The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-12
steamer Torpedo. Admiral Lee returned him this
The request Of Alexander H. Stephens is inadmissibe
GIDEON MELLES,
tha Navv

|
The request Of Alexander H. s sfBEos M TstTS"
secretary Of the Navy
The next EFFORT in the same direction was made in
January 1864, when Mr.. Robert ould Confederate
Agent OF Exchange wrote TO the Federal Agent OF Ex
change proposing in view OF The daiculues attending
the release OF prisoners that surgeons OF the army
side should be allowed attend their own sol
ders while prisoners in the hands Of the enemy and
should have charge Of their nursing and medicine and
provisions; which proposition also rejected
Al this point of the debate Mr. HIPS hour expired,
! but by unanimous consent, he was allowed 10 pro-
eeed without any limitation as TO time
Mr. BLAINE asked him whether he had not been
] member OF the Confederate Senate.
| Mr. HILL replied that he had been
| Mr. BLAINE then proceeded TO quote a resolution
offered in the Confederate Congress by Senator HILL OF
/ Georgia to the following effect
every person pretending TO be soldier or o Or Of
the United States who shall be captured soil of the Con-
sumed have entered the territory he Confederate
ad Win Hss, 20 nse % and 10 SbsS murder
ay before the court before which his trial shall be
He asked Mr. Hill whether he was the author of that
resolution.
Mr. HILL will say to the gentleman from Maine
very frankly that have lhe slightest recollection
4 OF hearing II before
Mr. BIAIsE-You do not deny it9
Mr.. Hull do not know. MY opinion is that
the author Of that resolution, but have
recollection OF it. II the gentleman give me the
circumstances under which it was introduced may
recollect
Mr. BLAlSr-on the LIST of October, 1862, tho Judi
ciary Committee of the Confederate Congress made
upon Senator Hill OF Georgia, is recorded having
offered the resolution which have just read.
Mr. HILL was Chairman OF the Judiciary Commit
tee in the Senate and very likely like the Chairman OF
Committee Rules at the last session. may have
consented to that report daughter at the expense Of
Mr.. Blanel
Mr.. BLANE-Does the gentleman admit that he made
that reports
Mr. HILL do not know but 1t is very likely de
risive laughter on the republican side
Mr. BLAINE-The copy which l have quoted from is
entitled "Republcanisn in America y ] wish to know
/ whether gentleman
Mr. Hull really do not recollect (Renewed
laughter on the republican sde)
Mr.. BLAINE persistently)-The gentleman does not
say that he not the author Of it,
Mr. Hill do not, but think was not the author
Mr. BLAME thought that, as the gentlemans effort
show the humane character Of the Confederate
Congress, this might and him in remembering the facts
Mr. HILL-With all due Difference to the gentleman,
he did not think any such thing (Iaughter) He
thought be would divert me from the purpose of my
argument
Mr.. BLAINE tapoogeticallyl-oh, no; the gentleman
can have ali the time he wants
MT hnL-Whaf measures the Confederate govern
ment might have thought proper TO take at that timo
protect the homes and children OF the Confederacy
from nsurrection do not recolect But shall be
diverted by the gentleman from Name from the
OF my argument 10 into the history of slavery of
the insurrecton or OF John Browns rand. | know
this, that whether or any other gentleman the
committee the author of the resolution and
which think more than probable-our purpose was
not 10 do injustice TO any man, child North
or South but to adopt what we deemed stringent meas
protect wives ard children from serve in
cursons and slaughter while our brave in
the field (Murmurs of applause on the democratic
sde.) To the letter which | have read from
! Mr. Ould Commissioner OF Exchange
in 1864, proposing that each side should send
surgeons to attend to their own prisoners that these
surgeons should carry medicine to the prisoners that
they should nurse and treat them and be also
stoned as commissaries and provide them with food,
clothing and everything that was needed isr their
comfort, reply was ever received In August 1864,
there were two more propositions
THE CARTEL or EXCHANGE
had been broken by the ederals under certain pre-
fences. In 1864 the prisoners accumulating on
both sides such extent that Mr.. Ould made an
other proposition waive every objection and agree
to whatever terms the federal government would de-
mand and TO renew the exchange of prisoners man
for and officer for officer, just the federal gov
eminent might prescribe. That proposition also
rejected In the same month OF August 1864, finding
that the federal government would neither exchange
prisoners agree to sending surgeons TO the
prisoners each side and the Confederate govern
ment finding tsefwith increasing numbers OF prisoners
hand, proposed send TO the federal government
the sick and wounded prisoners without equivalent.
