The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1853-03-31

country hu Yielded TO the mercy which 1t
was well known lived in his mani y bosom.
1t might have spared congcnial sacrifice.
But proceed.
| AS soon as the execution Of Andre took
place Lord Rawtlon determined to execute
the first officer of his rank which tho British
made prisoner. Under the capitulation Of
Charleston, the gallant and unfortunate
llayne was prisoner, and WIS the selected
victim of retaliation. lie WAS the uncle of
the llayne who, as the champion of tho
Soutl, in his memorable contest with Your
Mr.. Webster, acquired Il rcnown little infer
ior to that Of his great antagonist.
1t seems, when brought out for execution,
Major Wigc, the grandfather Of the petit
oner, stood at the foot of his ga!lows, and
indicated Il grief he could not conceal, and
an Indignation lie could not suppress.
Poor lIayne met his fate with the herosm
which marked the conduct Of Andre Major
Wi"g attended to receive his remains.
Iaync and himself, bosom friends, had mar
rcd sisters. Haynes execution created a
great sensation, not only in South Carolina,
hut throughout the con:inent-a Young and
beautiful widow in despair large circle of
hercavei friends, and the glorious promise
Of one Of the finest mch South Carolina ever
produce" nippeu III Tie bud.
Immediately after this blood-thirst ex-
c"ntion, Gen. Greene openly announced that
the first british officer of Haynes rank who
was talon prisoner should, in retaliation for
the execution Of IIayrc pay the forcfit of
his life
No sooner Was tiis a,iu;,nci;,ton made
than Col. Balfour, who commanded the
British forces in the occupation of Charles
ton, ordered forty OF the most distinguished
citizens OF South Carolina, then prisoners of
war under parol, into close confinement on
board OF the prison-ship s!oop- -of-war Pack
Horse, and distinctly notified them that they
were hostages, and that in case Of the exccu-
ton of one of his Majcsty's subjects, or on
the preparation Of any acts Of Larharity
towards the Loyalsts of South Carolina,
they should swing. You may well suppose
what an excitement this produced in that
colony; nor was the deep sympathy felt for
the prisoners in any degree diminished by
the fact that in reply to this threat they ad-
dressed a letter to Gen. Greene, then com
mandei-inch chief in South Carolina, earnest
ly soliciting him not for one instant to pause
i'll executing just act Of retaliation for the
murder of Hay lie, as they were prepared to
meet their fate, and only regretted they could
not render il more S; ;Hnal service in the cause
of their country.
In the then state Of public feeling in South
Carolina, Col. Balfour, probably apprc-
hending Chat the Pack Horse would bc car
ricd by Il night attack and the prisoners res
cued, ordered her round to New York On
her voyage, when off Cape Fear, the prison.
crs rose, and, by an act OF valor unsurpassed
in naval annals, captured tie Pack Horse,
and carried her into Beaufort, North Caro-
lima, by which, in aiming their liberty,
they terminated their character and service
as hostages.
1t was during his confinement that the
estate of the grandfather of the petitioner
was devastated, who was regarded as Il
leading spirit among the prisoners, and
probably wrote the letter to Gen. Greene,
which, with his known conncxion with the
| deceased Hayne, marked him as an object
OF vengeance. An expedition was fitted out
from Charleston. which sailed around to the
Okctty river, one Of the streams of the plan
tation of the petitioner, abducted about one
hundred Of his slaves, seized his crop, cattle
stock, and every species ofmoveahle property
on the plantation, and what was not sus-
ccptible of removal was wantonly destroyed.
His slaves were carried to ST. Augustine,
Florida, and in the end were lost to the
owner. In this expedition Major Wigg's
was the only plantation ravaged. 1t is con-
tended, not only on every principle ofjustico
but by well recognized rules in the law Of
nations applicable to hostage, the Govern
ment Of the United States is bound to make
a compensation. The former explicitly pre-
diets that Where an enemy in fragrant bello
devastates the property of hostage during
the time he is held as such, his country is
bound to indemnify him fully for his loss, as
by their acts he was placed in such situa-
ton as to be incapable Of protecting it by his
presence and exertions.
should think this very clear, replied
that the claim moreover, by public gratitude
and every recollection connected with the
honor and glory of the country, is incon-
testible.
Yes, he replied, Major Wigg was hos.
tage, was daclarcd such by Col. Balfour, and
made so by the threats and acts # his Gov
ernment. Standing with Ater around
his neck in his floating aungsBn, he was dis
abled from protecting his property. am
not familiar with the doctrine of hostage,
but you will doubtless hear it most ably
discussed by moro than one gentleman of
the South Carolina delegation. 1t will bea
novel discussion, for doubt whether there
is another case in the whole history 1.-the
revolution where hostage, whilst|held as
sach, had his property devastate9 II