The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-31
General stereditn,s statement.
Iditors Bu6alo Co,n,neyciul Ad,5ertiser

|
Editors Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
Ny attention has been called to O. aensa-
ton story published in the New York World
| entitled ga Terrible Revelation" .purport.
ing to be statement Of Robert Ould con-
corning the exchange OF prisoners. Were
the matter not so serious, the reasons given
by this noble patriot for publishing his
romance might be considered the best Joke
Of the season-to wit, TO correct the
many Misrepresentation of the late Con-
| federate authorities in relation to prison
ers," and "that he feels it due to the truth
Of history to bring the facts set forth to the
attention of the country"
When an unrepentant traitor like Robert
Guild has the unblushing impudence to at
tempt to impose on northern freemen his
vindication Of the "truth of history" as
connected with the late rebellion or the
treatment Of our soldiers, Intentionally
starved and slaughtered in rebel pens,
also feel itincumbent on me (as he remarks)
to " make statement"
The frat interruption of the cartel was
caused by jeff Davis's message to the rebel
Congress, January IL, 1868, wherein he
announced his determination "to deliver
all officers Of the United States captured
after that date to the State authorizes, to be
dealt with according to the laws of those
States providing for the punishment of
criminals engaged in melting servile insur-
rection." That is, our officers captured in
battle were to be handed over to the State
authorities to be hanged.
The second difficulty occurred in relation
to negro troops and the officers commanding
them, whom the rebel authorities promised
to treat in the same manner, but without
taking the trouble to deliver them to the
State authorities. In many instances no
Quarter apas granted to that class Of troops
or to the officers commanding them. Some
were executed without trial, though that
mere form would not have benefited them
in the slightest degree.
When in August, 1868, demanded that
negro troops and their officers should be
treated as other prisoners of war, and ex-
changed, this " vindicator of the truth y
pere,nptorily declined, with this remark:
1--WE 1.-THE rebels) aoiH de IN the last ditch
before giving up the right to send SLAVES back
| to Slavery"
Another cause Of the suspension Of the
cartel was its constant violdtion by the rebels
in making illegal declarations of exchange
for the purpose of putting men into the
field and there is no doubt whatever that
all prisoners paroled by the United States
authorities were Immediately returned to
active duty in the rebel army. Many Off
GERS and men captured at Vicksburg were
in the battle of Chickamauga. Thus the
rebels were making use of our well-con-
Quoted prisons as recruiting depots for their
army.
Another insuperable obstacle to return
ing exchanges was in the matter OF paroles.
Mr.. Ould had some eighteen or twenty thou
sand which he claimed as valid. Most if
not all of these paroles were taken by guer-
rillas, bushwhackers, and detached COM
mands in the West. No possession was ever
had, no delivery was ever made, and no
rolls were ever furnished. On the capture
of town by o rebel cavalry raid the COM
mand remained long enough to take the
paroles of unarmed citizens there, and then
decamped, leaving the paroled men behind,
and forwarding the paroles to Richmond.
And the rebels had the assurance to require
the United States Government to exchange
prisoners legitimately captured in battle for
| such paroles as these.
On the 25th of November, 1863, offered
to send Immediately to City Point II, 900 or
more Confederate prisoners to be exchanged
for Union soldiers confined in the South.
This proposition was distinctly and une-
quivocally refused by Mr.. Ould. And
why? Because the damnable plans Of the
| rebel Government in relation to our poor
| captured soldiers had not then Oeen JnHy
Carried out. Let Mr.. Guild leave the truth
of history to take care of itself, and vindi-
cate, if he can, the Intentional, premedl-
tated, and barbarous treatment by the rebel
authorities of our soldiers in the rebel prl-
son pens. When in 1864 the hellish plan
was almost contaminated, and they held as
prisoners thousands of loathsome skeletons,
! let him confess that then his emasculated
Government was willing to let the United
! States authorities bury its dead, IN exchange
for q fresh and healthy army of $4,000
men, to be Immediately put IN the held
against General Grant.
To conclude, Messrs. Editors, these ana
these alone were the causes which prevent
ed the exchange of prisoners, and these
causes were in operation until the close OF
the war. The difficulties in the way were
insurmouutable, and were SO looked upon
by the United States authorities. General
| Grant had no more power to overcome them
than any officer who preceded him. He
took the only means in his power to effect
the release of our prisoners, and in 1865
succeeded in accomplishing his purpose,
much to the disgust, no doubt, of such pa
triotic indicators of the " truth Of history u
as Mr.. Robert Guild.
Yours, very truly,
s. A. MEREDITH,
Late Brigadier-General and United States
Commissioner for Exchange of Prisoners.
Buffalo, August 25, 1868.