belonging to South
Carolina to be placed in close confinement, and informed the Confederate
Government of the action. The Richmond _Examiner_ becoming cognizant of
this said:

"It is not merely the pretension of a regular Government
affecting to deal with 'rebels,' but it is a deadly stab
which they are aiming at our institutions themselves;
because they know that, if we were insane enough to yield
this point, to treat black men as the equals of white, and
insurgent slaves as equivalent to our brave white soldiers,
the very foundation of slavery would be fatally wounded."

Several black soldiers were captured in an engagement before Charleston,
and when it came to an exchange of prisoners, though an immediate
exchange of all captured in the engagement had been agreed upon, the
confederates would not exchange the negro troops. To this the
President's attention was called, whereupon he issued the following
order:

"EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, July 30th, 1863.

"It is the duty of every government to give protection to
its citizens, of whatever color, class, or condition, and
especially to those who are duly organized as soldiers in
the public service. The law of nations and the usages and
customs of war, as carried on by civilized powers, permit no
distinction as to color in the treatment of prisoners of
war, as public enemies. To sell or enslave any captured
person, on account of his color, and for no offense against
the laws of war, is a relapse into barbarism, and a crime
against the civilization of the age. The government of the
United States will give the same protection to all its
soldiers; and if the enemy shall enslave or sell any one
because of his color, the offense shall be punished by
retaliation upon the enemy's prisoners in our possession.
It is therefore ordered that for every soldier of the United
States killed in violation of the laws of war, a rebel
soldier shall be executed, and for every one enslaved by the
enemy or sold into slavery, a rebel soldier shall be placed
at hard labor on public works, and continued at such labor
until the other shall be released and receive the treatment
due to a prisoner of war.

"ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

"By order of the Secretary of War.

"E. D. TOWNSEND,