The New York herald., 1862-03-03
BURNING AND DESTROYING.

VI.
Propositions had been made TO burn Memphis in
preference letting it he occupied by federal troops.
The following article from the Aradiehe sobery treats
lhe question OF burning, and enters mild protest there
to:-
some talk is upon the street corners as to the po
bcy best be pursued in the enemy advance upon
the cty ard country and Likely TO capture the city,
Ths federal forcss yet great distance from and
hope and believe they will never be- able to reach
here Ce tainy they will If the whole people arouse
tn Iheir might and sold breast against the
vades The in progress here aims to stir up
the people this universal stance, and il pro
eable that IL will be successful
The talk upon the is not always remarkably
sensible. Men who spend their time in dating their
lungs at such places are very often not the most wise
calm and brave Of characters. They apt talk
large and act small They often cloak over craven
heart under stout words. 0fen, too, their counsels
sprng from panic stricken hearts, though they the
color and take the shape beng the Offspring of
Certainly prefer to follow the advice commands
n chosen and lawful leaders to the best modes
conducting the II is tho business and duty and
right Of the military chiefs to plan and direct the proper
neasures in tho exgency. If they say fight, We say
night If they say retreat we acluiesce however, painful
may be- II they say the railroads, say we; if
they say burn the bridges burn them If they order the
county TO be laid waste execute the order they
mand the city TO be laid in ashes lay the city in ashes
and plough ite foundations and salt them.
the right Of the military chiefs to give such orders and
cause them to be executed. 1hs law Of the land the
civil law read out OF books ana administered by tho
courts holds them bameoss for s1ch orders and acts
But street corner orators and GROCERY alley haunters
and whsksy inamed patriots and panic struck cravens
ere not intrusted with any such right authority
the sensible excellent Of private cti
Scns. III they venture 10 usurp perpetrate any OF
these acts the law has name for them and the statute
book provides for their treatment Feon is the name,
and the act Is crime which Is punished by i'm
prisonment in the pensn,iary not less than five
more than twenty one years. Arson is the wifal burn
ing of any house ouhouse in the country the
Sing fire to burning any house building city
town. Private persons not allowed do these acs,
matter Iaudable they may think thsr purpose.
Nor excuse himself from the consequences of
the crime though he sets fire to his building,
by doing he jeopards the baildng OF another AMI
besides the criminal offence such person makes himself
liable in civil action for the value Of any building Of
another VIII ch he caused TO be burned by his setting
Gre his house
Obv o1sly, 1t be very and altogether right TO
burn = town upon which al eaemy is advancing, but
quite plainly is it that 1t VII do 10 allow any
person who chooses TO do these things II is power
lntrussd to any and every body 1t is not certain that
any and every body is and prudsn; and patriotic
Any and every body may claim TO be SO. bat any and
every body talk is not very safe ground which
trust power OF this kind Acts Of this extreme charac
ter may become military pecessi.y Such was th. case
Of Moscow fsmei in the history OF Napoleon