In October, 1863, the number of Confederate prisoners in possession of the Federal government amounted to about 40,000 men. The Federals in the Confederate hands were only 13,000. This excess had been gained by the battles since the spring of the year and became a reason urged by General Hitchcock why he would not accept Mr. Quid s proposition in October "that all officers and men on both sides be released in conformity with the provisions of the cartel, the excess on the one side or the other to be on parole. This proposition of Mr. Ould to relieve the prisons of their burden in the beginning of winter and to release nearly sixty thousand sufferers by exchange or on parole found great favor in many parts of the North. Pressure for its acceptance was made in earnest by the North, but the reply was final that the effect would be to release 27,000 more Confederates than Federal soldiers from the restraints of prison life. From this date general exchange was discontinued, although certain special deliveries were effected. General Butler by his own request was appointed agent of exchanges at with a total cessation of an arrangement which was indispensable as means to mitigate the horrors of war.
An amnesty proclamation was issued by President Lincoln December 8, 1863, as a part of the scheme adopted at Washington for reconstruction of the States. The proclamation offered Federal protection to such State governments as should be set up according to the mode prescribed by the general government and to them only. The President frankly gave as a reason why this benefit was tendered only to State governments set up in this particular way that otherwise the majorities in the States sought to be reconstructed were averse to the " particular way " proposed. The part of the proclamation tendering the pardon to individuals prescribed an oath required to be taken and registered to support the Constitution, all acts of Congress, and all proclamations
