The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-28
nrnrL rNcENnrARfEs.

There is no use in venting denuncialions
against the wretcbes who fired the city Of
New York. Words cannot ltly paint the
atrocity, nor death punish II sufficiently. The
question Is simply, What Is to be done.
For months we have had rumors that an
attempt would be made TO ire the princi-
pal cities Of the loyal States, but the public
lent an incredulous ear to the information.
Better, FAR better, that they should ln future
disabuse their minds of the impression that
there are some deeds which Rebels would
scruple 10 perpetrate. There is only one
security which we now possess They can
attempt nothing worse
That the plot signally filled, is owing to no
precautions Of the citizens Of New York, but
merely to the fact that the hotels there have
been for years provided with means adequate
to the extinction Of fire within their limits.
Is not the fact startling enough without any
detailsP In New York, on the night OF the
2jth inst, the hotels St. Nicholas, ST. James,
Lalrge Metropolitan, Tammany Hall, Bel
mont, Loyeioy, United States, Howard, Finh
Avenue, New England, Astor, and Barnum's
Museum were all fred by Rebel lncendaries,
who applied the torch in seventeen places.
They fred these immense buildings too, at a
time when, II their designs had succeeded,
many persons would have found escape
impossible.
1t may be our turn next, or New Yors's
again TO- morrow, perhaps Boston's the day
atlerward, and war will then have come into
peaceful chambers where the grandam feebly
sits, and the babe lies in sumber. To US these
reflections must surely bring the question,
What shall we DO.
There seems to be no reason for doubling
that an order similar to that of General DIX,
which requires the registry Of all persons
coming from Rebel limits must in future be
rigidly enforced.
For the arrest Of the present criminals and
for the prevention or punishment of future
incendiary attempts, no plan could be devised
better than subscription of one hundred
thousand dollars by the insurance companies
OF each Of our large cities. Twenty thousand
dollars should be offered for information which
would lead to the arrest and conviction of the
principals in the incendiarsm, and ten thou
sand dollars apiece for the same services
against the subordinates. In such an emer-
gency, one hundred thousand dollars is not a
large sum for the insurance companies of each
city to pledge. If plot succeed, they might
lose twenty times that amount. 1t Is useless
to offer small sums for such a service. The
men who can give evidence may fear to incur
danger, and they are liable TO other influences
which might deter them from giving informa-
tion. The sums must be large enough to
overcome the reluctance Of such men to en-
counter risks and to render Others jealous in
promoting the discovery Of the incendiaries.
There are two great consultations which this
event brings in its train. One is, that in all
countries where the news spreads it must
effect irreparable damage to the cause of the
Rebellion, for it is scarcely within the verge
of possibility, that so wholesale and determined
an attempt was made without high AUTHORIZE
tion. The other is, that New York may be
constrained to think less biglly of its Southern
friends. and deem their last act rather too warm
| q proof of their affection.