The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-07-14

ebNN NNs"SA ~ tO Hliluts ulu lie IL
now in fair way to feclth power OF
the Government which he has been SO
| free in maiignlng. lie is row under
arrest at Lolumbus.
1874 rbarcus Treatment of Union Pris.
oners--ImportRht Letter from lleary
y Foote'
MoSTREAI, June 3l.-In your pa
per of yes tcrday have read IN ed.
itorial, in which, after remarking
upon a Legislative report which seems
recently TO have gained publication,
emaEating from ommittee of the
House OF Representatives OF the Con
federate Congress-, relative to the
treatment Of Union prisoners OF wal,
you say; "We take it for granted
that the report now published is that
which WAS made by the committee of
the rebel Senate, Of which Henry S.
Footc, once OF Mississippi, but now
of parts unknown, was q member
That gentleman, after coming thro'
into the Union lines, stated to his
own scn-in law that, during the in
vestigatiors of the subject, they OBJ
tanned positive facts and date, proving
beyond a shadow OF doubt that the
system OF inhumGn treatment and
starvation Of our prisoners was de.
cided upon in Cabinet meeting as
Richmond, for the express purpose
Of breaking down the constitutions of
the men. and making them useless rs
soldiers when exchanged" regret
to say that there are several errors
in regard to matters of fact in the
sentences quoted, which feel bound
at Caco to correct.
My sos-in-law, who is referred to,
/ is the Hon, Wm. 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 misunderGtood by your infor-
mant, whoever he may be. The al
legged i'll treatment of prisoners of war
by the Confederate authorities has
been with me for some time past a
most painful and disgusting subject,
I and | have endcavored, as far as
could do so, to steer clear of it in
conversation altogether. have been
Especially desirous of being silent in
Ireggrd to this distressing affair since
the arrest of several of those persons
who have been charged with being
ioniciNlly responsible for such mai
treatment o! military prisoners os
may havc occurred. | have, though,
on various occasions, some time anu
-and doubtless lid 10 my son-in law,
| Senator Stewart-stated that among
| the numerous causes which induced
me openly and formally to give up
/ my official connection with the Con
/ fcdcra,c Government (such as the
measure OF conscription, confscation,
the suspension of The writ of habeas
corpus, the tyranical arrest and con
! incmcnt Of citizens entertaining and
/ expressing Union sentiments, in pris
on The displacement of meritorious
military commanders, and the sub
stiJution ofincompetcnt ones in their
place, the obstinate opposition to all
measures looking to restoration of
peace; tue obvious tendency of every
branch OF the Government toward the
organization of an irresponsible des-
potism, l had been powerfully in
fiuenced by what / had been com
PEELED to learn OF the cruel and bar.
barous treatment of unfortunate and
defenseless prisoners of war. My
exposition Of facts relating to this
subject was principally connected
with the dreadful sufleriugs reported
to have been inflicted upon prisoners
confined at Andersonville, in the
State of Georgia, authentic informa-
tion in regard to which reached me
just before l left Richmond last
Winter.
TOUCHING the Congressional report
referred to have this to say: A
month or two anterior to the date of
said report learned from Govern
ment officer of responsibility, that the
prisoners of war then confined in and
about Richmond were suffering Sc
verely for want of provisions. He
told me further that it was manifest
to him that a systematic scheme was
on foot for subjecting these unfortu-
nate men to starvation; that the Com
missary General, Mr.. Northup Ia
most wicked and heartless wretch, }
had addressed Il communication to
Mr.. Seddon, the Secretary Of War,
proposing to withhold meat altogeth-
er from military prisoners then in
custody, and to give them nothing
bnt bread and vegetables, and that
Mr. Seddon had indorsed the docu-
ment containing this recommendation
afilrmatively. learned further that
by calling upon Major Ould, the Com
missioner for Exchange of Prisoners,
would be able to obtain further in.
| form, atinn np fbia aubiaat II Wapt ta