Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-02-13
Palmetto Punis hment.

Night and day, the burning shells fall upon
the remains of the city of Charleston Slowly
but surely, the homes of the Carolina aristocra-
CIV. in which the foul Conspiracy against free
government in America was born and nurtured
to maturity, are crumblng into ruin. The pro-
cess of destruction demands time but the work
is not interrupted, and the rebels themselves con-
fess that it is impossible to avert the execution
of the sentence. They could have saved the city
by surrendering it when its capture or demoli
ton became inevitable. The pride which spur
red them on to attempt 10 rule or ruin mighty
nation spurncd Il capitulation and invited the
alternative. Therefore there is no sympathy
wasted on the sufferers as Charleston goes down
under the fire OF GilmoreS guns. The occupa-
ton of the site may be postponed until after
the capture of Savannah and the defeat of the
rebel armies it may sgnazc the close Of the
bloody conflict there inaugurated. and thus round
off the story of rebellion with moral which
guilty ambition will not fail to ponder we'll
Enough that the idea Of retrbutiye Justice which
filled and fired all loyal minds when the news
of the assault on Sumter fashedoyer the land is
in progress of realization. Vain are all those
elaborate defenScS which the best engineering
talent in Dixie took pains to revise in Charleston
harbor The forts, the distractions, the mar
shalled host ready and eager for battle there;
but the shells form fiery arches over them all,
| and from the secure shelter Of their earthworks
the Union artllcristS leisurcly proceed with
their task of destruction. The Palmetto chiyal-
~ not even offered chance to fight, so that
they may seek compensation fer the loss Of their
city in the slaughter of the besicgers They can
do nothing but stack their muskets and contem-
plate the extending mass of charrcd tlmbcrS and
crumbling walls. Rage, fret, fume. curse and
threaten rs they will. they are helpless and harm
less. Charleston will be destroyed, and either
make room for city which shall be the home of
3
waste forever
! Who doubts the Justice of the sentence? Go
/ back to the beginning of the plots against the
! National Goyernmcnt--the cOnspiracics for
! plunging peaceful and prosperous people into
! the horrors of Charleston was their tOun-
! tain head. South Carolina, with more than her
! legitimate share of sway at Washington-wth IA
wealth and security entirely owing to the strong
guarantees Of the Union, and which other COM
mruities might well cnvy-cherishcd hatred of
! her bcnefactor so intense and implacable. and at
| the same time cauScless. that it seemed to be Il
disease by which heart and brain were wrought
up to the fever of fanaticism. Her youth sent
! to West Point and educated at the expense of the
nation, were carefully instructed in the doctrines
of treachcry, ingratitude turbulence and anarchy
by her ruling politicians. Her arrogance and
menaccS when cherished object was to be OBJ
tanned in the National councils were insufferable
/! Her citation and her championship of reaction
AIRY tenets were incessant and violent. She plan
/ ned the election Of anti-slavery President
AMI re ioiced over it, and then made that election
prrteNt FOR raising the standard Of rebellion. -
While assured that her instruments 1t Washing
ton would paraIyzo the arm of the Government
/ She siezod the National property or her soil aud
invested National fort Amd finding thai SENT
thing was still needed to drag the Southern
States into revolution. she defantll fired upon
the National Gl- and 5ombarlcd the fort erected
by til" Government for the protection of its
city. Wildly do remember those day s. of
mingled shame and Indignation. when the pre-
tons Pickons and the boastful Bcaurcgard were
inspecting the batteries on the banks of Charles
ton harhOr, holding gay review of Palmetto
warriors in sight of Il beleaguered garrison of
faithful Union troops while accOmplcc in
their treason talked against coercion from the
chair OF Washington, and not hand was lifted
in defense of the outraged dignity of the nation
lest. forSooth such action might . cxaspcrate :"
these chronic malignants. We also recall the
dastardy act of firing on the Stof Of tie Uc1
while going with provisions to the needy gar
rison of Sumter, the elimination Of the crime
in the bombarlment of that fort even while
Anderson 5 men were battling with the flames
and the subsequent degradation of the National
flag. Thence all the hutchery. the suffering. the
waste and the burdens of this terrible war
Thence the mourning that Grapes many thou
sands of homes North and South. The crime
tor which Charleston suffers is 50 gigantic HAT
capital punishment alone will satisfy the re-
quirementS OF justicc.-S9crGH'afo Tnion.