Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-22

Mr.. Mungen Fixing the Responsi-
biIity of the Cruel Treatment of
Union Prisoners mt Anderson-l
willie and other southern Pris-
ons. ee
We are glad that Hon. WILLIAM MUNGER
has not relinquished his determination to
fix the responsibility OF the treatment of
Andersonville and other Southern prisons.
He asserts his ability, and demands an op-
portunity to prove that I" the proposition
was made by the Confederate Government
to pay three times the price in gold, cotton,
and tobacco for medicines for our soldiers
at Andersonville and other Southern pris-
ons; that those medicines should be put up
under charge of Federal surgeons, and by
them taken in person to the different South
ern prisons and used and distributed to and
for the use of Union prisoners alone; that
this offer was made by the So called Com
federate Government through the proper
officers to the proper officers of our Gov
ernment, and was communicated by these
latter officers to the proper heads of our
Government, and that no response nor at
tention was paid to the proposition, al
though our soldiers were dying in those
prisons for want of medicine, and the Con-
tederate Government informed the proper
officers of this Government of that fact in
connection with the proposition"
These are damaging charges, and that
they are true is evident from the disincli-
nation manifested sby the Republicans in
Congress to allow the investigation made
that Mr.. MUNGEN calls for. When the
House was in committee of the Whole on
the 18th, Mr.. MUNGEN got the floor suf-
ficiently long to say:
Mr.. MUNGEN. Mr.. Chairman, simply
wish to put myself right upon the record.
Yesterday offered resolution that the
powers of the select Committee on the
Treatment OF Union Prisoners and Soldiers
be enlarged so as to provide tor an inquiry
into certain matters. My colleague Mr..
Garfield objected, and said that informa-
tion was already before the House. That
placed me in a false position before the
House of asking for what was already be-
fore it. / now declare that information is
not before the House nor the special COM
mittee, and defy my colleague to prove
his assertion OF yesterday. He cannot do
it.
When 1 had the honor last session.
think in July-to introduce resolution on
the same subject it was laid upon the table
on motion of the gentleman from Wiscon-
sin, Mr.. Washburn.] 1t was then laid
upon the table on the ground that there
was no person to take the responsibility of
saying there was ground for it. now say,
in the first place, if there is any such in
formation of this kind before the House
do not know it; and in the second place,
that can prove by the testimony of Off
GERS of high position, both OF the United
States and Confederate troops, that the
proposition was made by the Confederate
Government to pay three times the price in
gold, cotton and tobacco for medicines for
our soldiers at Andersonville and other
Southern prisons; that those medicines
should be put under charge of Federal sur
geons, and by them taken in person to the
different Southern prisons and used and dis
tributed to and for the use of Union pris-
ouers alone; that this offer was made by
the so-called Confederate Government
through the proper officers to the proper
officers of our Government, and was COM
municat by these latter officers to the
proper heads of our Government, and that
no response nor attention was paid to the
propositions although our soldiers were
dying in those prisons for want of medi-
cine, and the Confederate Government in
formed the proper officers of this Govern
ment of that fact in connection with the
proposition.
can prove that these propositions were
received by our officers when transmitted
to the proper authorities, and that they
never received any response. / want the
blame to rest where it belongs. If any of
our men are guilty let them suffer as well
as others. If our soldiers were dying, as
sr,1xy thn For yxron N nf III.
cine, and it was thus placed in the pow
er of our authorities to relieve them,
why did they not do so? The
Confederates told them this was
so; offered to pay three times the
appraised value for medicines, send them
with our own men, to be used tor the bene-
fit of our own sick soldiers exclusively
What desire is 10 have these points estab-
lished. hold myself personally respon-
sible to establish the truth of what 1 say.
This House lays my resolution on the Ia
BILE. Why? Are gentlemen afraid of the
truth? Will any gentleman say that If our
authorities are answerable for the deaths
of those brave fellows in the prison pens OF
the South that our authorities should not
bear the blame? Let justice be done though
the heavens tall. am satisfied that otfi-
GERS of our own Government are pdrttceps
crin,inis in the foul transaction. Let them
be held up to public scorn; yes, let them
receive the justice due to them. Better
men have been hung. But this House
stops investigation into this question. Ithas
twice defeated my proposition to investi-
gate this matter. By its overwhelming
Republican radical power it has laid this
matter on the table, smothered it, refused
to allow the committee to investigate. If
gentlemen on the other side can stand this |
can. The people will inquire and must be
answered