Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-25
MILITARY VANDALISM.

In the report We yesterday gave VI 6ta'enon'
made by Gen. Early in explanation OF the consld-
ar.tions which had induced him to order the burn
ing Of Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania, that officer
il represented to have said that he had seen with
much pleasure, since then, an able article in the
National Intelgencer, which called upon the North
to consider gravely whether such mode Of war
fare as they had inaugurated is likely to yield
success commensurate to its cost"
If Gen Early's opportunities for reading the
National Inteligencer were as good and as frequent
a they were in the days when he was, as he re-
calls, an old-line Whig," or even when, as de-
legate in the Virginia Convention from Franklin
county, he "zealously opposed and voted against
the ordinance Of secession" he would have been In
position to know that, as well before IS since the
burning Of Chambersburg, we have set our faces
steadfastly against al barbarian and vandalism in
the prosecution of the present unhappy war We
have never been slow to condemn the outrages
committed by our forces in the South, whether as
seen in the abuse Of helpless women and children
and unarmed men, or in the wsnton destruction OF
either public or private property. We know that
there is class Of distempered "loyaists" who see
or profess to see in any animadversion on excesses
committed by Federal troops the traces Of "sym-
patby with the South or Of tenderness towards
rebels" but we should suppose ourselves to have
lived to little purpose if we could allow the vaga-
ries Of such minds to deter from the expression
of sentiments common to every man OF humane IN
stincts and which are vivid and deep according to
every mans enlightened devotion to the Union
We fear it is true, as Gen. Early says, that Gen.
Hunter, in his recent raid on Lynchburg, "caused
widespread ruin wherever he passed" All the
accounts from Union sources confirm the state
ment. And we have generally observed that the
destruotiveness visited by officers like Gen. Hun
ter and Gen. Milroy on defenceless persons and on
private property a about in proportion to their in
efficiency against the enemy in arms They seem
to be aware that they must do som'sttng TO satisfy
the public and, not being able to win battles and
make conquests in the military sense OF these
words they betake themselves to the cheap resorts
of license and violence against defenceless sym
p.thizers with the rebellion" who come within
their power-knowing very well that any license
and violence of this kind will be to conciliate
for them the favor and admiration of that class OF
nloyalists" to whom we have referred above And
perhaps they hope, under the cover Of praises won
fiom this quarter, to screen themselves from the
dissatisfaction Of their military superiors
We take great pleasure in saying that we believe
both President Lincoln and the Secretary of War
deplore these proceedings of some of our comman-
ders in the South We have understood that our
military authorities promptly revoked some of the
recent lawless orders of Gen. Hunter for the ban
ishment of certain persons in Frederick Maryland,
who had become obnoxious to his resentm nts, and
the act of revocation, whether Immediately due to
the President or to the Secretary Of War, reflects
honor upon them both, for we presume they both
ooncurred in the propriety of restraining General
Hunters inhumanity and assumptions of power.
For we do not need to say that all wanton VIC
lenoe committed by our troops against persons or
property in the South is in direct and palpable
contempt Of the Presidents commands to the con-
trary. In his proclamation Of April ID, 1861, af-
ter saying that the first service assigned to the
forces then called out would probably be to repos-
sess the forts, places, and property which have
been seized from the Union, he was careful to add
- follows:
.And IN every eUsmt the utmost care ,oiu be Of
serv d, confidently aoith The objects aforesaid, 10
avoid any d vas'ation, any destructioa Of or an
reference 10th property, or any dtstur6'nce Of
peacejui citizens of any part Of the country"
But itmsy be said that this injunction was issued
before the war had become fragrant and does not ap
ply to the present military status How little ground
there is for such reply may be seen in the fact that
in his General Instructions" issued through the
War Department under this head on the 22d OF
.Julv, 1862, and addressed to all our "military
commanders within the States Of Virginia, North
Carolina, Georges, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi;
Lousiana, Texas, and Arkansas" the President,
while authorizing them in IN orderly manner to
seize and any property, real or personal, which
may be convenient or necessary for their several
commands, for supplies or for other military pur-
poses," added: 90 And while property may be de-
stroyed for proper military objects, none shall be
desroyed an aoantonness or malice"
Every officer, therefore, who either destroys or
permits his troops to destroy private public pro-
psqty 60 in wantonness or malice" is as much ame-
nable to military Justice for disobedence of the