The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-14

from Georgia?
Mr.. HILL said that these were nec-
essary incidents to all prisons.
Mr.. Blaine-Do l understand the gen.
tlcman to back down from that assertion?
Mr.. Hill-No, sir. ! saw it with my
own eyes.
Mr.. Blainc-The gentleman from e.
mira district yesterday (Walker)-and l
honor him for twas not held in the leash
by party fidelity and by Southern sym
pathy, but came out like man and vim
dicated his constituents. There are on
that side OF the House two gentlemen who
represent in part constituents that sur
round Camp Douglass (referring to Caul-
field and Harrison) and / ask those gen.
tlemen to say whether to their best know
lege and belief there was any cruelty to
the prisoners at Chicago. l yield to them
for this purpose.
Mr.. Caullield, rising on the Democratic
side OF the House, said The gentleman
has seen fit to call on me for my testimony
in regard to the treatment Of the prisoners
at Camp Douglass. l do not wish him to
suppose from my silence that fully
acquiesce in what he has said.
Mr.. Blaine (interrupting)-In what
who said, the gentleman from Georgia or
myself?
Mr.. Caulfeld-In what the gentleman
from Georgia has said.
Mr.. Blaine (sneeringly)-oh! Laugh
teri
MIR. CauIfeld-I rise to say that there
were hardships in Camp Douglass which
we're experienced by prisoners from the
South and that these hardships were in
cident TO the climate, to the emergency OF
their imprisonment.
Mr.. Hill without rising and in low
tone That is right; in that agree with
you.
Mr.. Caulfeld-I do however say that
there were certain instances Of cruelty
which occurred in that Camp TO my
knowledge, but they were not Of such a
number or Of such character as to make
general charge against the officers of
that Camp.
Mr.. Hill (still in his seat and in low
tone e)-Thatis right, and | make none.
Mr.. Caulfeld-I remember some in.
stances myself. l happened to be one OF
the number appointed to ameliorate the
suiierings OF prisoners at Camp Douglass.
They were brought there in the winter. l
think the first batch was from Fort Dom
aldson. The weather was cold and it was
impossible TO make them perfectly COM
Portable, and as matter OF course there
was great deal Of suffering as only incl
dental TO the circumstances which sur
rounded them at times. Every effort
was made to make them comfortable, both
on the part Of the State and government,
but there were some cruelties inflicted
there to my own knowledge. However, l
don't think It would be fair TO charge the
government with that. They were charge
able to the inhumanity Of certain individ-
uals in charge Of them.
Mr.. Hill-That is all that meant.
Mr.. Blaine Ito Mr.. Caulfeld)-Will
you state whether the prisoners who came
from Fort Douglass did not occupy and
share the same quarters and have exactly
the same accommodations as the Illinois
troops had had who left Camp Douglass,
which was their camp, and went to Fort
Douglass, exchanging places with the
prisoners?
Mr.. Caulfcld-My memory on that
point does not serve me.
Mr.. Blaine (ironically)-oh, the gen.
tlcman does not remember that Camp
Douglass was made for the Union soldiers
and was great receiving camp OF the
north of Illinois.
Mr.. Caulfeld-Now that you bring it
to my recollection think the fact was
true.
Mr.. Blaine (still more ironically)-0h
my what recollectionl Laughter on
the Republican side. That is equal to
the recollection OF the gentleman from
Georgia who did not recollect the other
day whether he offered the resolution
which read.
Mr.. Caulfeld (severely)-My dear sir,
| want you 10 understand that when l
state what my recollection is about GER
tain point l do not wish you to stand on
this floor and question my veracity.
Mr.. Blaine-I said il was n strange re-
collection. l do not question the gentle
mans vcracity.
Mr.. CaulGeld-Then, if it is a strange
recollection, | am not responsible for 1t.
Mr.. Blaine-But say this: That ifthe
gentleman does not recollect that Camp
Douglass was tho recruiting place from
which these great, noble and gallant regi-
ments went out who represented Illinois
in so many battle fields he is the only
man in Illinois who does not recollect it.
Mr.. Caultield-But, sir
Mr.. Blaine Waving him DOWN THAT
is all desire.
Mr.. Caulfeld (persistently)-My dear
sir, you called me to the witness stand,
and you cannot discredit me because l do
not discredit myself. l have right TO
answer your questions fully, and say
that when you first spoke Of the question
rs to whether atrocities had been commit
ted in Camp Douglass, my attention was
naturally attracted to the time when these
men were prisoners there, and was not
drawn to the point rs to whether that
camp was first filled by Federal soldiers
or not, but now that the gentleman has
drawn my attention to the fact | say that
| think il is so. may be permitted 10
add that the argument which he makes
against my recollection is about as strong
as any Of the arguments which the gentle
man has addressed before the House to-
day or day before yesterday.
Mr.. Harrison also roso on the Demo-
cratic side Of the House and said that he
thought his colleague was wrong, and
that tho Camp Douglass camp where the
prisoners were retained was not the same
as the Camp Douglass where the volun.
teerS we're. Many buildings had been
erected for that emergency. When the
Fort Donaldson prisoners were brought
up the weather had been exceedingly cold
and there was not suiliciency Of houses,
but the people OF Chicago came forward
and attended to the comforts Of the pris-
oners. He would state further that there
were charges made in the newspapers,
charges which an ex parte witness could
have sworn TO-. that there were cruelties
practiced at Camp Douglass, but these
ex parte statements were not believed, nor
did he now believe the ex parte statements
that were brought up on the other side.
Some Of the prisoners at Camp Douglass
had suffered from the severity OF the
weather aud that had been charged to the