Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-09-11

crates on hand, who could be held as hos
tages but it seems that Sully thinks other
wise. Sully is right in one thing the
matters he sets forth wero difficulties in
tho way of exchange, but only because they
were made so by himself and his promp-
| tiers. believed at the time, and now be-
| lieve, that he was sent to Fortress Monroe
for the purpose of preventing exchanges.
General Butler, in his Massachusetts speech
of 1865, frankly confessed that he was re-
luctantIy engaged in that sort of business
at later date. He had willing forerun-
ner in Sully. Moreover, he was coarse,
rude, arrogant, and SO inexpressibly stu
pid that it was difficult to transact any
business with him. With some reason he
might have urged these personal peculiari-
ties as an obstruction to exchanges. A toll
erably fair specimen of his style of cores
pondence as agent of exchange is found in
this Buffalo letter.
In the preparation of my letter of the
Goth ultimo, studiously avoided anything
in the way of epithet or denunciation. and
confined myself to a simple array of facts,
with an appeal in each case either to the
record or to the testimony of Federal Off
GERS. we'll knew that the sluices of abuse
would be opened. If T had thought of
Sully, would have felt assured that his
style of attack has, however, no terrors for
me. I have buffeted many time with
worse calamities.
Sully says that the difficulties which he
enumerates alone were the causes which
prevented the exchanges Of prisoners, and
these causes were in operation until the
close of the war;" Sully letired from the
position of agent about the first of January,
1864, for what reason do not know. He
was not brevetted for distinguished services
in that capacity. But is it to be supposed
thet he knew as much about the reasons
which prevented the exchange as General
Grant, who had control of the matter p
The Lieutenant General gives very diff
ferent reason. In his telegram to General
Butler, of August Is, 1864, he says eff
we commence system of exchange which
iberates all prisoners taken, we will have
to fight on until the whole South is ex-
terminated. If we hold those men caught
they amount to more than dead men. At
this particular time, to release all rebel
prisoners North would insure Sherman's
defeat, and would compromise our safety
here" Who is to be believed, Sully or
General Grant
But why has Sully confined himself to
that portion of my letter which related to
the stoppage of exchanges? There were
several other matters brought to light in
that paper. Has he nothing to say about
the offer made as early as January, 1864
before Andersonville was established-to
admit Federal surgeons, food, raiment and
medicines Has he nothing to say about
the offer, in the summer of 1864. to release
all Federal sick and wounded without re-
curing equivalents Has he no excuse to
make for the failure to send transpo1 tation
for their sick and wounded for months {?
Has he nothing to say about the unnoticed
offer to purchase medicines, with liberty to
Federal surgeons to bring them within the
Confederate lines, for the exclusive relief
of Union prisoners He, who has been so
forward to utter what have shown to be
utterly untrue about the question of ex-
change, is silent as to these other and
graver matters. Silence, under such cir
cumstances, is the strongest of confessions.
Sully is convenient and invaluable op-
ponent. He fathers strange stories that
have been running about without any pa
ternity, in way that serves to show, be-
You'd a doubt, that they are bastards.--
Will his friends keep him in the lists in
his damaged condition, or retire him again?
Respectfully, your ob'dt serv't,
Ro. GUILD.