlcsl reality. We might as we'll propose,
as suggested in one Of the resolutions
above to roast and eat prisoners in a