Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-09
F,rhL The naril with Fire.

The attempt 70 burn Richmond wal no worse than
the attempt which going day after day and night
aher night 70 born Charleston 0ae was to have been
dOas with 6rs-balls, turpentine and torpedoes-the
other Is attempted to be done with bomb shells and
Greek 6rs-oue BY manual application Of the TORCH
the other By the proectis force of artillery What Is
the differences in p,lnt of moraily' The attempt upon
Charleston s indeed more purely WAntOu and dsVish
than that on RchmoUd-fOr in the fSrrer city, there
are no prisoners 70 be resae3 sush important public
ssablshuents 10 be destroyed as hsre-nO such high
unetOnares to bS disposed Of-nor would the destruc'
On of Charleston give the enemy the least military Ad'
vantage, for the batteries Of B-Auresard would still
interpOse their veto to TIE advance of the foe.
Wsrepsat, therefore, that what has been attempted
AGAINST Richmond is no worse than what, for months
past has been going on Agains. Charleston. The at
tempt hare was probably induced by the submission and
humility with which the enemy that We bore there
The two together, with the additional light from the
BAKING roofs Of numerous villages and eHntess barnf,
mills and residences wherever the savages have been,
make i. a. clear as the sun at day that the enemy
have adopted the torch a. regular instrument Of war,
Nov, VIA, We desire to direct the attention of the
authorities to- the fact that IL is not only
aHiul 20 6ght the enemy with ths weapon ne emPoyF'
ba, il is idOtc TO ght him with any less Effective, If that
Weapon eau be Obtained. No law, human or divine re-
ouires man to defend mseR with any lsss force, or
by any less e,ien: means than are employed for bis
Injury or destruction The enemy having introduced
she system Of burning Cities We must burn Cities too
We come ous plainly and say exactly what We mean Il
Is game in which the advantage all oars. We eau
do the enemy An hundred fold dImAg, At II thAl
they can do u.s. Their cities are far larger, far more
numerous and the centres Of vastly wealth than
Ours
We may not it true be able 10 send rAidng party
TO dash into Philadelphia Nav York to do the work;
nor have We artillery that will carry Greek Ere far
enough 70 reach them; but have that watch will 90
farther than hOrsemsn can ride aud will penetrate what
she mgh.isst artillery would make no impression on
We have money. million Of dollars would lay in
sshss New York, Boston, Philadelphia Chicago, Pitts
burg, Washington aud ell their chief cities, aud the men
to do the business may b, picked up BY the hundred in
the streets Of those very cities ii should DO thOugh'
unsae to use tn n, there daring men in Canada of
MorgAns and other commands, who have escaped from
YAnkte dungeons, aud who would rejoice at an OPPOE-
tani.y Of doing something that would make all Yankee
dom howl with anguish And consternatoa.
That What Ue are saying may be giVun still more
practical turn, We will add thai We know aud have
talked with . mAa-a veil known officer OF the army,
and every way competent and ht-Wao is ready and
anxious at once to proceed TO Ca ada this business
He knows the risks he will encounter, bus be is sure
Of the results that will be achieved.
We have addressed ourselves TO Ehs authorities Of the
Government because We feel not the shallow Of doubt
that il mode Of warfare would, under the circum-
stances, be UNSTABLE legitimate and right But should
they reject the plan, suppose they Eoui then We
wish to rsnnd the public that the schema can be a.
we'll executed By private enterprise IS BY the direction
or conniVanos Of the authorides Richmond for whom
such fate designed Charleston every day witness
ing the disposition Of the enemy in this regard, and
hourly experiencing the ha1Ird OfhAVng their purposes
achieved, could easily raise the money needed for the
accomplishment of the desgu Money will supply the
men, and they, properly organised and directed would
easily and certainly do the work.