Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-02-17

a resolution in the confederate Congress, acting
nndcr another constitution and another flag. to
murder every man found fighting for the consti-
tuition under the stars and stripes. He denounces
the noble and generous Lincoln and all who coun-
seled with him as wrong doers invaders OF MS
rights accuses them of perpetrating crueltles
worse than these of Audersonvile, at the bare
mention Of which the blood chills He denies the
cruelties at Andersonville, with the evidence be-
fore him from members Of his own military laml-
IL declaring it to be a reproach to Them as ma
tiona place the horrors Of which 1t Is dlfhcuH 10
describe a disgrace 10 civil cation. Men ana
women of all parties, what was Andersonvilie
which Davis defends? Where and how located
lie, officers Of the rebel army answer. take the
following from the sworn testimony oil d. 1.
Chandler Inspector General of the rebel army
at was located in an open field or wood, every
tree shrub or bu. h. tina; could offer the least pro-
lection TO the So COO human beings there confined
had been cut down. Ii contained Is = acres, when
gives les. than six feet 10 man. Three and one
fourth acres in the centre was stagnant marsh
unfit for use. small stream passing from west
to east-furnished the only water for washing &C
cessible to the prisoners. Some regiments oil the
guard, the bakery and cosk house, being placed
on rising ground, bordering the stream before IL
enters the prison, renders the water nearly unit
for use before it reaches the prisoners" Hear
the sworn testimony OF Andrew Spencer Of Georgia
who resided near. lie was then with Wnder u
asked him. Winder, if he going to erect any
barracks or shelter Of any Kind lie replied that
| he wa, not that the damned Yankees that would
be put in there would have need CT them l
asked him why he was cutting down all the trees,
and suggested that they would prove shelter to
the prisoners from the heat of the sun at least.
| (dear the answer of this pet OF Davls) i am 60
| ing TO build pen here that will kill more damned
Yankees than can be DESTROYED at the 'front.'
How well he succeeded, let this awful fact an
swer In one year IL ,644 men there died. and were
tumbled into the trenches like so many dogs.
Scan this picture fellow citizens; Thrty-hve
thou and human beings crowded together so that
they could not lay down without touching one an
other-the living, the sick, the dying and the dead
with no shelter from the scorching rays of a
| Southern sun, with no water but what had bee n
deGed by their torturers, naked and starving,
| burowing in the ground like bears covered with
vermin, and it, perchance, one escaped, hunted
down by blood hounds. and then that order-if
Sherman's army comes within seven miles, let
the Florida battery open on these thirty
thousand unarmed, defenc eless souls, with grape
| and canister-and il seems to me that We have a
picture Of cruelty and torture that has no parallel
10 the recorded crueties OF the world. The author
and sustainer of all this, with his still defiant
treason, the democratic party want to restore to
the councils Of the country, to aid In making laws
| for free and Christian people Did Mr.. Blame
speak one moment before time: Is he not entitled
to nations gratitude for unearthing the defiant
treason of Davis, Hill, Coombs and Tacker But
them exclaims one-"Oh, this is the centennial"
We do not forget ii. But IL it to be year of
shame and humiliation Must We place our necks
beneath the heel of that treason that swore our
| county should have no Centennial No Let
| the year be one Of rejoicing, and let one great
cause of rejoicing be, that the nation is Free that
by the yalor and patriotism Of those who loved
the Union. human bondage has no place under the
stars and stripes. Let us not forget Gettysburg,
vcksburg, Chattanooga, Petersburg, and other
well fought fields. But let us call before us at
Philadelphia the heroes, who on those bloody
fields measured their patriotism and devotion to
country only by their lives, and gave that full
measure that we might have Centennial. If at
Philadelphia in the year Of the nations jubilee,
| we neglect to celebrate with bonfres and iumin-
| atoms, with songs. muse and professions, the
memory, the patriotism, the devotion OF these men
| If tley are to have no place there, then your
jubilee il farce, apd our Republic sham.
F. p,