The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-12


tracts from letter written by Confed
crate surgeon who was
Prisoner of War at Elmira.
He read portions Of the letter, in which
it was stated that the mortality at Elmirs
was not less than at Andersonville.
Mr.. Plstt asked him who was the au'
thor.
Mr.. Hill replied that he did not know
Mr.. Platt declared that he lived within
thirty.six miles of Elmira and that the
statements were unquali6edly false.
Mr.. Hill llreplied that they were as good
as the statements quoted on the other
side He merely used them as a set of,
but after all what was the test rs to the
degree of misery suffered in the North
eru and Southern prisons. The test was
the result
Interesting Exhibits.
The report of Mr.. stanton, Secretary
of War (the Republican side of the
House will believe him) exhibited the fact
that of the Federal prisoners in hands OF
Confederate authorities during the war
22,516 had died and that of the Con ted
crate prisoners in Federal hands 26, 436
had died. Surgeon General Barnes (he
supposed the Republicans would believe
him also) had given the number of Con-
federate prisoners in Federal hands dur
ing the war at 100000 and of Federal
prisoners in Confederate hands at 270,-
900; therefore out Of the 10000 prison
ers in Confederate hands only 22,576 had
died; while out of the 10000 Confeder-
ate prisoners in Federal hands 26, 436 had,
The ratio was twelve per cent of Con-
federate prisoners in Federal hands that
died and less tha n nine per cent of Fed
eral prisoners in the hands of Confeder-
ates, and my friend, addressing
Mr.. Blame with great em
physis) who are the murderers?
| would have believed General Barney
in preference to any politician over there.
The gentleman Mr.. Platt] says he lives
thirty.six miles away from Elmins. Per-
haps he could have smelled the smallpox
that far; he certainly could not have seen
it, and l venture to say;that if the small
pox was at the prison camp no one could
have got him nearer than thirty-si1
miles. He is wonderful witness.
laughter But it is not equal to the
mutilated evidence which the
gentleman from Maine introduced
yesterday. We know how our
prisoners suffered in Federal hands, if
we choose to tell. Thousands of our poor
fellows came home from Elmira, Fort
Delaware and other places, with their
fingers frozen of, with their toes frozen
off, and with their teeth fallen out, but
the great question is at last, who was re-
sponsiDle for that state of things, and
that is really the only the important
question
He went on to discuss the
History OF Exchange of Prisoners,
stating that all the propositions from the
Confcdcrates for an exchange, and for
amelioration of the condition of the pris-
oners, were rejected by the Federal gov
ernment.
Mr.. Blaine asked Mr.. Hill whether he
had not been II III mber OF the Confcder-
ate Senate?
Mr.. Hill replied he had been.
Mr.. Blaine then proceeded to quote a
resolution offered in the Confederate Con-
gress by Senator Hill, of Georgia, to the
following effect that every person pre-
tending to be a soldier or officer of the
United States who shall be captured on
the soil of the Confederate States after
the lst OF January, 1863, shall be pre-
sumed 20 have entered the territory of
the Confederate States with the intent TO
incitc insurrcction and to abct murder,
and that unless satisfactory proof be
adduced to the contrary before military
Court before which his trial shall be
had, he shall suffer death. He asked Mr.
Hill whether he was the author Of that
bill.
Mr.. HILL will say to the gentleman
from Maine very frankly that | have
not the slightest recollection of hearing
it before.
Mrl Blaine-You don't deny it?
Mr.. Hill don't know. My own
opinion is that never was the author
of that resolution; but | have no recol-
lection of it. If the gentleman cah give
me the circumstances under which it was
introduced | may recollect.
Mr.. Blaine-On the first of October,
1862, the Judiciary committee Of the
Confederate Congress made report and
offered series of resolutions and thereup-
on Mr. Hill is recorded rs having offer
ed resolution which | have just read.
Mr.. Hill WAS chairman OF the Ju-
dietary Committee in the Senate and
very likely chairman of the Committee
on kules at the last session. may have
consented to that report. Laughter at
the expense Of Blaine,
Mr.. Baine-Does the gentleman admit
he made that report.
Mr.. Uill-I don't know, but it Is, very
likely. Derisive Laughter on the Re-
publican sIdeE
Mr.. BIaine-The copy from which l
have quoted from ia entitled "Republi-
canism in America | wish to know If
the gentleman was the author Of that res
olution.
Mr.. Hill really do not recollect
I Renewed laughter on the Republican
side.
Mr.. Blaine (persisten:lyl-l'he gen.
tIeman does not say that he was not the
author Of it.
Mr.. HILL DO not, but / think ! was
not the author OF il.
Mr. Blaine-r thought that as the
gentleman effort was was 10 show the
humane character OF the Confederate
Congress, this might aid him in remem-
bering the facts.
Mr.. Hiil-Wi;h all due Difference 10
the gentleman, he DID not think any
such thing. Laughter. He thought
he would divert me from the purpose OF
my argument.
Mr.. Blaine alphabetically oh, no.
the gentleman can have all the time he
wants.
Mr.. Hill-Wha. mtans the Confeder-
ate Government might have thought
proper 10 take at that time TO protect
the women aud children Of the Confed-
eracy from insurrec.ion ] do not recol-
lect. But shall not be diverted by the
gentleman from the course Of my argu-
ment 70 go into the history Of slavery