The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-26

equivalent he'd by the Federals. But to-
this letter no reply WAS ever made On
the ed OF August he wrote making the
same offer to General Hitchcock; but re-!
ceived no reply to this letter either
And so on the 31st Of August 1864, Judge
EUuld published statement, setting forth
In detail the efforts made by the Con-
federate authorities to carry out the
cartel in good faith, stating how 1t had
been violated from time to time, and
finally suspended. solely by the bad faith
and bad conduct of the Federals.
On the 1st OF October, 1854. General
Lee proposed to General Grant to renew
the cartel, but no agreement could be
reached on the subject, and SO on the
9Th Of october, 1864. Judge Ould adj
dressed a letter to General NI11lford, and
proposed, in view of the probability OF
the long confinement of the prisoners
on both sides. that some measures be
adopted Ter the relief Of such as are
held by either party. To that end, pro-
nose. ~ says he, that each Government
Shall have the privilege OF forwarding
for the use and comfort Of such Of its
prisoners as are held by the other, ne
#cessary articles of food and clothing
Page $50.
PROPOSITION ACCEPTED.
Whilst this proposition was finally ac-
copied by the Federals, it took whole
month to get their consent to 1t. Cen
eral NIulford's reply is dated November
9Th. 1864. AS early in that year as jan
e,,arv Gath. Judge Guild had written Cen
Feral Hitchcock, proposing that the pris-z
#oners on each side be attended by their
own surgeons, and that these surgeons
should tact as commissaries, with power
to receive and distribute such contribu-
lions of money, food. clothing and med1-#
cines as may be forwarded Tor the re-
lief Of prisoners. I would further pro-
pose says he, chat these surgeons pc
detailed by their own governments, and
thar thew shall have full liberty at any
and all times, through the agents OF ex-5
change. to make reports. not only OF
their own acts, but of any matters re-
lating to the welfare of prisoners.
To this very important and humane
letter. Judge Ould says, mo reply was
ever made I S. II. S. Papers, E
II it's terms had been accepted by the
Federals (and nothing could nave peeh
fairer). what sufferings would have been
nrayented and how many lives would
have been saved! But, as we now Know.
General Grant did not wish to keep these.
men from dying in our prisons On the
contrary. he preferred that the COM ed
crates should be burdened with caring
for them when living, and charged Win
their deaths should they die, and IN TINS
way he would continue to tlfc the
Northern heart against US. On lil7
same principle, and for the same reason,
he not only refused to agree to let us
purchase medicines and other necessary
supplies for these sick prisoners. but re-.
fused for months to receive from ten5to
fifteen thousand, which we offered 70
deliver up without receiving any equl-s
yalent in return. But above all these
he did not wish them exchanged, be-
cause of the recruits which would there
by come to General Lees army:
GEN. GRANTS FIDELITY
Notwithstanding the fact. as shown by
our last report it was by General
Grants order that General Sheridan.
devastated the Valley Of Virginia as he
did. vet his considerate treatment OF
General Lee and his men at Appomat-
tox. and his fidelity to General Lees
parole there given after the war nave
caused us to think kindly of him and TO
place him in a different class from that
in which we have placed Stanton. Hal
leck Sherman, Sheridan, Pope, Butler.
Hunter NIilroy and other Federal OF
ficers who took such delight IN treat
ing our people with wicked ana Winlolts
brutality during the war But, as mas
been recently said of him by a, distin-
officer in ms army, and therefore knew
him better than we did, General Grant
was ..of coarse moral as we'll as physical
FIBRE and nothing demonstrates TINS
more clearly than the cruel and heart
less way in which he treated his OWL a
well as our prisoners. He was SO Vln-
dictiye and cruel that on February 7th,
1865. he refused to make any arrange
ment with Judge Ould whereby our prls-
oners could receive contributions of as
sistance from friends at the North.
Vol. VIII, p. 400 And as we have just
seen, he preferred that his own men
should die in our prisons rather than re-
1ieve them. when we offered to deliver
TIM to him without any equivalent in
return. because OF the great mortality
AZ Andersonville, which we We're unable
10 avert. and of which he was fully ap-
priscd.
CAUSE OF SUFFERING
At the expense of being tedious then
we have thought it right to give IN much
detail facts in relation to the formation
and operation of the cartel for the ex-
change of prisoners, and to show clearly
from the records why this cartel was
suspended and who was responsible
therefor And we have done SO. because
this conduct was the true cause of sub
winch came to prisoners on both sides.
during the war. That we have shown
that the Federal government. with Ed
win NJ. Stanton. II. w. Halleck and U.
S. Grant as its representatives, is sole
ly responsible, we think cannot be de-
MED, and that history will so attest.
Mr.. Charles a. Dana, the Faderal As
sistant Secretary of War, i'll an editorial
in the New York Sun, commenting on
the letter of MIR. Davis TO Mr. James.
Lyons. written in reference to the strict
ures Of Mr.. Blaine, referred to in the
early part Of this report, said as follows
This letter shows clearly, we think.
that the Confederate authorities, and es-
#pecially Mr.. Davis, ought not to be held
responsible for the terrible privations.
sufferings and injuries which our men
had to endure while they We're kept in
Confederate military prisons. The fact
is unquestionable that while the Con-
federates desired to exchange prisoners,
to send our men home, and to get back
their own, General Grant steadily and