New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-16
TIKI nuKNING on CHARLESTON.

If tie news we have received from Charlef-
ton b. true-ald We sec no reason 10 doubt u
the best and olio,t part Of that CITY, the
yefv heart of tbs town, was already IN ashes,
while the Gre, which began ut o'clock On The
cyeaing Of "Wednesday last, was stil raging at 10
O'Clock OF the ncIt evening, when tse steamer
Illinois passed IN front Of the LarhSr. At 'he jate
Of our last repor, froIo the torn iiscf tl.at
Is. a. 3 O'Clock on Thursday aier.ovn # was
as A New-iork Wsss burned FROM Twentieth
street b The Batter, aud from the East River
10 The Hudson. b. fhis tine probably, where
Charleston once was IL only hap Of smoldoT.
inc ruins; nor is il likely that il will ever be
rebuilt AZ the raBk growth OF rich soil,
under Southern sun, shall cover the
crumbliug walls Of once fair city, most
goodly u look uron, monument may arse
there a. picturesque af the facts OF It's history
are striking When the colonies were striking
70 establish their independence Of Great
Britain. Charleston was Sled with the most
malignant Tories; size with hef state, came
reluctantly into the Federal uuion, under the
prfsfa, Constitution, even with the concession
Of twenty years free tyade N native Africans;
m les than half century later, she attempted
the destruction of the Government, and iallin Z
only because Ito head, Gen. Jackson, was
prompt and energetic IN the punishment OF
treason. aud because she could then ind 10
accomphces in her sister States; but again,
thirty years only pass away when she once more
stands forth the head and front Of rebellion.
Her State is tie first TO pass act of seces-
sion: fOr months, by word and deed, she leaves
10 moment unemployed, Do occasion unused, 10
in1ame the passions Of the whole South, to
drive other States into some act u cOmmittal
I from which tie, could not recede with honor.
Her hand hres tire fret hostile shot; and the Ga,,
Of tho Union, by an unhappy necessity, is low
cred, for the Grst time, before domestic foe.
/ Thus has sine been always the enemy of the
/ Union. a stumbling block to human progress, a
hindrance to the cauIe Of Popular Government,
the friend Of despotism, the enemy OF the peo-
iple. The cruublDg walls Of fallen
/ city. picturesque IN decay, mark the spot
whose people. from the beginning have
been incapable Of accepting tie idea Of that
civilization for which tae Almighty reserved
one half the Globe. We DO not laugh a. their
calamity, nor mock That their fear cometh;
but We maxi how eYeIts, whether accidental
OK not, record the Judgment Of historical justice.
Tie Romans would have accepted the omen aa
am assurance Of the stability If the Republic,
and Of the anger of She gods Of ulc ingratitude
and wicl cdness Of traitors.
J. tbs pursing by Gre accidental Who can
answer now, even il ever the question can BE-
settled Nothing is more certain than that
crime is epidemic; that, FROM murder and arson
terminate murder aud arson as certainly AS the
seeds of the ffuits Of the earth produce after
their kind. in times OF disorder and popular
panic frenzy selzcs the minds Of, TIE uncult.
waited, ard they grow drunk with The horrors
they feed on, and hasten to their reproduction.
Would it be strange if such should have been
the influence Of events on the dark and simple
minds of the slaves Would il not rather be
strnnpe if 10 were otherwise We know that
Tor weeks past all along the coasts OF South
Carolina there has seemed 10 DO q wall Of fire.
4 panic has spread throughout a wide region,
and the planters flying from a foe, who the
simple slaves believe, comes for their liberation,
leave their houses, their barns, their stores Of
cotton, their stacks vi hay aud grain, ia blazing