The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-30

at this time they cannot vote intelli-
gently, and that giving them the right
Of suffrage would open the door to
good deal of demagogueism, and lead to
| embarrassments in various ways. What
| the future may prove, how intelligent
| they may become, with what eyes they
may look upon the interests of the state
in which they may reside, l cannot tell
more than you can.
@. Is there any sympathy felt in the
| South for those schemes of emigration
to Mexico? A. believe that the masses
of the people have not any sympathy
with them There are individuals who
think that their interest would be ben
Gifted, and. indeed, that their prospects
ut home are so poor now that it is like
losing their lives to remain. That feel
ing was stronger at the first cessation of
hostiities than it is now at this time. 1t
seems to be subsidng.
BY Mr. Howard:
@. l will put one question to you,
which you may respond to or not, as you
please. wish to inquire whether you
had any knowledge, while you were in
command at Richmond, of the cruelties
practiced towards the Union prisoners
at Libby Prison and Belle Isle? "A. i
never knew that any cruelty was prac-
ticed, and / have no reason to believe
that it was practiced. ] can believe,
and had reason to believe, that priva-
lions may have been experienced among
the prisoners, because | know that pro-
visions and shelter could not be provided
them.
@. Were you not aware that those
prisoners were dying from cold and
starvation? A. l was not.
Mr.. Howard:
I desire that you shall speak your
mind fully and freely oil this subject,
for it is useless to conceal from you the
fact that those scenes have created "a sad
feeling i'm the hearts of the people at the
North. A. AS regards myself, I never
had any control of the prisoners, except
; those who were captured on the field of
, battle. Then it was my business to send
. them to Richmond to the proper officer,
who was then the Provost Marshal Cen
eral. In regard to their disposition af-
forwards had no control. never gave
an order about it; it was entirely in the
, hands of the War Department.. Q.
And not in your hands. A. Not in
/. mine.
@. Did these scenes come at all to
, your knowledge? A. Never; no report
was ever made to me about them; there
, was no call for any to be made tonne.
| did hear, it was mere hear say, that
statements had been made to the War
: Department, and that everything had
been done to relieve them that could be
, done, even finally so far as to offer to
send them to some points charleston
! was one point namedl, if they would be
received by the United States authori-
: ties, and taken to their homes. But
whether that is true or not, do not
know. 1t was merely report that ]
l heard.
) @. Were you in the same ignorance OF
r the scenes at Andersonville and Sails
' bury? / never knew who commanded
r at Andersonville until 1 saw by the
{ papers, after the cessation of hostilties,
that Captain Wirz had been arrested on
t that account, nor do l know now who
= commanded at Salisbury.
, O. And Of course you knew nothing
, of the scenes of cruelty about which
complaints have been made at those
places? A. Nothing in The world AS
J / said before, / suppose they suffered
> from the want of ability on the part OF
, the confederate states to supply these
wants. At the very beginning of the
{ war knew that there were suffering OF
, persons on both sides, but AS far as
could did everything in my power to
, Ielieve them, and urged the establish
ment of the cartel which was establish
ed.
BY Mr.. Blow:
{ @. 1T has been frequently asserted that
| the confederate soldiers feel more kindly
towards the Government of the United
States than any other portion of the
people of the South. What is your OBJ
servation on that point? A. From the
/ confederate soldiers have heard no
expression of any other opinion; they
looked upon the war as q necessary evil,
and went through it. I have seen them
relieve the wants of Federal soldiers on
, the field; the orders always were that
| the whole field should be treated alike;
parties were sent out to take in the Fed
eral wounded as well as the confederate,
and the surgeons were told to treat the
one as they did the other; these orders
} have eeen giSe4 BY me repeatedly on
j @. Do you think that the good feel
ing on their part toward the rest of the
people has continued since the close of
the war? A. l know nothing to the
contrary; l made several efforts TO ex-
change the prisoners after the cartel was
suspended; / did not know to this day
which side took the initiative; / knew
that there were constant complaints
made on both sides; | merely knew it
from public rumor. | offered to General
Grant, around Richmond, that we
should ourselves exchange all the pri-
soners in our hands. There was a com.
mittee from the Christian Association,
think, which reached Petersburg, and
made an application to me for passport
to visit all the prisoners at the South.
4 My letters to them suppose they have.
/ told them that had not that az thori-
~; that it could be only obtained from
the War Department at Richmond, but
that neither they nor l could relieve the
sufferings of the prisoners; that the only
thing to be done for them was to ex-
change them; aud to show L would do
whatever was in my power, offered
then to send to City Point all the pri-
soners in Virginia and North Carolina,
over which my command extended,
provided they returned an equal num-
herman for man. 1 reported this to
War. Department and received an an
swer that they would place atmy COM
mand all the prisoners at the South, If
the proposition was accepted. l heard
nothing more on the subject.
@. Has there been any considerable
| change in the number of the naUrO pnn-