Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-12-02
IN. A,,cmp, 10 burn New vera.

purposes continue to crowd the columns
Of the papers, and form the staple Of con-
vcrsation among citizens. There are three
hypothesis, each OF which has its advo-
Gates. and neither Of which is entirely
satisfactory The first, and under the cir
cumstances, the first that would naturally
suggest itself, is that the fire was the work
of the rebels, who had hired incendiaries
( to lay New York in ashes, 10 avenge the
Southern towns and cities which have
been destroyed in like manner. In sup
port Of this belief, it is urged that threat
of the sort was recently made in a Rich
mond paper, svowing that the burning OF
| Northern cities would soon bring the Gov
eminent to terms. and that it was
entirely practicable to do so, rs the men
were known who could be hired to apply
the torch. On the other hand tits urged
that city known to be hostile, by vast
majority, to the special views Of the alb
olitionists; city whose population is
| largely composed of the advocates OF
State Rights, and who deprecate war as a
means Of restoring the Union, would not
be the first set apart for ruin. And, be-
sides, it is argued, most forcibly, that the
| Southern leaders are too sagacious to com
NIT or countenance an act, which would
rouse the indignation Of the whole North
ern people. and impart to the wsr force
aud ierocity which it has not yet known.
A second hypothesis is, that it is the
work of thieves, who hoped, in the con-
fusion of the conhagration, to enrich them
selves by appropriating the muniheent
spoils of the most opuleut city on the
continent. But it is urged that 1t could
not have been the work Of "thieVes and
robbers for it would not have been, then,
planned with no much risk and audacity'
and il would have been more terribly eifec-
tive, from the more intimate knowledge
local robbers would have had, of where to
strike |"
The third hypothesis is, that it was
bogus plot, devised by persons connected
with the Government, aud designed for
one or the other. or perhaps both OF the
objects following. namely. First. To
arouse the indignation of the whole North
ern people to pitch Of frenzy against the
South, and thereby fill up up the ranks
of the army and impart to it an over
whelming aud resistless force or, Second
ly, to furnish ABRAHAM LINCOLN with
pretext for a coup detdt, after the manner
of NAroLEoN, relieving him wholly from
the pretence, even, of observing the forms
of the Constitution and Laws in the Ad-
minstration Of the Government, We are
slow to accept this solution, and will resist
the conviction of its truth and justice as
long as it is possible. And yet il is not
without circumstances calculated to cast
suspicion on the quarter which this theory
duplicates.
In fixing guilt upon party accused,
the motive which he might have for per
petrating the deed, is an essential part Of
the evidence necessary to conviction
Whether either or both of the motives in
dicated above are of nature which would
1 impel the persons implicated to the com
mission of the act, is for the reader t
r decide.
e The facts all considered, seem to indi
cate almost conclusiyely, that it was no
intended to burn the city. but ouly to ter
= rify the peopls. A bona fde intent I,
9 burn, would hardly have failed of ia
greater measure of success, when we con
slider that the flames were successful,
, kindled in so many localities. And tn
fact that in every instance doors wer
closed, so as to afford too little air to sup
= port combustion, seems to forbid the be
lief that anything more than teribl
s fright of the people was intended. 1
i weighing the testimony, and fixing tn
It guilt, it is essential to consider wheth
n er, for the motives imputed, the terror {
i the awful and( imminent danger of
t general conAagration would not be as effe,
= tive, as its actual consummation.
But, as we said, we reject the latt,
" hypothesis, as too monstrous for belle
- By the votes of the people, Mr.. LNoOL
,f and his party have been intrusted with