The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-09
Eom tie CAarlssto~ Aerewry.
10 Char1esiOn 20 be Savedt

Inc Mercury asks this question, and asserts
that, with 1000 more laborers for four weeks,
the city conld be saved. ~.
If the people could but be convinced that
anybody was in earnest about it. and that
but the site-where commerce has her seat.
and history has bsen made in other days--the
place where, more than in any other equal
area, the pledge of Cardinals honor is De-
stowed-that this Charleston is to be defended
to the last extremity; not two thousand, but
ten thousand laborcrs could certainly be had.
Feeling thus, there are many to whom the
elaborate Notifications in the rear Of Charles
ton are simply grievance and provocation
they are guarantee to onr enemies that when
they have entered by the front door (the har-,
bor) they shall have the best means Of closing
the lack door against us, at cur expense.
q Nobody doubts that the city ought to be
defended; but there is only one way of pro-
wing that it will be-that is, sending a,Oay the
sconaen and children. Let the Governor and
Courcil order away the families of the wealthy;
let them take rough but large estimate of the
poor families; let them give notice to every
District which is accessible by railroad, through
the Soldiers Board of Relief that so many
families will be sent them in SO many ia, s, to
be sheltered and fed, that pole houses must be
built and food found for them. Let this
pledge be given, that our generals shall not be
besieged, in the critical mement, by weeping
women and their babes; and we shall know
that there is an object before us, worthy the
costliest sacrifices.
And if this is not done-if our rulers have
not the moral courage, and are not ripe for
heroic emergencies-then, in the name Of
common sense and the country, pour little
nitric acid into your guns mine the forts
above all, level your fcldworks-send our ar
mics to Virginia or Tennessee, where we know
some fighting is to be done.
We know the question is asked, as though
it were unanswerabls "Where is tho wisdom
Of doing the enemv's work for him9" And !:
eff We destroy the city, what do we gain by
defending the desoated site 2" We reply !:
that destruction, which would be crime if it
"o'C hot hSCCssaivs pcCoihSS ucToiC when IL
| utilities a victory. Let everything he pre-
served, of course, while it can be defended.
But bow easily those questions cen b. retorted!
Where is the wisdom Of furnishing ready-built
cities to our worst enemies-the very thing
they coveta And if We destroy the city,
what will the vandals gain by taking the emp
ty site
Is there no advantage in making one harbor
absolutely impregnable, and thus maintaining a
communication with the world9 Or, suppose
we lose it after all, if the enemy should attempt
to hold the ground, is there nothing in having
made it untenable, by reason Of tie sickness
the ruins would breedi Nothing in the proof
that there is desperate earnestness somewhere
in the Confedcracy9
In word, then, preserve every street, and
lane, and shed, while it can be defended, but
send of, at once, those who will render decisive
impossible Thus You will convince all-friend
and foe, and idle lockers on--tbat we are locked
together in perfect covenant to conquer or
perish together. Thus you will arouse the
spirit of the State, exercise the jealousy and sus-
picion that so readily spring amid disasters,
and show that the gage is thrown down in
Charleston that the utmost chivalrv of the