Year: 1863

remaining forces in North or South Carolina
| and Athus we think 1t possible that the
death aud burial of the rebellion may take
place in the swampy State in which the mon-
ster was born. Unless Gen. Gilmore shall an
ticipate and cut off the transfer of the soon
federacy' to Charleston. Beauregard, who was
the presiding genius of its nativity, may be the
chief mourner at It's funeral.


In any event. from every consideration OF


wisdom, charity and humanity, we would ap-


peal to the long deluded intensely suffering


and dangerously situated people of the rebel
lious States to reflect upon the hopeless cause
of JEFF. Davis, to revolt against him. and to
submit at discretion to the Union, trusting


to the c!emency of the government, and to the


fraternal forgiveness of the loyal States. Sui


cidal madness alone will counsel continued re-


sistance, when resistance oan only increase ten
fold the terrible consequences to the States
concerned. Our armies are now within the


reach of the immense stores of the movable


wealth of the cotton States, and it will be sac


riAced and the people Of those States will be


reduce6 to the common level Of .beggary with


a continued resistance to the overwhelming


strength of the Union. They have made. a


most heroic struggle in the worst Of causes.
Against disadvantages and dangers positively


appalling, they have exhibited spirit of en-
durance, a degree Of energy, ingenuity and


bravery, and fertility of resources, really
astonishing. But against the power Of the
loyal States their struggles have been as delu-
sive as those of an active Liliputian in
the hands Of long-forbearing giant Let
the people Of the rebellious States give up this
vain struggle and declare at once for submis-
sion, and they will save millions of wealth
which may otherwise be lost, and avoid the
ruin and confusion of absolute subjugation.


With their submission the emancipation pro-
clamation-a mere military measure-will be-
come dead letter, and they will be restored
to the Union, with the right to reconstruct their
local institutions to the practical necessities of
their condition, as the war will have left them
In returning their representatives to Congress
they will have potential voice in the work of
re-establshing the general government upon q
solid basis of internal peace. There is not the
shadow Of hope for Southern confederacy,
in foreign Intervention, Northern divisions or
Southern endurance The seizure of Laird's
rams, our late elections, Bragg's decisive de-
feat, and the exhaustion of tho rebellion, have
settled all these questions. The only alterna-
tive of safety to the people involved in this re-
volt is their revolt against Davis and their
submission to the Union.





Our Prisoners 1t Rishmond-secretar


Stanton tho Sole Cause OF Their Do-s


tention.


The voluminous correspondence, the last Of
which we published in the HERALD of the 10th
inst, between General Meredith, the United
States Commissioner Of Exchange, and Robert
Ould, the rebel Commissioner, relative to the
release Of our prisoners, purports to give the
public some light on the subject, but in reality
has signslly failed to demonstrate more than
stubbornness and narrow minded feeling ON the
part Of the former, snd spirit Of resentment
In the latter's case. -
proper. source, which is no less than the dicta-
ton Of Secretary Stanton, from whom all Or
ders to General Meredith emanate, and who,
for some reason best known to himself, desires
to prolong the captivity Of the poor suffering
prisoners for an indefinite period. We are as
sured that the rebels are not only anxious to
release our captured soldiers, but have offered
fair terms, which the austere Secretary Of War
refuses to entertain. Being unable to provide
for so large body Of prisoners, they were
compelled to send them south, and . few days
ago the Richmond dungeons were emptied, and
the prissns at Danville, Salisbury, &C., are
now crowded with the hapless captured Union
men.


A few days ago appointment gentleman visit
ed City Point by permission of the President,
to supply the soldier. from his State with ne
cessaries of life and clothing. There he met
Ould, and had conference-of course unofa-
cial-with him. He was told that the rebels
were willing to exchange man for man as
soon as our government chose 10 accept the
offer. On bis return he sought and obtained an
interview with Major General Benjamin F. But
Ter, the new commander of the Department of
Virginia and North Carolina, and laid these
facts before him, also acquainting him with
other material and important points on
this much contested question. General
Butler at once took decided step, and
10 now combating Secretary Stanton, with
view to force him to deviate from his chosen
ground, and proceed ct once to effect the re-
lease Of our prisoners.


In order to Judge Of the suffering endured by
Union prisoners in Richmond, we feel author
lied to state, on high and competent authority,
that two thousand of these men have offered to
give their parole until the end Of the war,
to save themselves from actual death.
This information, coupled with the utter imbe-
cilby Of the War Department on the question
Of the cartel, has caused General Butler to
take such decisive stand against Mr. Stanton
and he has the undivided sympathy Of the pub
lie with him--that from his well known firm
ness in everything he undertakes, it is to be