The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-27
PRISONERS PENSIONS.
An Eloquent Appeal for the Passage of the Rol
inSnn RiII

n
lin of the National Association of Ex- Union
Prisoners of War, recently appsnted COM
mittee TO represent the interests OF ex prison
ers before the various Pension Committees of
Congress. The members of the committee are
as follows:
John C. Hawley, Michigan; A. B. White
Pennsylvania; j. w. Bradford, New Jersey;
S. E. Thomasson, New York; Robert Melon
aid, New York William Allen, New Hamp-
shire; w. I'll. Mattingly, Indiana; M. L. An
derson, Iowa; J.. 7. Williams, Indiana; John
III. Kline, Pennsylvania.
In accordance with its instructions this COM
mittee acted with promptaess and vigor, and on
Saturday aud Tuesday last appeared before
both Pension Committees of the House and
that of the Senate, and with able arguments
| urged the passage of the measure known as the
| Robinson bill. The members of the commit
| tee were introduced by Vice-President Haw-
| ley, of the National Association, and remarks
were also made by Comrades Mattingly, of In
| diana; Thomasson, of New York aud White
| of Pennsylvania. mass of statistics relating
to the treatment experienced by the inmates
of Southern prisons and the shocking mortal
| ity that prevailed among them, was also sub
mitted to the committees. General Robinson,
of Ohio, the author of the proposed bill, was
present throughout the proceedings, and ex-
pressed himself as highly pleased with the
strong support given to the measure. The
1
| tingly, who spoke as follows:
mr. Chairman and Gentlemen ofase Committee.
These comrades and myself as you have been
already informed, committee appointed by
the president of the National Association of Ex-
| Union Prisoners OF War; organization with
branches in many OF the States, and having SYM
pathizers and proposed beneficiaries throughout
the length and breadth of the land. We come
therefore, not individuals, but in representa-
tive capacity and, such representatives, beg
your indulgence and the favor of hearing for
| cause. We are not here to antagonize any other
proposition but to your favorable action upon
| the measure yariousiy known in and out of Con-
/ gress House bill llS9 and Senate bill Al, which,
| IN effect and scope, are one and the same. The
inherent justice OF this measure whole and in
its several parts is clear to our minds as the sun
/ at MONDAY and whatever consequences the prece-
dent may involve, shall continne to regard as
the only yet suggested of affording recogni-
ton OF and compensation for extraordinary priya-
| tons and hardships endured and the extraordinary
service rendered iii behalf Of that flag that now
floats in triumph and peace above us.
| We hold as truth capable OF the most precise
demonstration not. indeed selfeyident. that, but
for the policy OF which we were the uncomplain-
ing victims, the courage and patriotism of the Ma
ton had been baffled in the field and the war for
the integrity of the Union brought 20 very differ
| ent conclusion. This language, though carefully
| measured, perhaps needs some explanation. We
do not claim that this policy would of itself have
/ ended the struggle, but do hold that it was an
essential part and portion of the plans of the Fed
erai authorities The policy to which allude was
that OF the on-excauge OF prisoners, and 1t Is
necessary to remind the gentlemen composing this
committee of It's object and purpose. Up to the
moment of its inauguration the Confederacy stood
resolute and defiant, and practically invincibie.
Hemnled In by and land with resources greatly
crippled and strsitened it still relied upon the valor
of its armies and the almost unsurmounabIe forth
| fcations with WHICH Its capital was surrounded
behind which stood great numbers of weI-fed and
| vigorous conlbatanss but recently released from
Northern prisons There Northern prison camps
were in effect but little else than convae5cent hos
pitfalls for sick and wounded Confederates. where
they were nursed back TO health and strength, and
/
/ work of saughtering the defenders of the Nation
| from behind those terrible breastworks, where
Confederate was coniesSedy equal to two Yankees
THE PART THE PRISONER BORE.
