Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-12-04
The srissou,i Massacre.

The article which we Published yesterday with re-
ard to this matter, written week ago. before any
action had been taken by the authorities. Its publica
tion was unavodably delayed until there had already
appeared order to Gen Holmes directing hin to re-
quire the surrender of the murderer McNie in the
event Of refusal, to of the first officers of
the enemy that should fall into bis hands This order
bad escaped our notice yet do not know that it
would have altered our opinion. In the first place. Nc
Mel executed, with every Circumstance of horror ten
honest men ior not known to be detd and de-
scrlbed by the Abolition papers spy. 1t would
have been but 'veD-hand-d justice to have meted
out the exact measure with which he measured
General Holmes should have been ordered to exc
cute ten Yankee officers for every man MURDER
ed by McNel. Ia the second plac', there should
have beenpo contingency 10 the question. Mrs Glass
IN her dire to the mode OF cooking hare says
"frst OF all each hare" She would hardly have given
this sage direction had size been that every one who
m ght wish to avail himself OF her culinary skill had
hare ready caught for the experiment. Gen. Holmes
ike the readers of Mrs. Glasss book is to catch his
hare ID O. her words he is to capture his officers be-
iCre he shoot them. How if be stOuld catch
tn N? Is this damnable crime TO remain forever un-
punished 1t is understood that there always
officers, and plenty OF them in hands. Why not
constantly retaate upon them? In the third place,
matters stand at presan nothing easier than for the
Yankees TO elude all punishment, II will only be
cesary to dsav0w the act aud then the prec dent of tie
Pope may be pleaded. That mccreant when he
on his foray upon the Piedmont region published an
order by which he delivered up the whole country
piiIage
He declared, in many words, that be would not
protect the Inhabitants against MURDER rape, ard
pillage In reply the President issued order sabec
ing his officers when captured, TO Imprisonment there
to expect the punishment Ut bAndttl. The march be-
gan, atd the whole country became of robbery,
MURDER hOuseburIng and horrors of every description
Finding that he about to be aun Inflated by our
army, the rascal withdrew bis order. Forthwith
retalatOry order Withdrawn, and all the officers
had captured dismissed Our order, it seems, was is
sued against Pope'S order. The order the thing
aimed at not the con1mttel under that order
Our Government is a wonderful abstracti6Dst, and
cOntrved so completely to slip the necks of POpe'5 Off
out of the halter that they laughed at it's fumna
tons. II is clear enough that no retaliation will be
made for the Missouri massacre uuess the army take
the matter into its hands.
We cannot, aud we do not, suspect the Government
of any intention TO paltcr with the people; yet persons
less charitaby disposed than we profess to be- will be
aliate upon the enemy it should have been done at
once. here no occasion for any other order than
one to the proper officer, commanding him to select
certain number of Yankee officers Of the highest rank
10 hands, and to execute them with the proper for
malities There is no other left to deal with
enemy who is deaf alike to the voice Of and
of humanity. The beast Butler, but the other day,
when be Informed that Gen. Taylor would retaate
for the barbarous act of burning Bayou Sara replied
that in that event he should go banging among the
citizens of New Orleans until he had satisfied himself
He wo1Id not have dared to make such threat had he
not believed that the Confederate Government had not
the hardhood to retaate tor anything he might do.
Richmond Dispatch, 25th.