The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-08-21
From tho San Francisco Weekly Examiner.
WHO is RESPONSIBLE.

the world 1t is coward that only
takes advantage where the odds are in
its f;xor Bring it face to face with an
equal foe, and it shrinks TO its dark den
OF yenomous toads and reptiles II is .
creeping, crawling thing that hpslimes
whate'er it touches. Tmpaled Innocence
testifies to its guilt, and a Christ crueifed
bears evidence of its malignity.
One had supposed that now the wars
We're over, all men would rejoice in the
contemplation OF peace. The mind II
urally turns from scenes of horror to those
more genial and pleasant in character.
1t seems, however, there are some-men
: with souls scarce saucer deep
reject the blessed offerings of peace.
They seem determined that the country
shall not have quiet. OF such are those
who control the Sacramento Union. 1t
/ is emphatically q paper of the malig-
nant school. 1t saizcs upon horrors with
an Unsuitable greed, and glories in scat
tering them before its many readers.
True or false makes little difference, and
either. if revolting. serves alike It's pur-
pose. Southern people find no favor in
its eyes. for it has made up its mind that
= nothing good can come out of Nazereth.' >
4 fruitful source for malignant inveetive
and falsehood is the alleged brutal treat
ment Of Union prisoners by the Confed-
crate authorities Let US look for mo-
ment at this charge, and see, if guilt
there be, at whose door it properly lies.
For the last two years, we assert rs ii
/ fact, the odds of prisoners have been
greatly ON the side Of the Union. For
the past year they have been more than
t two to one. We assert. moreover. that
the Confederate authorities have always
manifested an earnest desire to exchange
prisoners to the fullest extent of their
numbers. There has been no necessity,
at any time, for Union prisoner TO re
main in a Confederate prison, or pen if
you viii. fer greater period than the
simple act of an exchange would require.
Why were these exchanges not made
t Why were Union prisoners suffered to
perish of disease and starvation? Go to
] the War Department and inquire there.
! Ask +. VI. Stanton, its Secretary. the
Robespierre of the war, for information
on this point. How he viii attempt to
explain it we know not. but the inexor-
able facts of history viii prove that thou
sands of our gallant soldiers were sacri-
feed at the shrine of the infamous holoch
Of Abolitionism That mad frenzy of
the dav-which has desolated the land
of the South, and caused sorrow through
out our domain-was not satisfied with
the victims Of the battle field No species
of torture and waste of human life could
stay in its course. AIr. Stanton demand
ed that the Confsderates should acknoWl-
edge the negro as the equal to the white
man, as condition precedent to an ex-
change of prisoners. This, of course,
could not be done. and hence it was, to
this insane idea. Union soldiers were suf-
fered to pine and die in Southern prisons.
Think of it, you men Of Anglo-iSaxon
descent-think of it, you defendants OF
those who framed our Constitution for
white men Because Southern men did
not belle the laws of God and repudiate
their own institutions. your brothers were
deserted in the hour of sore distress. II
punishment is TO be meted out, let 1t be
inflicted in the right quarter.
We therefore indict E. NJ. Stanton,
Esquire, of high crimes and misde-
meanors.
We indiet him in the name of the peo-
pie of the United States, whose official
trust he has betrayed
We indict him in the name Of that
same people whose national character he
has dishonored.
We indict him in the name of the gal
lant soldiers whom he has suffered to pine
and die in Southern prisons.
We indicts him in the name Of the
widows and orphans whom his heartless
policy has made.
We indiet him by virtue of those eter,
nal laws of justice which he has violated
| We indict him in the name of the
white race whom he has sought to de-
grade to the lowest standard of hu-
Emanity.
Let it not be argued that he was igno
rant of the condition of our soldiers. Al
the very time that he was quibbling about
the negro and his exchange, the subiect
of the relief of our soldiers in prison was
engaging the attention of government
! he knew that the Confederates themselve;
were on half rations, apd that their sour
ces Of supply were being gradually con
tracted. He knew that the Federal ar
mics had been instructed to destroy every
4 species of food in the way of their pro
gress- He knew that Gen Grant had
ordered Sheridan to lay waste the rich
valley Of the Shenandoah to an extent
that 4" crow in crossing it would be com
PEELED to carry with him bis rations.
He knew that Sheridan reported q two
Thousand barns destroyed with their con
tents = and that the women and children
OF that lovely and pepulous rsgion hac
been turned out to shelterless starvation
lie knew that from this Valley and NORTH
! carolina, with which Grant had destroy
ed communication, the Confederates de
rIved most of their supplies, and this
barbarous policy was resorted to express
! IL 10 starve them out of Richmond. HI
: knew that medicines had been made con
: ttraband of war, and that the sanitary want
of our prisoners could net be met. Not
Withstanding this, our very christian Sec
t retary, with cold Satanic diplomacy, de
mands negro for white man, or Their
VIII be no exchange. Be it remembers
THAT the negro prisoners we're not suffer
) ing any hardships. They were put t
work and fed Ike Confederate soldiers
To this they bad been accustomed, and