Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-03-29
.allg Gmplre.
Burning Of CiIles.

"1A AAnB VI AAAAGHs
From the Richmond Wing, March S,l
The attempt TO burn Richmond was no
worse than the attempt which is going on
day after day aud night after night to burn
Charleston. One was to have been done with
fire balls, turpentiue, and torpedoes; the 9th.
sr is attempted to be done with bomb. shells
and Greek fre---one by manual application Of
the torch, the other BY the ptojectile force of
artillery. What is the difference in point of
morality The attempt upon Char lesion is,
indeed, more wanton and devilish than that
Oh Richmond for in the former city there
are no prisoners to he released no such ius-
portant public establishments to be- destroyed
as here no such high functionaries to be dis.
posed of nor would the destruction Of Charles
ton give the enemy the least military advan.
tage, for the batteries OF Beauregard would
still interpose their veto TO the ADVANCE of
the foe
We repeat, therefore, that what has been
attempted against Richmond is no worse than
what, for months, has been going on against
Charleston. The attempt here was probably
Induced 10y the submission and humility with
which the enemy saw we bore il there. The
two together, with the additional light from
the blazing roofs Of Numerous villages aud
countless barns, mills and residences, where
ever the savages have been, make il as clear
as the sun at MONDAY that the enemy have
adopted the torch as II regular instrument Of
war.
Now, wha, we desire to direct the attention
Of the government authorities to is the fact
that 1t is not only Lawful TO fight the enemy
with the weapon he employs, but it is idiotic
TO fight him with any less effective, II that
weapon can be obtained. No law, human or
divine, requires n man to defend himself with
any less force, OF by any leSs efficient means
than are employed for his injury or destruc
ton. The enemy having introduced the sys-
tem of burning cities, we must burn cities too
We come out plainly and say exactly what we
mean. II is a game in which the advantage
is all ours, We can do the enemy hundred
fold more damage than they can do us. Their
cities are far larger, far more numerous, and
the eenters OF vastly more wealth than ours.
We may not, it is true, be able to send a
rading party to dash into Philadelphia or
New York to do the work nor have we the
artillery that will carry Greek FIRE far enough
to reach them; but we have that which will
go further than horsemen can ride, and will
penetrate what the mightiest artillery would
make no impression on--we have money A
million Of dollars would lay in ashes New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago. Pitts
burg, Washington, and oil their chief cities.
aud the men to do the business may be nick.
ed up by the hundred in the streets Of those
very cities. II il should be thought unsafe
to use them, there are daring men in Canada
Of Morgans and other commands, who have
escaped from Yankee dungeons, and who
would rejoice at an opportunity OF doing some
thing that would make all Yankeedom howl
with anguish and CONSERVATION.
That what we are saying may by given g
still more practical turn, we will add that we
know and have talked with mana well
known officer Of the army, aud every way
competent aud ht--Who is ready aud anxious
at once to proceed to Canada on this business,
He knows the risks he will encounter, bot he
is sure Of the results that will be achieved.
We have addressed ourselves 10 the author.
tiles Of the government, because we feel not
the shadow Of doubt that this mode of wAr.
fare would, under the circumstances be iusti.
fable, legitimate aud right But should they
reject the plan, as we suppose they would,
then we wish to remind the public that the
scheme can be as well executed by private en-.
terprise as by the direction or connivanee of
the authorities. Richmond, for whom such a
fate was designed, Charleston every day wit.
Messing the disposition OF the enemy in this
regard, aud hourly experiencing the hazard
OF having their purpose achieved, could easily
raise the money for the accom- nplishment Of
the design. Money would supply the men,
and they. properly organized aud directed
would easily and certainly do the work