The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-07-13

publication, emanatlng from COM
mittee ofthe House of Representative
: of the Confederate Congress, relative to
the treatment of Union prisoners ofwar,
you say:-"We take it for granted that
the report now published is that which
was made By the Committee of the reb-
ell Senate, Of which Henry S. Foote,
once Of Mississippi, but now of parts
! unknown, was member. That gentle
man, after coming through into the
Union lines, stated to his own son-in-
law that, during the investigations Of
the subject, they obtained positive
facts and data, proving beyond shad-
oW of doubt that the system of inhu-
man treatment and starvation of our
prisoners was decided upon in Cabi-
net meeting at Richmond for the ex-
press purpose Of breaking down the con
stitutions Of the men, and making
them useless as soldiers when ex-
changed" " regret to say that there
are several errors in regard to matters
of fact in the sentence quoted, which |
feel bound at once to correct
Ny sonin-law, who is referred 20, IS
the Hon. VIM NJ Stewart, one of the
United States Senators from the new
State of Nevada He is one of the
most conscientious and correct men in
the world, and has evidently been mis-
understood by your informant, Who
ever he may be. The alleged Ill treat
ment of prisoners of war by the Con-
I federate authorities has been with me
for some time past most painful and
disgusting subject, and have ende2V-
ored, as far as 1 could do so, to steer
clear ofitin conversation altogether. /
have been especially DESTROYS of being
silent in regard to this distressing affair
since the arrest of several of those per-
sons who have been charged with
being officially responsible for such
maltreatmeDt of military prisoners as
may have occurred. | have, though,
on various occasions, some time ago
and doubtless did TO my son-in-lsw SEN
ator SteWart-stated that among the |
numerous causes which induced me |
openly and formally to give up my |
official connection with the Confed |
crate government (such as the measure |
of CONSUMPTION, confscation, the sus-
pension of the writ of habeas corpus, |
the tyrannical arrest and confinement |
of citizens entertaining and expressing |
Union sentiments, in prison; the dis
placement of meritoTious military com. /
manders, and the substitution of ine
competent ones in their places; the |
obstinate opposition to all measures |
looking to the restoration of peace the /
Obvious tendency of every branch of |
the government towards the organize /
ton of an irresponsible despotism), ! /
had been powerfully influenced by
what l had been compelled TO learn
of the cruel and barbarous treatment
of unfortunate and defenceless prison
ers of war My exposition of facts re-
lating to this subject was principally
connected with the dreadful suferings
reported to have been inflicted upon
prisoners confined at AndersonEille, in
the State of Georgia, authentic inform
alton in regard to which reached us
just before left Richmond last winter.
Touching the Congressional report
referred to have this to say: A mGnth
or two anterior to the date of said re
port learned, from a government OF
ticer of respectability, that the prisO-
ners of war then confined in and about
Richmond were suffering severely for
want of provisions. He told me turth-
er that it was manifest to him that q
systematic scheme was on foot for sub
jecting these unfortunate men to starv-
alton; that the Commissary General,
Mr. Northrop "a most wicked and heart
less wretch), had addressed cOmmu-
nication to Mr. Seddon, the Secretary
of War, proposing to withhold meat al
together from military prisoners then
in custody, and to give them nothing
but bread and vegetables, and that Mr..
Seldom had endorsed the document
containing this recommendation affirm
atively. / learned further that by call
ing upon Major Ould, the commissioner
for exchange of prisoners, | would be
able TO obtain further information on
this subject. went to Major 0uld i'm
mediately, and obtained the desired in
formation. Being utterly unwilling TO
countenance such barbarity for a mo-
ment, regarding indeed the honor of the
whole South as concerned in the affair,
proceeded without delay to the House
of Representatives, called the attens
ton of that strangely constituted body
TO the subject, and insisted upon an i'm
mediate committee OF investigation. ]
grieVe to say that this was at first refused
and was most scrimoniously censured /
by several members for introducing the |
subject in the House at all. But 1 re-
solved to have an investigation, and to
put a stop TO such Vandalic atrocities if
| could, or at least to rescue my own
character from menaced infamy by
Withdrawing from all further connec-
ton with the Confederate cause at
once. introduced asecond resolution
next morning, and finally succeeded in
getting the committee raised You
will find, in addition to the report made
by the committee, a considerable mass
of testimony Of various kinds reported
with it, and among other documentary
proofs, the official communication of the
commanding General above referred to,
and the endorsement of Mr. Seldom
thereon, in which he substantially says
that, in his judgment, the time had ar
rived for retaliation upon the prisoners
of war of the enemy.
Having such assurances as / thought
could rely upon, thst all proper re
gard to the health and comfortable &C
commodation of prisoners Of war would
be in future exhibited, was content 70
refrain from the further discussion of a
matter which had given me great cha
grin and modification, and did not
deem It necessary even to move for the
publication of the report Of the com
mittee and the Voluminous evidence
appended This is all / know on the
subject, and this is a good deal more
than 1t is at all pleasant TO remember
IL Is but justice, though, TO subjoiR that
Redmond wSs constantly filled with
rumOTs of the cruel treatment of Con-
federate prisoners of war in Northern
prison houses Whether all of these
rumors were true, or any part thereof
never had the means of knowing, and
it Is, perhaps, not very material nov to
inquire.
You will see, from this frank and ex.
plicit statement OF facts, that the case
is not so bad, 50 far At least as Mr.. Ds-
Wis and his Cabinet are concerned, as
you would seem TO have supposed.
certainly never heard Of any Cabinet
meeting on the subject, and never
spoke Of one. There was no man in
Richmond who, for the three years of
my deDiorable stay there, knew 50 little
Of the views Of Mr. Davis and the IN
fortunate Cabinet by whom he was sur
rounded as I did. l commenced my
opposition 20 them and their schemes
on principle, on the day of my FIRST tax
ing my seat in the Confederate Con-
gress, and I kept it up actively and
zealously, day By day and hour BY hour,
until took my final leave OF them
last December and came within the 1
military lines Of the United States in
order 70 aid, If in my power, in effect.
ing peace in despite of Mr.. Davis and
the Confederate Congress, by means Of
which the unfortunate people Of the 4
South might be saved from porticn Of
the severe snfferings which they are
now enduring with such exemplary and
ccmuaudakia fortifuda