The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-08-07
pavi, and the Union prisoners.

4 ON the case Of Jefferson Davis shows
4 that that individual was fully cognlzan'
s of the maltreatment ofthe Union prs
oners held by the Rebel authorities
that he made no effort to prevent II
and that, in fact, he approved OF II. IL
his message of November, 1861, DAVIS
pretended that the people of the South
were exposed to great outrages by the
movements of the Federal armies, and
said that the soldiers whom he accused
of such excuses "must expect to be
treated as outlaws and enemies OF man
kind" He said that such men, If cap
I tured. would forfeit their claims to be
considered prisoners of war, and "must
EXPECT to be dealt with as offenders
against all laws, human and divine. y
Tn to that time there had been no
particular cause to complain of the treat
| ment of Union prisoners. Although III
all cases it had been savage and severe,
! it was mild and liberal to what follow
| ed. The proclamation of the opinion OF
! the Rebel President was an authority to
the hard-hearted wretches who support
ed his cause to indulge in the mallg-
nant crueltics which suited their dlspo-
sitions, and they made the most OF the
! apparent leave extended to them to
the promptings of their own barbarous
natures.
In 1862 similar sentiments were avow-
ed by the miscreant who was the Presl-
dent fthe Contederacy. But so shock
ing had been the scenes transacted IN
Richmond, under the very noses OF Da-
Wis, his Cabinet, and his Congress, THAI
the attention of the latter was invited
to the circumstances, and q committee
made report that the prisoners inNhe
hospital were in wretched condition.
They said that one ward of hospital
was so foul and offensive that they were
driven out oft instantly, and they
thought that "the honor ofthe country"
required that the state of affairs should
be brought before Congress and made
public. Now, the honor ofthc country
was at that time in the hands ofthe Exc
cutivc officer, the President. He was
officially notified of the scandalous con-
dition of affairs. He could have reform
ed it Immediately, but he took no steps
to abate the miseries which were .Justl-
fed under his authority.
In 1868 the Rebel Congress again was
called upon to investiga the condi-
ton of things at Castle Thunder. A
committee reported that prisoners were
killed by the keepers, and cruel and I'M
usual punishments were administered,
and some of the prisoners were exposed
to the weather.
All this Davis could have reformed,
but he did not do it, The minority of
this committee particularly censurcd the
brute General Winder, and Captain
Alexander, for 8 want Of humanity and
Judgment" and averred that the cir
cumstances demanded their prompt re-
mOval from the positions which they
had abused. But Davis paid no atten-
ton to these suggestions, and Winder
was retained in the same position for
twenty months longer. Davis was
personally addressed by one t. 0. Stev-
ems, and asked to remove Winder, upon
account of his inhumanity, but Windcr
was Just the man for Davis purposes,
and he was not removed. Various re-
ports seem to have been made to Win
der in regard to the miserable condition
of the prisoners at Catawba, 5. c., An
derSonville, and other places and some
Of the Rebel surgeons, to their honor be
it said, made strong representations,
and pointed out the means by which
amelioration could be easily Effected
These suggestions were received by
Winder and filed. He did not wish to
amellorate the condition of the suffer
ers. He was, for the purposes of Da-
Wis, the right man in the right place"
The attention of Davis himself was
specially asked by lady,in October,
1864, to the horrible treatment of the
Federal prisoners at Florence, Alabama
She said -
g Ifsuch things are allowed to con-
tinue they will most surely draw down
some awful judgment upon our country.
1t is most horrible national sin that
cannot go UNPUBLISHED. If we cannot
give them food and shelter, for Gods
sake, send them back. to Yankee land
but don't starve the miserable creatures
to DEATH
This was accompanied by para
graph from the Sumpter Watchmor,
giving a most heartrendering account
of the manner in which the Uuion pris-
oners were starved and maltreated.---
What did this 6 Christian gentleman"
Jefferson Davis, do? Was he shocked
at the terrible narrative ? Not he He
turned over the letter without instruct
ion to the Secretary of War,who refer
red it to the Adjutant- General, who re-
ferred it to General Winder, who re-
turned it to the Adjutant- General, who
sent it to the Secretary of War, who
sent it to General Gardiner, who refer
red it to Col. Harrison, who referred it
to Lieutenant-Colonel Iverson, the COM
mander Of the prison. During all this
disgusting redtape ceremonial hundreds
Of prisoners had died. When Iverson
got the letter he made reply that the
lady made too much fuss, and that since
he had command of the prison the
deaths had decreased thirty-fve or for
ty per day.
From all the evidence it appears plain
that the horrid condition of the South
ern persons was known all over the
South that notice of it was officially
given to Jefferson Davis, but that he
made no efforts to prevent the suffer
ings of the prisoners. From these facts,
his culpability appears plainly. The
committee Of Congress- conclusion upon