The National tribune., 1892-09-15
CONSISTENCY A JEWEL.
A Plea for the Passage of the ex-Prisoners-
of-War Bill.


pose that the Government is anxious to DO
justice to the soldier land they are, for the
people are the Government, and we travel nuch
among them and know how the masses feell
Our Government has done wonders for the sol
der, but at the same time has done greater
things for tho bondholder.
Why has the Government been more anxious
to keep faith with the bondholder than with
| the soldier? Did the bondholder do more
towards putting down the rebellion than the
soldier? They do not think so. Then why
should he be treated better than the soldier?
Why not Immediately look over the pay-rolls
in Washington and SEQ what is due of every SOL
der who was paid in a deprecated currency,
and see that every soldier gets it?
This would be simple justice-nothing more
It is an honest debt the Government owes the
soldier. If the Government keeps faith with
the bondholder, they have more reason, to do
so with the soldier. They need the soldier in
time of war more than they do the bondholdcr.
But the bondholder says he furnished the
money to pay the soldier in the field If this
is so, and it is in a certain sense wish they
had furnished good money as the Govern
ment insisted OH their receiving.
But the bondholder says just see the risk we
ran. We did not know but we should lose every
dollar we loaned the Government. In my opin-
ion, they ran very little risk for believe that
if the war had lasted years longer than it did
the sturdy Northmen would have como of
conquerors, as they have in all past history.
And if there seemed to be any danger of their
not being victorious in the end we had in the
rear big army of those same bondholders who,
/ think, before they would have consented TO
lose the almighty dollar, could have been in
duced to shoulder musket themselves.
True it is that our Government has done
much, very much, for the soldier. But there
ia one class of soldiers which they have never
tn wOula n
circumstances that they would have received
consideration among the first especially as
our own Government positively deserted them
and doomed them to death.
/ am speaking from experience, being one of
the unfortunate ones who were captured at
Plymouth, N. c., in April, 1864. And, by the
way, was not captured because had rather
be than to fight. The rebel guard that took
Us in charge when they turned us over to
another guard told them to treat us well, that
We fought like the -. And, by the way,
that Iceman Turner, of New York, who made
the statement in Congress that the men who
were captured were captured because they had
rather be than to fight that same man ought
to be hung. l believe at the present time he
is Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives
Well as l say, our Government deserted ua
To be sure it was war measure, and desper-
ate one for US poor, starving fellows in Ander-
sonville and other prisons; but if our Govern
ment had exchanged at that time it would
have enabled the South to place 100000 more
men in the field against us. know We talked
the matter over in Andersonvillc, and all
agreed (al;hough most Of US were about gomez
fthis terrible thing seemed necessary measure
to put down the rebellion We would not CEN
sure our Government. But 1t was terrible,
and tho poor fellows seemed, if possible, to die
faster than ever. Then it was that loyalty to
our Government had a severe test. / say
severe because they offered US what was better
than gold-something to eat-if we would come
out and work, even, in their machine shops.
Now, this to a man who was we'll fed would be
no temptation at ALL But to men who had been
craving food for months and were nearly dead
for the want of it, certainly it was tempta-
ton.
But did this temptation succeed with those
poor starved. half-crazed soldiers of this glo-
rious UnionY Thank God, no. The agents Of
the rebel Government were told to go on about
their business; they would starvo first. Was
ever greater loyalty shown to any Govern
ment2
But they were weary days. weeks and months
before the final blow was struck which COM
PEELED the Con federacy to let us 20. The action
of our Government at that time in refusing to
exchange prisoners without any doubt closed
the war at least year sooner than it would
have closed had they exchanged . hundred
men who had been starved andTiIltreated until
they were more dead than alive. Our Govern
mcnt knew that these men, at least the most of
them, would never be able to enter the service
again.
These poor fellows did moro than their share
to make the bondholder safe, consequently
every bondkolder in the land should urge the
Government to do Justice to these men.
As early as the 47th Congress these unfortu-
nate prisoners Of asked the Government
to recognize them and their gufferings by grant
ing them the small pittance of 81 per day for
each and every day Of their confinement In
prison. l presume to say that every one of
those unfortunates have ever since been paying
ont money they could i'll afford to do for medi-
cnes to try and kill the pains Rheumatic or
otherwise) which they have been suffering
with ever since their release from those hes Is
upon earth. grT.us-spoba
This bill granting OK prisoners the lps1tfy
sum of So per day for each, and every day
of their confinement in prison has been
introduced in every Congress since the 47th
Why is it that our Congressman have not
sufficient honor and justice in them to pass
this most meritorious bllp 1t cannot be
that they fear the censure Of their constit-
uents, ard would lose their votes, because
1t is a fact that the masses-Democfats Re-
publicans, Mugwumps, Alliance Or whatever
party exists in this country-ackn owledge the
justice OF the prisoners bill. Even an old
Copperhead would admit it.
The Legislatures Of many Of our States havo
memo!ia!ized Congress to pass the bill. If the
question were left to a vote of the people land
wish it could be-, they would vote almost |
unani mously in favor of its passage and that
without delay. Members Of Congress are there
to do the will Of the people (wlIo the Govern
ment) let them go ahead and pass this prison.
ers' bill, and thereby at this late day help to
Il Al. r ri
serving men. Those who suffered i'm Anderson
vile and other prisons any length of time nre
without doubt worse of than q man who lost
an ARA a leg in the service. The ex. prison
er's vitality has gone, and l venture to say
there is not one hour in his existence but that
he s in pain. IN regard to this prisoners BILL
there should have been, after tho 47th Con-
gress, another dollar added to the amount they
asked, making it So per day for each days i'm
ptisoument, and each time the bill was pre-
scented dollar should have been added TO the
original bill. fgee
The people will find no fault with the pass.
age Of this bill. Every one knows that these
men suffered more than ever men were called
upon to suffer before, and it was largely our
Governments fault.
Some months since read an article In the
Century Magazine, written by Doctor Wyeth,
who claimed to have been In Northern prison
during the war. He was evidently trying to
make out that the North treated their prison
ers as brutally as the South did theirs. But
before he finished his article he admitted that
he saw one Of the prisoners eating from swili