Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-04

yield. II he failed he would be usurper, and
deserved punishment as such.
The subject was finally referred to the com.
mitteo on the Judiciary"
DISCUSSING THEIR REvEEsEs.
A writer in the Richmond Examiner, after
referring to the defeat of the contedelaies at
fort Henry and Roanoke Island, says
81; is high time that these surrenders
should cease--tor, considering the character of
the war in its consequences to US, they have
been truly amazing, commencing with that of
the cavalry at Alexandria, down through that
OF Col. Pegram At Rich Mountain, that of
Commodore Barron at Hateras, Sc, to the
present lamentabe instances.
Al fort Henry, a brigadier general, I'M
wounded, having garrison almost intact,
lowers his flag over dozen guns of the largest
cailber, and with hackneyed compliment
yields up his blOodleSs sw ord. How whitening
and Illuminating to our southern manhood was
The sorrowiul reply OF the Yankee commodore.
That the general should have neglected to
make preparation for preventing the enemy
from ascending the river and burning the rail
road bridge, may be passed. over, because no
commission can make mah Il commander
unless it be given him by nature But if the
statement as TO his surrendering be true, is he
To be retained upon the rolls of the southern
army an officer?
The Roanoke affair is perfect incompre.
hehslble The newspapers are filed with ex-
travagant laudations OF our vaior; the annals
OF Greece and Rome offer no parallel; whole
regiments were defeated by companies, and
we yielded only to death. Our men finally
surrendered with no blood on their ba yoneis,'
and what is the loss ? Richmond Blues two
killed and five wounded McCulloch Rangers,
one Killed and two wounded; The other four
companies lost in all two killed and eleven
wounded. Comment is needless. The whole
army had better surrender at once; for it will
eventually come to it -
THEY TALK OF BURNING MEMPHIS.
The capture of fort Donelson caused vic.
lent panic in Memphis. Some began prepare
tions to run away. And there was talk Of
burning the city before the federal forces could
arrive there and get possession of it; but this
pro osition did not get ver7 cordial approbl-
ton Nevertheless, representatives of the
. rowdy elements showed some tendency to set
the city on fire Immediately. The Memphis
Avalanche took up the matter and discussed
it thus -
The talk upon the corners is not always
remarkably sensible. Men who spend their
time in dilating their lungs at such places are
very often not the most wise, calm and brave
sort Of characters. They are apt to talk large
and act small. They often CLOAK over craven
heart under stout words. Ohen, too, their
counsels spring from panic stricken hearts,
though they wear the color and take the
shape of being the offspring OF courage and
patriotism.
Certainly prefer to follow the advice or
commands of our chosen and lawful leaders as
to the best modes of conducting the war. 1t is
the business, and duty, aud right of the mill.
tary chiefs to plan and direct the proper meas
ures in the exigency. Ii they say tight, we
say fight; If they say retreat we acquiesce
| however painful it may be il they say tear
| up the railroads, so say we; il they say burn
| the bridges, burn them; if they order The
| country to be laid waste, execute the order if
they command the city TO be laid i'll ashes, lay
| the city in ashes, and plough up its founda-
tons and SOW salt over them. 1t is the right
| of the military chiefs to give such orders anu
cause them to be executed The law OF the
land, the civil law read out of books and admin.
istered by the courts, holds them blameless tor
such orders and acts
But street corner orators and groggery alley
haunsers and whskey inhamed patriots and
panic struck cravens are not iutrusted with
any such right or authority; nor are even the
most sensible an excellent OF private citizens.
| Il thSy hSHtuiS W ueulp vi peIIe(IdtS any Ol
these acts, the law has Il name Tor them and
the statute book provides for their treatment
Feon is the name, and the act is arson-a
crime which is punished by Imprisonment in
the penltentiary not less than five nor more
than twenty one years. Arson is the wilfuI
burning OF any house or Clubhouse in the cuun
try, or the setting fire to or burning any house
or building in city or town.
Obviously, it may be very wise and alto.
| ri yht tn ht,rt 1
enemy is advancing, but quite as plainly is il
that 1t will never do to allow any person who
chooses 10 do these things. |! is not power
entrusted to any and every body 1t is not
certain that any and every body is wise, and
prudent, and patriotic. Any aud every body
may claim to be so, but any and every body 5
talk is not a very safe ground on which to
trust power Of this kind. Acts of this ex.
IRENE character may become a military neces
sitY Such was the case OF Moscow, famed in
the history of Napoleon"