Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-02-25
To the Survivors or Rebel Prison
Pens.

JEFFERSON DAVIS, In letter dated New
Orleans, Louisiana, Jan. 30, 1916, and
addressed to the Hon. James Lyons, Peters.
burg, Va, makes a defiant denial of the
arraignment made by the Hon. James q.
Blaine, of Maine, and by Gen. James A.
Garfield, of Ohio, of his direct and per.
sonal responsibility for the cruel treat.
ment of the Union soldiers who were pris-
oners of war 10 the Confederacy of which
Mr.. Davis was President lie goes further,
and, like Mr.. Benjamin III. Hill, Repre-.
sentative in the Forty fourth Congress
from Georgia, who was also member of
the Confederate States Senate from the
same State, the rebel ex-Presidcnt denies
altogether that unnecessary suffering en-.
sued among, or uniustifiablc harshncss or
cruelty was practiced against, those of our
soldiers who were so unfortunate as TO be
prisoners within the pens at Andersonville,
Florence, Salisbury, Belle Isle and Tyler,
or In the tobacco warehouses of Libby and
Castle Thunder. The denial is abold and
sweeping one. Its audacity rises to sub
Unity. II not only denies, but accuses
The Union is assailed rs having. through
its officials and policy, treated the Confcd.
crate prisoners in its hands as bad or
worse than our men were used at Ander-
sonville, Belle Isle and elsewhere. 1t is
also charged with causing the suiferings
of the latter by the policy it pursued of
refusing to exchange.
Now, as to one part of Mr.. jefferson
Davis denial and counter accusation,
there Is direct and unassailable method
# obtaining evidence. The survivors of
the rebel prison pens still remain among
us. Those of Andersonville formed an
association which is still In existence. We
call upon every man who was captured
and confined by the Confederatcs during
the civil war for slavery and disunion to
at once give to the public brief and di-
rect account of his personal experiences.
Let each man write to the nearest Rcpub.
lican paper simple statement of his
name. regiment rank, date of capture,
length of confinement, when exchanged,
the treatment ho himself received as to
food, shelter, medical care etc, as well
as to the action of those in charge. Avoid
all rhetoric, denOunco no one, give as far
as practicable the names of Confederate
officers, ETC., in command; also, any
special instances as to others known to
the survivors, the details OF which are
readily substantiable,
With regard to the treatment of rebel
prisoners in the Northern cntrepots, there
is as direct a method of obtaining relias
bic testimony, Officers who were in COM
mand OF such prisons are still
living, rs are also soldiers who
were stationed thercat Their evidence
will be of value. In every place
where such prisoners existed local,
sanitary and Christian associations existed,
the members of which busted themselves
in caring for the sick and wounded and
in visiting the prisons and camps. Rep
utablc citizens at Elmira, Rock Island,
Chicago Columbus, and elsewhere know
the facts. Let them give their testimony.
The honor of ones country should be sa-
cred. We who fought for liberty and
Union surely have as vital an interest in
that honor as the men who compelled us
TO fight by their mad attempt to perpetu-
ate slavery and destroy the Union. Let
us have the facts.
Bear in mind that the object of such
communications is not partisan but his
torical. Two civilizations or systems of
government have been and still are on
trial. This. question of AndersDnville and
its attendant horrors belong to the trial.
The case has been reopened, and the verdict
once solemnly rendered is now challenged
A cloud of witnesses are still living. Let
them give the facts. Communications can
also be sent to the Office of the Republic,
Washington, ID. c., if writers do not de.
sire TO send to their county or other jour.
nails. Let every man respond, and at
once. The good name of the Union Is
sought to be assailed, and feculent
treason seeks historical viudicatiUn by
these audacious falsehoods .-Repubtic
Hagdzinc