American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-09-14
ANDERSCNv-LLE AID WIRZ Vim
IICATED.

In the Surratt trial, recently, the
treatment of Northern soldiers III
Southern prisons, was forced into the
case. doubtless, to infame the minds
of the Jury against the defendant.
Mr.. Melrick in his published speech,
Quotes the statement of Judge Ou,d,
the Commissioner for the exchange OF
prisoners on the part Of the Conted-
crate States, published by him under
his own signature, that he had offer
ed to deliver up, without any eX-
change Of prisoners for them, from
ten to twenty thousand prisoners
United States S0ldiers-to the United
States, and the United States had
refused to receive them. Mr.. Ner-
rick naI= the follnwino lanoua"o in
his speeCh;
|, There was at that time as YOU
will recollect, a great many Conteder-
ate prisoners IN the North, and a
good many Federal prisoners III the
South; and it has passed into his
tory that the North refused to make
those exchanges which were demand
ed by the rules of war and the laws
of humanity. 1t has passed into his
tory that the Confederate States. at
that time. offered to surrender up to
the North from ten to twenty thous-
and prisoners, if the United States
would send transportation to Savan-
nah to take them"
"Mr. Bradley.-And without any
exchange
"Mr. Merrick Yes, and without
anr exchange. They said: We
are exhausted; our resources are
gone our food is gone we Starve,
your prisoners starre; come and
take them. for we are unable to do
that Justice by them which the law
of war requires. Said the United
States: You shall keep them
For the starvation of those pisoners
| hold the United States resp ponsible,
and not the South"
The prisoners Judge Ould offered
to surrender to the United States,
were the AnderSonvilie prisoners,
whom he would have transported to
Savannah for delivery. More would
have suiiered-none would have
died, ifthe Government of the United
States had consented to receive its
own soldiers taken prisoners III fight
ing in its own cause. The destltu
ton of food, which occaSiOned the
Confederate Government, from mo-
tiyeS of humanity, to offer them to
the United States authorities, was
the reason these authorities refused
to receive them. They had mouths
to be fed: which, whether filed with
food or not would he of more advant-
age to the United States in Corfed-
crate prisons, than III the field. If
fed, there would be a subtraction of
so much food from the Confederate
States army and people suffering ex-
from want. If not. there
would be an exciting subject for in
misrepresentation and
Thus the lives of these
poor soldiers were deliberately put
up to the hazard OF death by Starva-
tion and disease. There is nothing
we believe. in the whole history OF
The world, which exceeds in heart
and barbarity, this conduct
Of the Government of the United
States towards their own soldiers.
They did die by thousands: and
every man of them. after Judge Ould's
offer was rejected. was as certainly
killed bv the United States, as Mai.
Wmz. Wirz had no power to release
them. If he had, there would have
been some ground to charge him as
a murderer for their detention IN
prison. and their death from INSULT
cient food. Wirz is not the first in
stance. of victim for blood shed by
others. Slowly but surely the light
of truth is breaking through the
black cloud ot war-CkdHeSton Va.