Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-31

Mr.. Howard rose.
Mr.. Hendricks Before me senssor interrupts
me want 10 AL another question nov. inas-
much as the senator from Michigan has shown.
such great real on this question, / xsnt 20 know
from him, a. be IL highly connected With the
nilitsry movements-his position on the militia
~ committee makes him sO-shat steps he has
taken ia his Official capacity to secure an eI-
chauye Of prisoners
Mr. Howard. II there has been any law enact
ed by congress upos ,hat subject / have probably
vOtef Tor u. End the senator from Irdiara "a as
caPsbie as myself Of ascertsiuing what my &C
ton has been on that subsec,. The question -
therefore supererogatory. ] an not the execn
tive Of the United Ststes, ADD have no authority
20 act Tor him; and ] suppose the senator, in
speaking % my '-OfBcial capacity" does not
wish TO aseribe TO me as a senator from Michi-
gan what pertains to the executive.
Mr.. Hendricks. ! h-d hoped that the senator
from Michigan Who reported ibis resolution. on
the senator from Ohio az the head of the com
mittee on the conduct Of The war. could tell w.
Why our friends had not been brought home
The senator from Ohio saws there are some rea-
sons; he hears Of some reason. but ne doe not
know what they are. / bad hoped That with his
strong will and earnest nature, and with the pas
sion of the senator from Michigan. an address
and a demand should have been made on The de-
partment at the other end OF the avenue which
WOOl1n nave Drought our DFDtItf- uNult 4 TIC
senator from Michigan SAYS that his constituent
in the PRISON Of Andersonville now fills a south
ern grave OF course we are all ready to drop .
tear upon IL.
Mr.. Howard. Yes. sir, and be fills it ia con
sequence OF the deliberate star va and cruelty
of the rebel keepers toward him and bis comDan
ions in arms, as the senator knows well. That
constituent of mine predicted that unless they
were relieved, there would be two thirds Of that
| thfrfv fvo fhousapd dad IN a chorf time How
they were to die the senator from Indiana knows
as well as /; that he expected 10 perish under
this savage treatment OF the rebels, IS he has
done.
Mr. Hendricks / think we all understand that
particular view which the senator took Ofthe sub
ject. The point is this
Ar. Sumner Ii the senator will give way. |
will move an adjournment
air Hendricks ! shall not occupy much more
Of the time Of the Senate. ani | would rather
conclude now. unless senators are restless
Mr.. Sumner. There are several senators who
wish To speak.
Mr. Hendricks. | would rather finish what /
have 10 say. | Do not want this % be understood
as anything like a speech. | wish 20 make a
few remarks on the subject, and | shall not DC
cupy much time, il the Senate will excuse me
The point j. this: IL has been in the power Of
the administration to secure m exchange, anu |
say that is the protection 10 our soldiers that |
want. There is practical legislation proposed by
the senator from Massachusetts, lMr. Wilson
Send q commission; agree upon what shall be
done II can be agreed upon. for the secretary
of var tells the House OF Representative that
there is 40 trouble, there ia no difficulty, IN
bringing about an exchange. Why has it not
been doneI take Il for granted the reasons as
signed By the senator rom Iowa have been the
reasons, and they are not sufficient. II this con
stituent of the senator from Michigan had been
exchanged. had been brought ap here into a
northern, healthy climate, - doubt he would
have recovered. and lived to comfort his friends
and to erjoy life among them
There is bu one more suggestion that | wish
to make on this subject. FroH the
ment of this war TO the present time'I have not
believed that anything like barbarism or cruelty,
any departure from the usage OF civilized nations
i'm prosecuting wars, has been any advantage 10
the northern cause. | believe that when we
stand closely TO the humane sentiments that have
finally come to be incorporated in the laws OF
nations, il has been for the good Of the north
snd j shall refer To but two in stances 10 illustFa
ticn.
"A beautiful valley IN the state OF Virginia has
been made desolate, | suppose under the order OF
General Grant, undl, as some one expressed II,
a crow could not hy over the Shenandoah galley
any more unless he carried a knapsack. Desc
lation broods where there were wealth and hap
piness once What has been the effect of making
war upon private property. of burning houses,
and barns, aud stacks? To make every man
woman and child in all that region of country
the bitter foe OF this government, Gncompromis-
ing aud unyieldiDg, driven to despair. nothing 70
hope from Us, nothing to hope but in the success
of their cause. That is one policy.
General Sherman during the last year has
made the most brilliant campaign, | think, that
history records. From the time that he left
| ChatfapoOpa until no carriad bs GRAND army ~
Savannah and captured that city, | think therei is
nothing ike il in all modern history for the care
that he took of his men. for the skill with which
he accomplished every movement, not throwing.
as Grant has done, thousands of men against
breastworks to die, but by the interp0si ion of
high military genius be has carried his army in
triumph over the mountains and along the rivers
until that army has marched clear across the
southern confederacy. l regret that ia a militia
~ point Of view before he left Atlanta he found
It ~ be necessary to destroy that city; but when
he came to Savannah. and that was ut his feet,
in the power Of the general government, private
property was respected and inliviiuai security
was made yet more secure; and what has been
the effect? The effect of General Sherman's
wise and humane policy at and about Savannah
has made the power of JEFF Davis and the south
ern confederacy tremble through all the empire
state of the south.
Senators know il. And Ii in nv action and votes
here | em going to consult with VIVA, | believe,
with the best lights / can command to be the
true interest and honor of nv country, and not
one minute shall i consult the passions Of the
day. I want this union restored. not of one peo-
pie TO hate another | want it restored under
such circumstance. that we may once more be
friends.
Why is it that according to the laws of nations
certain rules have been adopted for the regula-
ton OF beliigerents. between foreign powers en-
gagged in war Ii is that the war shall be pros
ecuted without inhumanity. barbarism, and cru
city. so that when the war IA over there nav bs
mutual respect aud confidence, that the ancient
relations Of and trade NAV return IN
Impaired. Ii that is an argument in favor of
standing by the laws of nations, that high code
which civilization has established between tor
eign powcrs, belligerents, is it not a much more
potent argument in favor of standing by those
sentiments when We wish TO bring back into the
family these people of the south, aud make US
on~e more one government and one people with
one destiny