Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-02-02
XXXvIIIth Congress-2d Session

SESATE.--Washingt January 24.-Mr
Sumner of Massachusetts, offered the follow
ing as substitute for the resolution before the
Senate
ReSolc6d, That retaliation is harsh always
even IN the simplest cases. and is permissa
bic only when iu the first place it may rea
sonaby be expected to effect its object, and
when IN the second place it is consistent with
the usages Of civilized society, and that in the
absence of these essential conditions it is use.
less and barbarous, having no other end than
vengeance, which is forbidden alike to nations
and to yen.
ReSo'rcd, That the treatment of our officers
and soldiers in rebel prisons is cruel, savage
and heartrending beyond all precedent, that
1t is shocking to morals, that it is an offence
against the hnman nature ITSELF that it adds
new guilt to the great crime OF rebellion, and
constitutes an example from which history
wall turn with Borrow and disgust
Reso3red, That any attempted imitation o?
rebel barbar&m in the treatment of prison.
erS would be plainly impracticablc, on ac-
count of its Inconsistency with the sentiments
Of humanity: that it would be ih.Nfious at
home for it would barbarze the whole con,mu
tw that it would be utterly useless, for it could
not affect the cruel authors of the lcvotino
conduct which we seek to overcome; that it
would be immoral, because it proceeded from
vengeance alone that it could have no other
result than to degrade The national character
and the national name, and to bring dow,
upon our country the r"pudjatiCn of history;
aud that, beng thus mIrac!icab'c, useless,
Immoral and degrading, i mast tr Fccctrd as
4 measure ot rctAiinton, precisely as the bar.
barSm Of roasting and eating prisoners is al
ways rejected BY civilized powers
He,o}re', That the United States is filled
with sr."f and the dcop pest sympathy for tie
cherished e t,2cns who, us o.trcss md soldiers
have become the victims Of heaven dclyira
onragcs, and hereby declare he r sol cnn de
t"rm ntt!on to put an end to the rebellion, o.
VII ch it IS the natural fruit; that to secure til
human and righteous ronsummat;on, they
pledge anew the best energies and all the re-
scources CT the whole people, and thay call
upon aIl to bear wtnc SIS that in this necessary
warfare with barbarism they renounco all ven
gcancc, and every evil example, and plant
themselves firmly on the sacred landmarks of
ChrIstiah civilization, under the protection of
that God who is present with every prisoner |
and enables heroic souls to suffer for their
Mr.. Sumner spoke in advocacy of the above
quoting from Gen Washington.
Chancellor Kent, Gen. Haleck, Vattcl, and
other authorities, against inhuman retaliation,
which he said never reached the guilty par
les
Mr.. Wade hoped the amendment of Mr..
sumner would not be adopted Retaliation
lad been practiced by all civilized nations in
I'll wars
Mr. Wilson of Mass, moved that all the pa
,ers and resolutions submitted on this subject
re recommitted to the Committee on Military
Affairs. He had no doubt that the Commit il
ec having heard the debate on the matter, !,
ould fame resolutions that would pass {
Mr.. Wade protested against recommi,ting
he subject as proposed by Mr.. Wilson. The
esoution did not go far enough The pream-
lie did not set forth tenth part of the cruel /
les inflicted upon our soldiers by the rebels. G
nd he was in favor Of the fullest and fraes |
etallation to secure Justice to our soldiers t
Tho have fallen into the hands of the rebels.
suppose we send Commissioners; they would :
ave no better success than Blair had and
iod knows we are all tried of his mission 9
What did he do? He took off his cap to Jeff i
)avis told him he was pretty good fellow P
we must send Peace Comm ssioners we had
etter make some othersseecton