The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-19
SURVIVORS OF PRISON PENS
Veterans Who Will Carry to Their
Graves Effects of Brutal Treatment.
What Ex-P Prisoners Of War Did at Their An
nual Mseting-Speeches, Songs and Other
Exercises at the Campfire Last Night.
SUFFERED FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

Exercises al the CAMPFIRE Last Night.
SUFFERED FOR THEIR COUNTRY.
Ex-Prisonsrs OF War Meet to Revive Remem-
branees and Friendships.
There was not much routine business before
the annual meeting of the National Association
Of Union ex-Prisoners Of War yesterday, and
the members spent nearly the entire day IN ex-
changing "reminiscences. They met in George
II. Thomas Post hall, where there were between
seventy Ave and one hundred delegates present
They represented those who suffered, and many
whose relatives died IN Jacksonville, AlexAn-
dris, Castle Thunder, Camp Sorghum, Charles
ton, Columbia, Camp Ford. Charlotte, Cahsba.
Belle Isle. Blaekthorn, Danville, Florence,
Goldsboroueh, Libby, Lynchburgh, Macon,
MilIen, New Orleans, Pemberton, Raleigh.
Shreveport, Savannah, Salisbury and Vieks-
burg. Among the delegates was . large
representation Of those who had left
arms OF legs on the battlefield.
The reunion yesterday was the sixteenth in or
der Of years. The association vas organized in
Washington and through it's agency many needy
ex-prisoners have been assisted, and 70 hun
dreds of orphans and widows the friendly hand
has been extended in giving aid. Among the
more prominent men present were Gen. W.. Il.
Powell, OF Belleville, Ia. who was president;
Major L. P. Williams. Of South Bend, Ind.
now Clerk of the Supreme Court Of the District
of Columbia. who Is secretary and treasurer;
S. n. Long, OF New Jersey; j. W. Green, OF
Ohio, and c. c. MeCabe, of New York city. and
others.
The business Of the meeting began with the
appointment OF a committee on crsdsntiAis,
composed of s. N. Long. j. W. Green, and Col
L n. Walker. the latter Of this city. An audit
Ing committee was also appointed composed OF
Comrade Cleveland, OF Chicago. Mckee, or
Washington, and Garfield. of Cleveland While
the committees were attending to the duties
assigned them. several short addresses we're
delivered by the ex-prisoners present. Among
the first to speak was Gen. John Coourn. de
said he remembered when the dogs IN the streets
bad more liberty, and were better treated 10
every way, than the soldiers in the Southern
prisons. He related some experience he had In
attempting TO exchange Indiana prisoners or
war. He acted In the matter as the special rep
resentative OF Governor Morton, and was given,
by authorities in Washington, TO understand
that it was not the policy OF the government to
make exchanges The reason given was that 1t
was NOT equitable to trade a hearty rebel for a
half starved, broken-down Union man. he in
sisted. at the time, that there should DO q pub
LEGATION or the policy, and advised Governor
Morton to make IL known, and volunteered to
do so, but the Governor refused to allow
it. fearing that by so doing the effort to crush
the rebellion might De impeded- In conclusion,
General Coburn said: Il want to testify now
TO my belief that the hardest services rendered
by soldiers was by the prisons Of war, who were
kept in suffering because OF this policy The
book Of martyrs that will tell OF these sufferers
will give instances OF subliwsr endurance and
courage than have been yet written In prose or
poetry, history or romance. The self-sacrinces
of the soldiers who suffered the paugs Of hunger,
insult and abuse from brutal guards, and WHO
died horrible deaths are known 10 you al. A
recollection of them brings upon rs this day .
sense of great sorrow"
At the conclusion Of General Coburn's address
the officers OF the association submitted their
annua! reports. They showed that dur
Ing the year p new associations had
been organized, and 14S individual members
enrolled. The cash receipts amounted to SS24,
and there was a balance on hand Of s27l.1t-
The business was concluded at the afternoon
session by the election Of the following officers
for the ensuing year:
Presidsnt-Thonas n. Mckee, Washington, d. c.
Vicepresidsnt-E h Williams. indianapolis.
Secretary and Treasurer-L- P. Williams. Washing
Ton. D {.
ChaDlain-G c. McCabs. New York.
observation-disclosures L. Moran. Philadelphia-
The next annual meeting will occur In Mil
waukee.
The conduct Of G. c. Matson, chairman Of the
invalid pensions committe OF the House Of Rep
resentatives, was discussed az length. A dele
gate from New York said he believed the mem
bers OK the association had reached a period
when they should strike back. I'VE have
not gathered here as politicians" he continued,
but we ars here representing thousands
of men who suffered in>Southern prisons, and /
for one am ready TO strike back at o man who
strikes st u.s. do not care who he is, what
name ne may sail under, or to what political
party he belongs. The man who would treat
tbs soldiers as G C. Mstson has should De rele-
q. - H.. - l.
Indiana, but on behalf OF every comrade in
New York / ask you to remember your duty in
this matter. There are in the alms-houses OF
the country thousands OF old comrades who
would not be there rad IL not been for the ac-
ton of this Indiana Congressman" Several
members in6orsed the sentiments OF the New
York speaker. Other phases OF pension
legislation were considered. aud upon recon-
mendation of Col. j. n. Walker. the president
was authorized to appoint an executive commit
tee 70 look after legislation pending in the House
of Representatives.
At this ~jnncture Col. A. D. Streirht, of Indi-
annapolis. was introduced TO the association. He
spoke briefly of his experience in Libby prison,
and closed by inviting all the delegates TO his
residence to-day. E. H. Williams, OF Ineian-
apolis. created great enthusiasm by q simple an
nouncement Said he: AZ have made arrange
ments for this association to meet a man, at 5
o'clock, whom we propose TO place at the head
of the veto power in this country-Gen. Ben
Harrison" The members applauded vigorously,
sud b1efo nCtc many f1o We VIII put uiu
there, you bet
Col L. Il. Mckee, the president-elect OF the
association, addressed the comrades briefly on
what he termed the darkest day in Libby
prison. 1t was July 6. 1863 On the
9TH OF the month the Richmond papers
same into camp with the announcements that
Grant had bsen defeated. and on the morning
Of the 9th the papers stated that Lee had capt
ured Meadss army. Sadness and gloom filed
he prison pen. The men all felt that the day
ef doom had come. Late in the evening reliable
information was bad that the first news was
unreliable, and that Pemberton's army had sur
rendered and that Lee was defeated at Gettys-
burg G. g. McCabe, when the pews reached
him, standing and looking towards heaven. sung.
MY eyes have seen the glory OF the coming of
he Lord
The relating os these incidents creatlv affected
.he survivors, and Chaplain McCabe. who was
present, was called upon to sing his now famous
song. He responded, and gave the four verses
with his cld-tinls vigor.
There we're some other short speeches bv
comrades, after which Colonel Mckee said he
believed the convention should condemn Col. C.
C. Matson for bis action in Congress. The fol-
lowing resolution was then presented and adopt-
ed without a dissenting vote:
Resolved, That It is the sense of the national con-
ventlon OF ex-union prisoners of war that Congress-
man Z. T. Mstson, chairman OF the committee on in
valid pensions has successfully blocked the way of ali
legislation IL the interest of the ex-Union prisoners
OF war.