The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-06-19
Ex-PRISONERS OF WAR.
A Plea as to ihc Ju.lIee Of rheIr ClaIm..

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: We boys away
out here in the "Great American Desert !"
have been thinking about the bill to pension
ex-prisOuers, and now we wish 10 throw a little
chip tbutlalO) on the campfire, for we haven't
any rails in this country. IL is not necessary
TO offer any further evidence as to how we suf-
feTed ia the pTlsOn-pens of the South.
IL IS known that in the Fail of 1864 the Con-
federate Government was willing 10 exchange
US. which subject was referred TO Grant and
Stanton. Grant said to exchange US at that
time would crush Sherman and compromise
our safety here (Petersburgl, for the rebel sol
diers were we'll fed, and would 90 right into
the rebel army, while our prisoners were half
starved would have TO be furloughed home
and many of us could never so into the army
again." We were held and rotted and starved
10 save Grant and Sherman; were abandoned
by the Government, and those who took the
oath of allegiance To the Confederacy to keep
from starving were outlawed by the same Gov
eminent. Our OathS to protect and defend the
Government necessarily carried with il the
right and duty of the Government to protect
us. We were blotted out.
Now, from q stern, war point of view, Grant
and Stanton were right. but il WAS mighty hard
on the pup; and now the ex- prisoners of war
solemnly demand reparation aud justice. Con-
gress cannot advance the theory that it will
cripple the Treasury, for there are not many of
as left. Some members of The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE army may remember that Stanton
was about TO sue the New York Tribune once
for SANDER. The Tribune correspondent in
speaking of the idea of refusing e to exchange
eil-fed prisoners for halfstarved ones char
acterizcd il rs " the cold blooded theory of Ed
win NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War; / do not
impugn the motives of Gen. Grant and Seere-
taFy stanton; that IS not why | commune of
these delicate facts; but it is to arouse our Leg
iutyf.ra iru fkR rnpl- Tnstt hot hos
been meted out to those who, by the fortunes
of war; were confined in sO-called Confederate
prisons" Grant and Stanton put forth the
highest energies known to human capabilities
by which, under God, the Republic was saved
TO the world.
You say in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE that
the Democrats are going TO put forward Con-
gresham 10 fight the prison bill who was once
q soldier That is nothing surprising. History
is often repeated. No doubt he was an officer,
and officers know very little how the rank and
file were treated in rebel prisons. for they were
separated. We had soldiers, so called in An
Jacksonville and Florence who would report our
tunnels To the rebels for a plug of tobacco.
Some of them had fought well for the Republic
but when il required tho highest patriotism
they failed. There was u screw loose; they were
not we'll balanced like ShakspereS "scab"
got 'twixt sleep aud wake. OF all that were
foreordaiued To eternal damnation, the traitor
is the most deSpicable. We used to catch them
and shave their heads; an unwritten law, good
to enforce yet.
/ notice chat when any pension bill is intro
duced, up jumps some Congressman or Senator
and swears that il Will break up the Govern
ment But the debt contracted to throttle
treason and slavery must DO met to the last
cent.
We rest our case. The enemies of the ex-
prisoner may gnaw q file; but we demand
-
prison pen; for suffering endured and for saw
ing sherman, and to keep from compromising
our safety at Petersburg We are proud of
the part we played upon the chess-board of war;
and we won, as Grant has heretofore testified.
"a great victory" said Wellington, is the most
awful thing in the world, except great de-
feat" Give the ex-prisoner the benefit of the
doubt-0wEN f. WRIGHT, Sergeant, Co. ID, 18th
Ind, First Brigade, Third Division, Second
GOrpS,