The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16

spicuous men At their homes. The Richmond
episode largely contributed TO their popularity.
martyrs mi 1sH 't % the * ' cause sG q he so Union @Sr ss I the 1 Pfi.
yateersmen were TO the Southern. Their for
1fGTp NS SSnS 9oEe t SSpp SsSa 81 r c g9SmS 'y WaS idSI:
ICED; the whole State, Of Michigan was in q
eTsasy we're en- % iStS { IN he 9sssiG interest," pN " one and aRs al.
Government to modify its policy. Noisy doma.
held TO formulate demands for their relief and
regular combstants. BY the Hdministratfon's
enemies and the malcontents opposed TO the
wSE' ,S Of TrG%5SSs' tho prisoners 1s'd,,r. in n M' HgoGnSS sins!
tins Of its malignant hate and craven fear.
Thus the pirates" Baker and Smith. as we'll
which was at tho bottom Of all, had their most
effective advocates among the friends OF the
their sympathies and .prejudices. It was clear
that the North would not brook to have Its
maintenance Of a policy which was OF doubtful
But this favorable conjunction of influences
very.nearly overdid tho business after all. South
orn Statesmen were seized with the conviction
that public, opinion would now compel tho
cure the release OF the hostages. They held out
for too much: they wanted the earth. Even
rivatoersm SSm1 and hS some uoV Of the 81 hostages estp g" had
been released on parole, on various shutting pre-
texts the others, for whom there was most enxi.
ETY., were retained more than six months. after
the privateer question had been settled favor.
ably to the Southern contention. Special OK
s soins on 1f P FSis unace S5,,SGri s'f Sse s0hss'n anS
filling at one time broke Off pending. negotia-
had so far recognized Southern belligcrency as
70, make that much.sought concession. Some
thing Of the influences at work at that time are
discovered In the following telcgraphic corre-
NEW YoRK. Feb. 10. 1859.
what has the Government done toward the release
y 9dHa; SHtyo Which We m ssre ie en- i b"es. I await am y
swcr at telegraph once. e. p. DAILY. Judge.
To this anxious IL somewhat brusquc inquiry
Secretary Stanton sent the following tart reply:
JUDGE G. P. DAILY. Ne,s yort:
The Government has taken the measures they deem
other prlsrners held in rebel states. and will disclose
is hoped that the rash indtssretion Of persons pre-.
tending to be Col. Corcorsn's friends may not induce
exchange. EDWIN N. STANTON. Secretary OF War.
Thus the Union authorities were pulled in
one direction by pressing considerations Of hui
icy In the national interests. The event showed.
too, that Mr.. stanton correctly diagnosed The
OF n"biis siaS sidTG At 1 Ike N taf Southern attitude
Every effort was made TO secure the release
Of the hostages. Thu, first direct EVIDENCE of a
dressed by Secretary Seward to Gen. McClcl-
Ian. Jan. 2, 1862. II Col. Corcoran could with
day Gen. Wool, at Fort Monroe, is Instructed
T f pr DPSsSs tho S sssh %refsTls Of So Smith RieS fGa GSro0T The
Confederate were now beginning to feel pretty
sure of their ground, for Gen. Huger; com
the proposal. which he did in these naughty
terms under date Of IAN. Of:
Ny Government will not take into consideration
any proposition for exchange of our privateersmen
taken in our service on the high seas until there is an
that they are pirates and until the, are released from
the position OF felons and placed in the same condi-
ton as other prisoners OF war.
The Confederates refused to receive any
proposals for the release Of the hostages until
these definite terms were complied with; Gen zen
cox was mot a subject Of exchange" Yet
there was no stoppagc OF the special exchanges.
While firmly protesting against the treatment
for Southern belligerency, and with equal per-
~slstence earnestly asserted the desire Of his
ers:. Aside from the question of the South's
belligerency on It's merits, the Southern, posi-
m tlSR IN ' adm %St,sr Gss e! @ers strongest 'S sie sPd HIT Hut
Gen. Wool. at Fort Monroe. continued to press
for special exchanges, the while carefully guard
anything like n formal arrangement, as be-
tween two independent powers.
1852, Secretary stanton appointed the Rev; Bish-
op r. Ames OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
e eomm mss aUn; ta% Visit the r's con 1t ES% l1 to i ns
quire into and supply the wants and comforts
Of the Union prisoners. They were provided
clothing, blankets. and medicines, all to be dis.
tributed under such restrictions as the Rich
sion for their passage through the military
lines was solicited from Huger by Wool on Feb.
"a rand SG Of inaraS'ef'f poub bttns % Mr. Stanton ns an hoped
his commission. would be received, but II turned
back from their ,errand of mercy it Is not
likely the astute Federal Secretary would have
been wholly cast down.
Their carefully, prepared instructions; the
the circumstances, tend to the conclusion that
this commission was a sharp .contriVance to
liberal steps proposed for the relief OF the pris-
oners must doubtless commend the Government
to the people of the North, and perhaps allay
pulsed Messrs. Ames and Fish. the response.
bility for the continued sufferings of the rn-
wholly on them in the eyes Of the world. II
Richmond chose either horn Of this dilemma it
But the Richmond Government was not to be
eanSins. naPRRf1t9 eF co mhfd %st tS SSnn mafter win In
mis- m IN this letter, dated Feb. 8. Cen.
mission OF Messrs. Ames and Fish was to
negotiate a general exchange of prisoners. The
P coPP%saiiS ri IN w ,ae'r Letter Il IF Wss pfoposed Ts Is
spare them a further journey'South by agree.
ing at once to the restoration Of all the Pris-
change" and Secretary Benjamin appointed
the Hons. James A. Seldom and Charles NJ.
NOIIl 40 W tOlilt va V
to that end on a cartel boat In Hampton Roads.
But 1t was insisted as n sine qua non that all
privateersmen be treated as legitimate COM
batants. and thenceforth regularly exchanged
as such.
OF course. this ended the mission of Messrs.
Ames and Fish. Having no authority to nego-
tiate an exchange, their function-as was
quickly OWNED at Richmond-be to fore
i Tssi f t&H the so eSG SGattn q fSs 1l RS o Where IS PeG they
were, they returned TO Washington.
This was the last effort made by the Union
authorities TO avoid the much-exaggcrated
danger of admitting Southern belllgerency by
a formal exchange of prisoners. 1t had in
fact already yielded its position regarding the
privateersmen. On the 3lst Of January, after
being informed Of the Southern refusal to ex.
change, Corcoran for Smith. Mr.. Seward had
ordered the transfer of all persons charged with
piracy from, Moyamensing, and the Tombs
prisons TO Fort Lafayette. there to DO treated
MS regular prisoners of war.
Then they took the final plunge. On the l1th
OF February Secretary stanton sent instruc-
tons to Gen. Wool. clothing him with full au-
thority for arranging for the exchange OF pris-
oners on fair terms" Ic was also authorized
to assure Gen, Huger that the priyateersmen
were now on tho same footing as other prison
erg. Comics of MIR. Stewards order nj fha 3lat