The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-01-25
JEFF DAVIS
WAS HE RESPONSIBLE FOR
~ ANDERsONvILLE.

WAS HE RESP ONsIBLE FO Il
o7 ANDER RsONvILLE.
Gen. Garfield's Unanswered
~ Appeal to tho Record.
We quote from the Record report OF
Gen. Garfeld's speech upon the propo-
sition TO confer amnesty upon JEFF Da-
Wis the following unanswsrable demon
stration OF the latter's moral RESPONSE
bility for the Andersoaville crime:
do not object to Jefferson Davis
because he was q conspicuous leader.
Whatever We may believe theological
ly, do not believe in the doctrine Of
vicarious atonement in politics. JEFF
ferson' Davis was no more guilty for
taking up arms than any other man
who went into the rebellion with equal
intelligence. But this is the question: I:
In the high court of war did he prac-
tice according TO his we'll known laws
1.-The laws ofnations? Did he, in ap-
pealing TO war, obey the laws OF war, or
TO those who suffered at his hands de-
mands that he be not permitted to
come back TO his old privileges in the
Union? This is the whole question;
and it is as plain and fair question
for deliberation as was ever debated in
this House. 1sdfo sui t.aIr. 81.
Now, i wish We could discuss it
without any passion--without, passion
ate thoughts, such as We heard yester-
day. The words were eloquent, for
the gentleman from Georgia we'll knows
how to utter passionate thoughts with
all the grace and eloquence OF speech.
What answer has been made to the
allegations of the gentleman from
Maine TO the reasons he offered why q
full amnesty shonld not be offered to
Jefferson Davis? Tho gentleman from
Georgia denies, and 30 also apparently
did the gentleman from New York
Con the authenticity OF the charges
of atrocities at Andersonville.
The gentleman from New York (Cox)
spoke OF the committee from whose re-
port the gentleman from Maine
(Blaine) read as "humbug commit
tee" The gentlemen from Georgia
partisan committce-a committee that
wrote and reported ont OF its fury and
rage. Now, Mr.. Speaker, L am unwill-
ing that this case shall turn upon the
mere authority of committee, howey-
ca high: but I want to say now, with
out arguing the merits, that whether
the charge was Just or unjust, 1t was a
charge made by the government OF the
m h IL. ~
responsibility Of the charges on the
high ground OF the authority OF the
government, which NO self respecting
man can call trivial and unworthy of
his serious attention. .ti
On the 4th day Of May. 1854, ths
Secretary Of War, speaking OF the auth
ority OF the executive department Of
the National Government, addressed q
communication to q committee Of Con-
gress, which 1 will read. 1t is found
in a volume of reports OF committees
of the first session OF the Thirty eighth
Congress, volume /, 1S63-'6i, and is rs
follows: l.t .l
War DEPARTMENT. -.
WASHINGTON CRY, May 4, 1864.
SrR: have the honor to submit to
you the report made to this department
by Col. Hoffman, commissary general
Of prisoners, in regard to the condition
Of Union soldiers who have until few
days since been prisoners OF war at
at Richmond, and would respectfully
request that your committee immedi-
atsly proceed to Annapolis to take tes-
timony there and examine with their
own eyes the condition OF those who
4 al mi 81
ty. The enormity Of the crime COM
mitted by the rebels toward our pris-
oners for the last several months is not
known or realized by our people and
cannet but fll with horror the civilized
world when the facts are fully revealed
There appears to have been deliber-
ate system of savage aud barbarous
treatment and starvation, the result OF
which will be that. 81 any Of the pris-
oners that have been in their hands
during the past winter will ever agai n
be in condition to render any service
or even to enjoy life.
Your obedient servant,
EDwIS NJ. SrASroS,
Secretary Of War.
On receipt of this letter joint COM
mittse OF the two Houses, known as the
Committee on Condnct Of War was
sent to Annapolis, To hold their session
in the presence OF the thousands OF re-
turned prisoners who have just been
landed, aud as the result Of their de-
liberations, and after taking testimony
on the spot from officers and men who
had Just returned, they reported not
only their opinions but the testimony
In full in the volume which i hold in
my hand. That chmmittee was COM
posed Of Republicans and Democrats.
aud its report is unanimous. The
Democrats on the committees were
among the foremost members OF the
| Senate aud House. One OF them was
Mr.. Odsll, OF New York, gentleman
not now living, who was one OF the
best men that party has had on the
floor OF this House since i have been q
member. Another was Senator Hard
ing, OF Oregon. That committee made
an elaborate report, from which L will
read few paragraphs: -
"The evidence prove beyond all man
ner OF doubt determination on the
part of the rebel authorities, deliber'
ately and persistently practiced for
long time past, TO subject those OF our
soldiers who have been so unfortunate
as TO fall in their hands to system oi
treatment which has resulted in reduc
ing MANY of those who have survived
and been permitted 10 return to us Il
A condition, both physically and men
tally, which no language which We car
use can adequately describe. Though
nearly all the patients new IN the Ma
val Acadsmy Hospital at Annapolis ans
in the West Hospital IN Baltimore hav'
been under the kindest and most intel
ligent treatment for about three week
past. and many Of them for create
length Of time, still they present liter
ally the appearance ofliving skeletons
many of them being nothing but skii
and bones; some Of them are maimet
for life, having been frozen while ex
posed to the inclemency Of the vinte
weather on Bell Isle. being compeils'
10 lie on the bare ground withou
tents or blankets. some of them with
out overcoats or even coats, with bu
little FIRE to mitigate the severity Q
the winds and storms TO which the
we're exposed.
cit win be observed from the test
mony that all the Witnesses Who testi
~ upon that point state that the treat
ment they received while confined q
Columbis, 8 O., Dalton, Ga, and 9th
err places. VAS far more humane tha
that they received at Richmond, vher
the authorities Of tho 30 called Cor
f.1.,acx w~rc souorccated and wher