The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-01-09
Tresi,.entsf prisoners.

points in the South; while hlhng the
minds of all with horror and awakening en- e
in many, a STRONG feeling of earnest sym,
natbv for the sufferers, Ihave disposed
some persons to, talk, of visiting with the ne
same kind Of treatment the rebel PRISON,
ers in our hands. 10 The matter has been
mentioned in Congress and some effort
made to secure legislation which would
give to those having Southern prisoners
in charge the right to infict upon the
helpless risopersintheiE keeping torfures
and indignities such as make life bur
den and existence loathsome., One prop
osition is, that our prisoners beplaced III
omen stockades, in unhealthy marshes
without shelter, with insufficient cloth
mo and but littlefood, and that we copy,
IS closely as we can, the treatment be-
slowed upon Federal soldiers at Ander-
sonyille The better to do this, 1t Is
further proposed to appoint our e1 zen
ell prisoners, who have personally suffer
ed these horrors and may be supposed TO
entertain some feeling of revenge, to be
Guards aud keepers over the rebel prison.
ers in our hands.
Independent of the false morahty
which teaches US to return evil for evil
and setting aside the claims ot humanity
which would be violated by such a
scheme of wicked and wilful cruelty as
that proposed, we think that motives OF
sound policy forbid the adoption OF such
. course. 1t has been one of our mistakes
from the beginning of the present trou-
HES to RELY upon force and harsh COM
nul,ion alone for a restoration OF the
Union and that fraternal regard when
once subsisted between the people OF all
sections of our common country we
have been laboring under the delusloh
that war alone, bitter, devastating, desc
lsting war, was all that was necessary TO
brinp back the Southern States to their
trur allegiance and that the hatred the
pr,rlc bore for us was to be met by ha-
tired ON our part, and the crueltles perpe-
tratcd by each upon the other were all
calculated to bring about the return OF
nrgc, and love. He who talked OF con-
citation and the employment OF that
line of policy which would tend TO con
vince the Southern people that we bore
them no hatred, and desired to live with
them i'm one nation once more, was boot
cd AT and derided. The proposition to
uhict unnecessary suffering upon the
prisoners III o,Ir hands Comes from the
same ,plrit that despises Cancellation and
wishes t" mako still deeper and broader
the gulf which separates the hearts "t
the Northern and Southern people
These prisoners are in our hands
through no fault qf theirs. Many them
were not original seccSSionStS and had
nothing to do with bringing about thiS
unnatural war They entered the army
under compulSiDn, either of arms or Of
public sentiment, and many of them have
had private wrongs for which they
sought revenge. Does any one suppose
that these men will learn TO love this
United State goyornments if we treat
them with unnecessary cruelty during
their confinement! Will the story of the
su,irlings of these men tend to unnerve
The arm on turn aside the blow OF a
southern soldier in the hour of battle!
VIII the fortunes To which we may cX-
pose these helpless men cause the leaders
of the rebellion to relax their efforts for
independence and consent to abandon
their cause! Or can We put upon these
men any indignitieS, or subject them 10
any cruelties which will in the-slighteSt
particular, better the condition of our
own men in the encmy'S hands. ItnecdS
no argument to prove that We cannot.
But, on the other hand, our treatment
of them may he such us to convince them
that we are really a kind-hearted and hui
name people, that we entertain for the
people of the South no deep aud abiding
hatred and that we desire simply resto-
ration of that national unity which gave
10 the United States her former prosper
ity and power. Suppose that our prison
els in Richmond and at AnderSonyille
were to witc' to tlieir friends at hQme
and their former comrades in the army
that thcy were comfortable and aS well
treated aS was consistent with their safe
keeping, and that the Southern people
regarded them With that Kindness which
is always due to the unfortunate. would
not our opinion of Southern character be
elevated and improvea9 The experience
Of men during the past eighteen hundred
wears has demonstrated the Wisdom of
the Golden Rule, and it is as much a
Guide for national us for individual con
duct Whatsoever We would that men
should do to you, do We even so unto
them -e.."
Who is Responsible
Mr. Holman, of Indiana, is pressing up
IL Saratary at War a demand tn