New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-07
TEsE CARNIVAL OF MURDER.


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TEsE CARNIVAL OF MURDER.
The recent butchory Of a company of colored
Union soldiers near Yieksburg, by party OF
gucrrillas who surprised and overwhelmed them,
is treated in some quarters as merely one OF the
excuses incident 10 state Of war. But 1t is
no such thing. Quantrclls butchery at Law
renee Of surprised and unarmed white citizens
who had never been in military service, but
but were quietly sleeping in their peaceful
homes has never been in any mann0 dis
ayowed or reprobated by the Rebel authorities,
while it has been openly exulted over by their
journals. Quantrel's forces were recruited far
within our acknowledged lines, aud rapidly,
stcalthily riding by night into, Kansas, they
swooped down, just before daylight, on peaceful
Lawrence, butchering her male adult citizens
while plundering and burning their houses; and
no Rebel oracle has. ever expressed disapproba-
ton Of the deed.
few months ago, two Confederate officers
were caught recruiting for the Rebel army near
Maysyillc, Ky, = hundred miles within our
acknowledged lines and on territory which has
never been under Rebel rule. These men had
forfeited their lives By all the laws Of war, and
were tried By couTt-martial, convicted, and
sentenced 10 die. AT once, the Rebel authorities
put two Of our captured officers into close con-
fnemcnt, and declared that their lives should
be forfeit if the Confederatos aforesaid were
executed. And thus tho matter stood at our
last adyices.
Not long since, Gen. Peck, in command of
Newbern, learned that one Of his colored
soldiers had been captured and hanged, Oh a
charge of having shot Rebel Col. Shaw while
the latter was directing the laying OF pontoon
bridge during the recent fight at Townsville.
The Petersburg Va.) Register stated that such
was the fact. Gen. Peck cent The Register con-
tanning the statement to Gen. Pickett, the Rebel
commander OF Petersburg, with IN inquiry as to
its truth, and was answered as follows:
HEAparAnrzns DEPARTMENT o., EoxrH CAROLINA
PKTEHsBrEo Va, FEB. 49, 1894.
naj Grn. JoHs ]. PICK. Commanding at Hetcbern.
GENERAL: Your communication Of the 18th Of febru
y is from have the nSnoT % h. rs ,
only without foundation in fact bat ridiculous that
should scarcely have supposed It worthy OF consdora
eaa9h any negro rAo had Ess siiisr oee soiaisr or
ciaisH Of TIE C0nGGts SAFES sAeu4 kave osEsed him
10 Be Immediately sIoeufsi
To your threat expressed In the following extract from
your communication. yiE.i
Believing that tbs srocy Ns, been perpcrs.ei w,hou,
this violation Of tie 6sse Of war and 70 brns Of
fender 70 justice 'As refrain from o1eennss Rebel colder
have merely 10 say that have in my hands and sub
Jet my orders captured In the recent operations In
ibis Department, some 40 officers and men Of tie
United States Army; and for every man yol hang viii
hang ten Of he United States Army.
am. General, very respectfully your obedt serv't
g. L. PICKETT, Nal Gen. Cong.
Here Is frank ayowal, by Confederate
Maior-General commanding q Department, that
he will Kill negro captiyes in utter defiance of
the laws of War. And this is but carrying into
effect purpose cherished by the Rebel chiefs
long before We lad any negro troops, or thought
Of having any. Here is q letter from Gen.
Bcauregard, written before the Presidents first
Proclamation of Freedom:
BLADES. Ala. Aug. g. Ie62--,Iy dear General. re.
grot much 10 hear OF - being wounded. | hope he
will soon be able 10 face the AbOliOnis. In this con-
test We must triumph or perish and the sooner make
mp our minds 20 II the better. We understand the
hypocritoal cry Of " Union and the Constitution"
which means and always did mean, "spoliatiOn aud
murder"
~ Gil yet hare 10 cone 10 pr0cigi1iHg his "a
10 ne kRlt when qEdrfCr OH be ASKED granted
bre - he only ming EAteh pTereni recruiting at
he Worth As to ourselves think very few will not
admit that death Is preferable to dihonor and ruin.
With kind regards &c. Iremain yours sincerely.
G.. T. BEAugEGAED.
Gen. VIZ. Z. MARIE. POOotaliso, S. Q.
These are but q few instances out Of many,
oil tending to show settled purpose on the
part Of tho Confederate leaders to raise the
black flag and inaugurate q general butchcry Of
prisoners. The employment Of negroes on cur
side (long after they had been employed ON tho
other) is but pretext-an aitcrthought. They
would have done it any how; but they choose
to begin with negroes, knowing that our Gov.
eminent will be compelled to retaliate, and that
this will lead directly to general massacre of
prisoners. Let us not permit them to raise a
false issue, but hold them to their just response
bility.
The Nashville Times il new daily established
at tho capital of Tennessee by Mr.. s. C.. Mcr-
DOR he. r NJ