The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-01-25

g 80 .sea111kl be1npeslo1 ~ gsetjopI
consistent with ~ t1lkse 81 sivilissd
society, and that IN The absence 81 these
Essential ssn6isious il = susless and M
basous, hIvlSg 30 other Ssad fhan' ven b 81
geence which Is farbidasa dir 70 natiops
ard 70 men.
Received, That The trestuent pf curl
ofhcers and soldiers in the rebel prisons
. cruel, savage and heartrending beyond
I'll prscsdsnt. thst Il u Shooting y NOR
als, that nis N offsncs ag6ingt human
nature itself, that 1t adds new guilt to tho
|grsat crime Of rebellion asd oost;ns A
Example from which history will tuEs With
sorrow and disgust.
Resolved, That any attempt At the in
itiation Of rebel barbarian In The treat
mont Of prisoners would be plainly i'm
practicable on accodnt Of ito inconsist-
ENJOY with sentiments Of humanity; that
it would be injurious Ct home, for it
would barbarixs the whole commupity;
that it would bs utterly useless, for it
could not affect the cruel authors lof the
revolving conduct which Ne ssek 70 over
come; that It would be immoral because
it proceeds from vssgaaoce alone; that il
could have no other result than to degrade
1.-THE nstionsl character and tho national
name and bring down upon our donntry
the imputation Of history, and thai being
thus impracticable, useless, immoral and
degrading, it must be rejected - : meas
u-e Of retaliation. precisely o the parbar-
ism of roasting and eating humanb is al
ways rejected BY civilized powers.
| Resolved, That the United States is
filed with grief and deepest sympathy for
the citizens, who a. officers and soldiers
have become the victims of heaven-defy
ling outrages, hereby declare their solemn
iiutention Of putting an end to thit great
iniqui.y BY putting an end to this rdbellios
of which it is the natural fruit; that to
secure this humsne and righteous oonsum-
nation they pledge anew the bsst ener
gies and all the resources of the people
aud they call upon I'll TO bear witness that
in the necessary warfare with bar bsrians
they renounee oil vengeance and every evil
example and plant themselves firmly on
the sacred landmark of christian divilixa-
lion under the protection Of that Cpd who
is presen with every person and enables
heroic souls 10 suffer for their country.
Sumner spoke in advocacy Of the above
resolution, quoting from Gen. Washing
ton, Chat celior Kent. Gen. Halleck, Vat
tie and other authorities against inhumsn
retaliation, which be said never reached
the guilty parties.
Wade hoped the amehdment Of Sumner
would not be adopted.
Retaliation had been prac,icsd By all
civilized nations in all ages.
Mr.. Cowan believed retaliation was
jussifiable at times, but he did Dol approve
of the proposition 90 retsliate 10 kind up.
on the rebels He did no, thirk il right
TO starve rebels because rebels starved our
nen. Ii, az had been said. the laws OF
nations autho ICED retaliation there was
no necessity for passing another law. This
vas a question for the Executive TO co.,
slider. Il was the duty OF the President
To see our officers aud soldiers we're not
inhumaney treated and 10 take proper
steps TO secure justice for them.
Howard spoke in defense of the prcpo-
s,ion before the Senate. TIE object OF
the resolution was not to initiate the bar
bariiics of the rebels; it was simply to
secure humane treatment for our prison.
ess in rebel hands The Repor. Of the
Committee Of the United States Sanitary
Commission gave q fearful picture Of the
atrocities committed by the rebels upon
our prisoners at Belle Isle and Anderson
vile. The effect OF that treatment deter.
red thousands Of our young men from Gu
tering the army. The barbarl,ies CON-
United upon our men at Andersonville
were not 10 b, described 10 language. On
or 3 500 who were there six months ago
not more than ose-half were alive now.
This treatment was resorted to by the
rebels to strike terror iato the hearts of
the people and to diminish cur forces in
the field. The resolution before the Sen.
ate did not propose to retaliate on the sol.
diers Of the rebel army. but only-upou the
officers, and the fact seemed to be over
looked By the Senator from Pennsy lvauia.
Wilson offered an amendment to Mr..
Summers proposition to strike out all af.
ter tie enacting clause and insert after n
preamble declaring that our prisoners have
been inhumanly treated, resolu,iSu in.
structing the President to appoint com.
missioners to confer with the rebel au-
thorities With view TO devise some plan
for the relief or better treatment of our
prisoners in their hands. -
| Wilson explained that the above vas
the plau Of the Senate 10 secure the I'm.
name treatmant OF our prisoners.
| Grimes interrupted Wilson. asking If
the Secretary Of War had not stated 10 a
communication to the House that there
would be no difficulty in the future about
exchanging prisoners. Ii so, what was
the necessity for passing such resolution
as this.
! Wilson replied that he understood that
u would be well to provide for the good
treatment OF pur prisoncrs of war which
should hereafter fall into the hands Of the
| rebels.
Mr.. Sumner inquired if the rebels had
| not on former occasion refused IL "a