andersonville-第108部分

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subject　them　to　punishment；　so　state　opposite　their　names。　　Also；　state
whether　you　think；　under　all　the　circumstances；　they　should　be　released。
The　arrangement　I　have　made　works　largely　in　our　favor。　　WE　GET　RID　OF　A
SET　OF　MISERABLE　WRETCHES；　AND　RECEIVE　SOME　OF　THE　BEST　MATERIAL　I　EVER
SAW。

Tell　Captain　Turner　to　put　down　on　the　list　of　political　prisoners　the
names　of　Edward　P。　Eggling；　and　Eugenia　Hammermister。　　The　President　is
anxious　that　they　should　get　off。　　They　are　here　now。　　This；　of　course；
is　between　ourselves。　　If　you　have　any　political　prisoners　whom　you　can
send　off　safely　to　keep　her　company；　I　would　like　you　to　send　her。

Two　hundred　and　odd　more　political　prisoners　are　on　their　way。

I　would　be　more　full　in　my　communication　if　I　had　time。　　Yours　truly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ROBERT　OULD；　Commissioner　of　Exchange。

To　Brigadier　general　John　H。　Winder。


But；　supposing　that　our　Government；　for　good　military　reasons；　or　for　no
reason　at　all；　declined　to　exchange　prisoners；　what　possible　excuse　is
that　for　slaughtering　them　by　exquisite　tortures？　　Every　Government　has
ap　unquestioned　right　to　decline　exchanging　when　its　military　policy
suggests　such　a　course；　and　such　declination　conveys　no　right　whatever　to
the　enemy　to　slay　those　prisoners；　either　outright　with　the　edge　of　the
sword；　or　more　slowly　by　inhuman　treatment。　　The　Rebels'　attempts　to
justify　their　conduct；　by　the　claim　that　our　Government　refused　to　accede
to　their　wishes　in　a　certain　respect；　is　too　preposterous　to　be　made　or
listened　to　by　intelligent　men。

The　whole　affair　is　simply　inexcusable；　and　stands　out　a　foul　blot　on　the
memory　of　every　Rebel　in　high　place　in　the　Confederate　Government。

〃Vengeance　is　mine；〃　saith　the　Lord；　and　by　Him　must　this　great　crime　be
avenged；　if　it　ever　is　avenged。　　It　certainly　transcends　all　human　power。
I　have　seen　little　indication　of　any　Divine　interposition　to　mete　out；　at
least　on　this　earth；　adequate　punishment　to　those　who　were　the　principal
agents　in　that　iniquity。　　Howell　Cobb　died　as　peacefully　in　his　bed　as
any　Christian　in　the　land；　and　with　as　few　apparent　twinges　of　remorse　as
if　he　had　spent　his　life　in　good　deeds　and　prayer。　　The　arch…fiend　Winder
died　in　equal　tranquility；　murmuring　some　cheerful　hope　as　to　his　soul's
future。　　Not　one　of　the　ghosts　of　his　hunger…slain　hovered　around　to
embitter　his　dying　moments；　as　he　had　theirs。　　Jefferson　Davis　〃still
lives；　a　prosperous　gentleman；〃　the　idol　of　a　large　circle　of　adherents；
the　recipient　of　real　estate　favors　from　elderly　females　of　morbid
sympathies；　and　a　man　whose　mouth　is　full　of　plaints　of　his　wrongs；
and　misappreciation。　　The　rest　of　the　leading　conspirators　have　either
departed　this　life　in　the　odor　of　sanctity；　surrounded　by　sorrowing
friends；　or　are　gliding　serenely　down　the　mellow　autumnal　vale　of　a
benign　old　age。

Only　Wirzsmall；　insignificant；　miserable　Wirz；　the　underling；　the　tool；
the　servile；　brainless；　little　fetcher…and…carrier　of　these　men；　was
punishedwas　hanged；　and　upon　the　narrow　shoulders　of　this　pitiful
scapegoat　was　packed　the　entire　sin　of　Jefferson　Davis　and　his　crew。
What　a　farce！

A　petty　little　Captain　made　to　expiate　the　crimes　of　Generals；　Cabinet
Officers；　and　a　President。　　How　absurd！

But　I　do　not　ask　for　vengeance。　　I　do　not　ask　for　retribution　for　one　of
those　thousands　of　dead　comrades；　the　glitter　of　whose　sightless　eyes
will　follow　me　through　life。　　I　do　not　desire　even　justice　on　the　still
living　authors　and　accomplices　in　the　deep　damnation　of　their　taking　off。
I　simply　ask　that　the　great　sacrifices　of　my　dead　comrades　shall　not　be
suffered　to　pass　unregarded　to　irrevocable　oblivion；　that　the　example　of
their　heroic　self…abnegation　shall　not　be　lost；　but　the　lesson　it　teaches
be　preserved　and　inculcated　into　the　minds　of　their　fellow…countrymen；
that　future　generations　may　profit　by　it；　and　others　be　as　ready　to　die
for　right　and　honor　and　good　government　as　they　were。　　And　it　seems　to　me
that　if　we　are　to　appreciate　their　virtues；　we　must　loathe　and　hold　up　to
opprobrium　those　evil　men　whose　malignity　made　all　their　sacrifices
necessary。　　I　cannot　understand　what　good　self…sacrifice　and　heroic
example　are　to　serve　in　this　world；　if　they　are　to　be　followed　by　such　a
maudlin　confusion　of　ideas　as　now　threatens　to　obliterate　all　distinction
between　the　men　who　fought　and　died　for　the　Right　and　those　who　resisted
them　for　the　Wrong。







End