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military problem。 Had they all been turned loose as soon as captured；
their efforts would not have hastened the Confederacy's fate a single
day。
As to the responsibility for this monstrous cataclysm of human misery and
death： That the great mass of the Southern people approved of these
outrages； or even knew of them； I do not； for an instant； believe。 They
are as little capable of countenancing such a thing as any people in the
world。 But the crowning blemish of Southern society has ever been the
dumb acquiescence of the many respectable； well…disposed； right…thinking
people in the acts of the turbulent and unscrupulous few。 From this
direful spring has flowed an Iliad of unnumbered woes； not only to that
section but to our common country。 It was this that kept the South
vibrating between patriotism and treason during the revolution； so that
it cost more lives and treasure to maintain the struggle there than in
all the rest of the country。 It was this that threatened the
dismemberment of the Union in 1832。 It was this that aggravated and
envenomed every wrong growing out of Slavery； that outraged liberty；
debauched citizenship； plundered the mails； gagged the press； stiffled
speech； made opinion a crime； polluted the free soil of God with the
unwilling step of the bondman； and at last crowned three…quarters of a
century of this unparalleled iniquity by dragging eleven millions of
people into a war from which their souls revolted； and against which they
had declared by overwhelming majorities in every State except South
Carolina； where the people had no voice。 It may puzzle some to
understand how a relatively small band of political desperados in each
State could accomplish such a momentous wrong； that they did do it； no
one conversant with our history will deny； and that theyinsignificant
as they were in numbers； in abilities； in character； in everything save
capacity and indomitable energy in mischiefcould achieve such gigantic
wrongs in direct opposition to the better sense of their communities is a
fearful demonstration of the defects of the constitution of Southern
society。
Men capable of doing all that the Secession leaders were guilty ofboth
before and during the warwere quite capable of revengefully destroying
twenty…five thousand of their enemies by the most hideous means at their
command。 That they did so set about destroying their enemies； wilfully；
maliciously； and with malice prepense and aforethought； is susceptible of
proof as conclusive as that which in a criminal court sends murderers to
the gallows。
Let us examine some of these proofs：
1。 The terrible mortality at Andersonville and elsewhere was a matter of
as much notoriety throughout the Southern Confederacy as the military
operations of Lee and Johnson。 No intelligent manmuch less the Rebel
leaderswas ignorant of it nor of its calamitous proportions。
2。 Had the Rebel leaders within a reasonable time after this matter
became notorious made some show of inquiring into and alleviating the
deadly misery； there might be some excuse for them on the ground of lack
of information； and the plea that they did as well as they could would
have some validity。 But this state of affairs was allowed to continue
over a yearin fact until the downfall of the Confederacywithout a
hand being raised to mitigate the horrors of those placeswithout even
an inquiry being made as to whether they were mitigable or not。 Still
worse： every month saw the horrors thicken； and the condition of the
prisoners become more wretched。
The suffering in May； 1864； was more terrible than in April； June showed
a frightful increase over May； while words fail to paint the horrors of
July and August； and so the wretchedness waxed until the end； in April；
1865。
3。 The main causes of suffering and death were so obviously preventible
that the Rebel leaders could not have been ignorant of the ease with
which a remedy could be applied。 These main causes were three in number：
a。 Improper and insufficient food。
b。 Unheard…of crowding together。
c。 Utter lack of shelter。
It is difficult to say which of these three was the most deadly。 Let us
admit； for the sake of argument； that it was impossible for the Rebels to
supply sufficient and proper food。 This admission； I know； will not
stand for an instant in the face of the revelations made by Sherman's
March to the Sea； and through the Carolinas； but let that pass； that we
may consider more easily demonstrable facts connected with the next two
propositions； the first of which is as to the crowding together。 Was
land so scarce in the Southern Confederacy that no more than sixteen
acres could be spared for the use of thirty…five thousand prisoners？
The State of Georgia has a population of less than one…sixth that of New
York； scattered over a territory one…quarter greater than that State's；
and yet a pitiful little tractless than the corn…patch 〃clearing〃 of
the laziest 〃cracker〃 in the Statewas all that could be allotted to the
use of three…and…a…half times ten thousand young men！ The average
population of the State does not exceed sixteen to the square mile； yet
Andersonville was peopled at the rate of one million four hundred
thousand to the square mile。 With millions of acres of unsettled；
useless； worthless pine barrens all around them； the prisoners were
wedged together so closely that there was scarcely room to lie down at
night； and a few had space enough to have served as a grave。 This； too；
in a country where the land was of so little worth that much of it had
never been entered from the Government。
Then； as to shelter and fire： Each of the prisons was situated in the
heart of a primeval forest； from which the first trees that had ever been
cut were those used in building the pens。 Within a gun…shot of the
perishing men was an abundance of lumber and wood to have built every man
in prison a warm； comfortable hut； and enough fuel to supply all his
wants。 Supposing even； that the Rebels did not have the labor at hand to
convert these forests into building material and fuel； the prisoners
themselves would have gladly undertaken the work； as a means of promoting
their own comfort； and for occupation and exercise。 No tools would have
been too poor and clumsy for them to work with。 When logs were
occasionally found or brought into prison； men tore them to pieces almost
with their naked fingers。 Every prisoner will bear me out in the
assertion that there was probably not a root as large as a bit of
clothes…line in all the ground covered by the prisons； that eluded the
faithfully eager search of freezing men for fuel。 What else than
deliberate design can account for this systematic withholding from the
prisoners of that which was so essential to their existence； and which it
was so easy to give them？
This much for the circumstantial evidence connecting the Rebel
authorities with the premeditated plan for destroying the prisoners。
Let us examine the direct evidence：
The first feature is the assignment to the command of the prisons of
〃General〃 John H。 Winder； the confidential friend of Mr。 Jefferson Davis；