The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-05-01
the outlying islands of both the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans.
1t is question simply of the statesman
ship of this generation or the next.
Only an Ordinary Liar.

Only an Ordinary Liar.
Our attention has been called to a recent
issue of the st. Louis Post Dispatch, in which
appears an interview between reporter of
that journal and man of patriarchal APP
pearance "-doubtless the Father of Lies"
in regard to the barbarous Southern
prison-pens-Libby and Belle ISLE Accord
ing to this patriarch, whose name is not given,
but who is represented as having been COM
missary and quartermaster at the Rich
mond military prisons during the war, the
treatment which Union captiyes experienced
at these Confederate hostelries was of the
most considerate character. The prisoners
were supplied with IAN abundance of good
bread and beef" and so thoughtful were the
rebels of their comfort that they spent
$500 in improving the ventilation and
general sanitary condition of Libby prison,
and had bath-tub constructed in each
rooml AS for Belle Isle, it seems to have
been aperfect paradise. The Post Dispatchs
informant says the occupants of that para
disc were as jolly a crowd as he ever saw.
They were only kept on the Island until the
weather began to cool, and were then sent
away to other prisons. He admits that they
had no beds and no blankets, but explains
that the Confederate government did not
have enough for its own men.
Now, if there is anything in this world
that we particularly admire, it is down
right talent for lying, and the only criti-
cism we have to make on this description of
the manner in which the Confederates cared
for their prisoners at Libby and Belle Isle
is that the author leaves so much to the
imagination. Instead of contenting himself,
for instance. with this story of $500 ex-
pended for bath-tubs, he might just as well
have gone on to describe the reading and
| smoking rooms attached to Libby, the mag
Tor, the cosy dormitories with their wealth
of snowy linen, the spacious dining hall and
delicaces Of the season, the glorious OPEN
CRATE fires, the glittering chandeliers which
rosy, happy faces of the inmates. 1t would
have served his purpose, too, to have en-
larged upon the genial 'disposition, the cour-
teous manners and the princely generosity
| of such fast friends of the prisoner, for ex-
ample, as Winder and Turner, and it would
have been exceedingly diyerting to have
! learned from such reliable authority that
| President Davis was in the habit Of paying
! them daily visit Of coincidence. The truth
| is that this ex-commissary and quarter
master has missed his opportunity If he
wished to create the impression that the
residents of Belle Isle were Jolly crowd, "
as he asserts, he should have told how re-
luctant they were to leave that summer re-
sort, and what a great desire there was
/ among tDelT ITl6UuS DIT II1S NOTID, TO whom
the news of their good fortune had been
communicated, to visit that enchanting
region. 1t was not enough to say that they
received good bread and beef; this airy
romancer should have stuck to it that they
dined ON terrapin washed down with cham
payne So long as "whopper" costs nc
more than " fib," it is absurd thus to fettel
ones fancy. Upon the whole, therefore, we
are inclined to think that this stray Con
federate commissary is, after all, but an
ordinary liar, and does not deserve the at.
tention that has been paid him by our com
rades. It is pretty late in the day for any.
body to attempt defense of the policy
which the Confederate government pursued
towards its prisoners, considering how thick
lie the graves in the South and how many
are the cripples at the North.