It was important that this work of recruiting the
| Confederate armies should be stopped. gave
our antagonists advantage of which they were
not slow to avail themselves, and we do not
/ plain because 1t was stopped lnveigh against
the seeming inhumanty that its suspension in
| yolved. But do claim that are as truly en-
titled to compensation for the part we bore in its
execution the author of that policy justly merits
| the worldwide fame that he enjoys and the bene-
! fits grateful country has heaped upon him. at
| the time OF which ! speak the resources of the
Nation were overtaxed and already every house
hold mourned its first-born. Obviously the saugh-
ter could not continue until the mythical last ditch
was reached; but, as everything that withheld one
of its soldiers from the field left vacant place in
| the Confederate ranks that could never be flied it
Is plain that the highest considerations of humanity
to both friend and foe were consulted when the
Federal Government resolved upon the policy of
| non-ezehange. Fearful the death-roll at
/ ADdSrSOnNIe, Florence ana SALISBURY, IL bears
! comparison to the hecatombs OF slain that must
have fallen had the Confederate defences been fully
manned, and had our generals persisted in the
attempt to force them. In comparison with the
/ billions that the war thus prolonged would have
cost, the paltry demanded by this bill should
be regarded but dust in the balance. Aye more,
could Lee have received back his captured regi-
ments ct any time prior to the fail of Richmond it
| 10 possible that in that event ours would be the
! lost cause and history tell different story.
these assumptions are IN any part or wholly
| correct, 1T follows that the Federal Government
| ioresa~ ana became responsible for all the conse-
quences entaied upon It's own soldiers IN the hands
/ OF the enemy. If it neglected any means to pro-
cure our release, ii thereby engaged to compensate
us for our sufferings. The exhausted condition of
the Confederacy was a matter of common knowf-
| edge. and was actively promoted by the Federal
| armies and fleets. They intercepted supplies of
medicine without inquiring their destination,
whether they were TO be used by prisoners or COM
batants. They destroyed stores and crops, and
their enemies This was war. and proper and
legitimate when employed against enemy; but
where friends were involved 1t likewise constitutes
an irrefraga5le ground for claim for damages
| And 1T Is only because poor and obscure
that this does not seem patent to everybody. Had
the United States seized and used railroad for
| military purposes, worn out its track and wrecked
Its locomotives and rolling-stock, the owners upon
proof of loyalty, would have been accorded swift
| compensation. But who doubts our loyalty, and
| what better right has the Government to wear out
our bodies and wreck our health than the property
of a railroad company?
But have not vet recited the whole of the sery-
Ice incidentally rendered by my fellow-comrades
| Where men were so precious to our enemies we
kept other Confederates out of the field, who were
| engaged IN guarding, governing, and supplying
| us. We did more. We lived up to our privileges
| In the work Of consuming Confederate supplies of
| food and medicine. SO badly needed by their be-
| leagured armies. Upon the battlefield of Chicka-
| manga picked up Confederate hayersaoks con-
| tanning only uncooked ear of corn and q raw
| sweet potato and although at the time prisoner
in their hands. could not repress my admiration
for people whose beardless boys were capable of
such sacrifices for a cause that their elders APP
| proved. What they ate when their fortunes were
at a lower ebb, and they were compelled to divide
their scanty stores with horde OF hungry prison.
| ers, is question more easily asked than answered.
| WHAT THE PRISONER SUFFERED.
make this depression in order to more speedily
arrive at the discussion of treatment Ander-
sonville and elsewhere. This part of case has
been made the subject of multitude of editorials
| ald thousand stump speeches. Yet none OF the
eloquent portrayer5 of our misery has ever pro-
posed ausht in the way of compensation to the
| prisoners Do you wonder, gentlemen, that we
are tired of working the bellows to initiate the
lungs OF windy politicians? AS to our sufferings,
the half has never been told. This can be shown
without touching upon single controyerted point,
or setting down aught in malice. Exposed to the
rays OF burning sun in an unhealthfui region,
with not even the friendly shelter of tree pro-
teet our naked heads from wind and rain; COM
PEELED to burrow in the ground or incur the chill
ing dews OF night; fed on unvarying diet that
made well men sick, and which sick men loathed:
bloaoed with dropsy, scourged with diarrhea con-
sumed with fever, flesh rotten with seurvy,
and limbs distorted out of all senblance to human
ity the fghtful records and statistics read in your
hearing too truly tell the tale of horror that makes
the name OF each prison-pen we inhabited a Syno-
nym of ali that is revolving to human nature. at
Andersonviile IS, eco men were for time confined