The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-04-04
800
Dahleren'A Nlemsrandp n Boek.

IDENTITIES.
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DahsgreHss Nlemsrandp n Book.
The private memorsndum- book of Col.
Dahlgren, which has been deposited in the
War Department, places beyond ali doubt
the devilish scheme to destroy the city OF
Richmond, and 10 kill The President and
Cabinet The authenticity Of these is filly
established by that high-minded aud gallant
officer, Gen. Fitzhugn Lee, who states that
, there was no opportunity Of altering she,a
unless BY the courier whe was dispatched
with them, and that there was no writing.
whatever interlined IN them.
II is important that this document shea!s'
be carefully preserved; tina. it should be po'
in place where nome OF the numerous siies,
Villains, and other Federal employees IL
Richmond could lay their fingers upon 1t,
aid also be secure from iucenaiarism for
the late destructive fire near the War De
partmeHt, which Yves near Involving that
building in the surrounding ruins, woald
have more than paid the Yankee operators
If the Department had contained nothing
else but Dahlgrens O.iers. For the preser
Walton OF thiS private document no ordinary
vigilance should be exercised. 1t might be
well, perhaps, to remove II from the Wsr
Department, aaddepositit in some place not
generally known to the public.
At the same time, it is equally important
that the civilized world should be placed ia
possession Of the facts demonstrating its
authenticity, so that the unparalleled vii
lains by whom it was pldnped shall not have
theopportunity ofescapipg the responsibility
OF their crimes. We would especially IN
wife the attention or representatives O.
foreign powers and intelligent visitors from
Europe to this manuscript in Dahlgren's
own hand, So as to give them Oh opportu
nifty, by personal inspection, to judge for
themselves the shallow Yankee evasion of
forgery and interlneation. 1t would also be
: well to multiply fac smile copies, which,
with official attestation OF their accuracy,
should at once be sent abroad.
With reference TO those order, OF Dahl
grer, already published, the Yankees pre-
tend that the application OF the torch SO
freely directed therein was only intended for
public buildings, and that the order 10 kill
the President aud Cabinet was rebel inter
p0latiOn. No one can read those orders,
However, without being satisfied that the
universal destruction Of Richmond, "that
hated city," was the object, and this is put
beyond all doubt by the language of the
private memorandum book. s'JHt city mas.
be destroyea'-this is its language. The re
serve must Ego up ths principal streets, and
destroying everything before t'tsa," ''go,t, mast
encourage the prisoners 10 DESTROY he zig;
make one yas. fame Of it,"
The other part, IN regard to the killing OF
the President aud Cabinet, is also placed Big
yond question by the private memorandum
book. A Philadelphia Journal, in labori,e
to propagate the idea that the order to Kill
the chief officers Of the Govern tient was Il
rebel interliueation, remarked that Dahlgren
would have been only too proud TO bear fl
the rebel President and lis Cabinet prison
ers to the North. This might be true Oh
most officers OF the regular armies, and per
haps Of Dahlgren also, but who is there So
absurd as to suppose that the orders oi
Dahlgren were Issued Oh his own response
bility? VINO supposes that. he acted under
any but the most explicit instructions froln
Washington, and that il the dead bodies O.
fitzpatrick aud Gustav bad been found there
would not also have been found just such
orders as Dahlgren had in his pocket The
reason why Dahigren was directed to lii
the President and Cabinet instead of maxim
them prisoners, was simply"to avoid oil the
difficulties and the possibility of their ulti>
mate escape which would arise FROM resery-
ing them for trial. 1t would be i very i'll
convenient thing to have JET Davis alive on
their hands, and the possibility OF saute
Very important prisoners coming into ours.
who would be dealt with in like manner
But the private memorandum Book OF Dahl.
gren Settles this question also. ,"JeF Daess-I
aud Cabinet mas! be killed on tie spot" These
arelts precise words. Indeed, after devot;ug
o City crowded With helpless women aud
Children to the sack Confessed as one OF
.AIpatrick's objects while the expedition
was in progress) and tot'one vast fame"
the killing Of the President and Cabinet
could not heighten the enormity Of their
wickedness
No reasoning is needed to satisfy ourselves
OF the reality of plans which are before our
own eyes in Dah'greIs own handwriting,
which were found upon his dead body, aud
the authenticity Of which is established by
Gen. Fltzhugh Lee. But we want The whole
world to know as Well as ourselves what
kind OF people we are lighting. Weslo not
even except those amiable persons in the
North who dream OF reconstruction. Let
them look at the dead U:iion by tbs light Of
Dahlgren's turpentine and oakum.
The HabeaS Corpus.
Gov. Brown, of Georgia, in his message TO
the Legislature, says that the writ OF Aojsas
corpus has not been suspended in lsreai