The Confederate government officially proposed,
August, 1864 that If the federal government would
and transports 10 Savannah the Confed
crate government would return the sick and wounded
prisoners its hands without equivalent That
proposition, which communicated to the federal
authorities in August, 1864, not answered
! I'll December, ls64. when some ships were sent
| to Savannah. The record will show that the chief
suffering the chief mortality at AndcrsonvlIe be-
tween August and December, 1864 We sought TO alay
that suffering by asking you take your prisoners or
our hands without equivalent and without asking you
to return a man for them and you refused TO do H.
Mr.. HILL went on TO quote series OF resolutions
passed by the federal prisoners at Andersonve
2sh of September 1854 in which all duo praise given
70 the Confederate government for the attention paid
them, and in which 1t is said that the suffer-
ings which they endured we're not caused
Intentionally, but by force OF circumstances
Commenting upon that resolution Mr. Hill said -
Brave always honest and true; soldiers
SANDER | would believe the statements OF those
gallant soldiers who we're at Andersonvle as con-
tanned in that resolution, in preference the whole
tribe Of republican politicians Laughter on the
democratic side.l What can be said OF the people
which could reject such appeals from their SOL
diers and yet in response to that did
comeY Why, he continued, were all these appeals
sstedp Why did the federal authorities refuse
! allow their own surgeons 10 attend upon their
soldiers when prisoners of war and to carry them
medicine and comfortsY why did the federal govern
ment refuse to exchange prisoners man for man and
officer for ofcerS Why did it refuse to stand up to its
solemn engagement made In 1862 for the
change OF prisonersy Who Is in faultS There must
be for this great atrocity-and that is the
point to which | wish to call the attention OF tho
house. Listen TO the The New York Tribune,
IN 1864 referring TO the occurrences which have
lated. says-I suppose you would believe the Tribune
in 1894 even II you do not believe II now aughterl
In August rebels offered exchange man
for man General Grant then teiegraphed the following i'm
prisons exchange them but n Is humane to those LEN
parole or otherwise becomes active soldier against us al
once. either directly or Indirectly u we commence
will have fight until the whole south exterinated
men A. this particular time 10 release all rebel prisoners
north would insure sheman defeat and compromise
Mr. GARYrELD Of Ohio, asked Mr.. Hill from what
book be reading.
Mr. HILL replied that the volume from which nc was
reading The Life OF Jefferson Davis p" (Derisive
! laughter the republican sidel He asked Garfield
whether he would say that the telegram
Mr. GARFHLD-l have not said word about the tele-
gram. merely asked you what the book
Mr. HILL--The extract In the book is taken from the
New York Tribune Of 1854 but here is General GRANTS
testimony before the Committee the Conduct of the
War; taken the l1th Of February, 1865 You believe
| him. don't your uaugher.l Mr.. Hill here read
/ General Grants testimony before the committee ex-
planning the reason why he was opposed to the ex-
change OF prisoners and which In effect the same
given IN the telegram quoted from the Tribune,
! one sentence being In these words
did deem II advisable reinforce enemy
immediate resumption exchanges
that eject without corresponding benefit.
Mr.. Hill then quoted a letter from Junius Henri
Browne, the New York Tribune, 10 the effect that
General Butler had stated In n speech at Lowell Mass,
that he had been prompted by Mr. Stanton put for
fhn To nlicntn