The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-04-11
TFrom the New York News, Feb. 22.1
The Ashes of Charleston.


about to assume its, fercest .bloodiest,
deadliest phase. There is no longer
amy doubt as to the temper of the South,
In the ashes of the doomed city, the re.
tiring footsteps of it's proud defenders
traced their determination to conquer in.
dependence whatever might be sacrifice
of comfort, property or life. Charleston
was to the Caroliniaris what Moscow
was to the Russians. Far beyond its
material value they reverenced it for the
sake of associations that linked it with
their emotions of pride and affection. If
they had obeyed their inolinations, they
would have stood by the city to tho last,
,spillihg their life. blood, drop by drop, in
its defense. But the hour had come
for them to suffer all loyal prejudices,
all pride, all passion, all sentimentality,
all PERSONAL considerations to the cause
in which they had embarked. They did
not hesitate. The appeal was made to
their moral courage, and it was answer.
ed by devotion like that which fred
the sacred city of the Muscovite, and
gave to the invader a blackened ruin
for, his prize, and desert for his land Of
promise. .- ill.,.
One journal in this city, the most fa--
natical of its kind, has asserted that it
was cowardice which induced the abau.
donment of Charleston. All men of,n.
telligence know this to be false, all just
men will acknowledge it slander, and
all who appreciate true courage will
blush for shame that'it was ever uttered.
1t was that kind Of cowardice that i'm.
PEELED the Black Douglas to fling the
heart Of Bruce into the centre of the Sar-
acen host, that for its redemption his
arm might be nerved to victory. 1t
was the kind of cowardice that caused
Tell to aim his shaft at the head Of his
loved best; that caused the first Brutus
to pronounce the doom of death upon
his son, and the second Brutus to slay
his nearest friend Some such cowardly
instinct induced Fabus to shun the enc.
my, and Washington to follow his OK.
ample, even when the failing spirits of
his conntrymen seemed to upbraid his
cautious policy. 1t is, in fact, the COW.
ardicc that fears to jeopardize cause
by gratifying a vanity or ambition. 1t
is moral courage, the loftiest and purest
that God has given to his creatures, ~,
|q,s What man is. there, who is not a "a.
natic or a simpleton, who believes that
the Northern people would burn and
| destroy their property to assist IN subiu.
! eating the South ; 81 .a''sN
l.. The South has, accepted a, great hu.
initiation as aprelude to great triumph.
The wonderful intellect that now con.
trolls the military action of the Confed.
,eracy has prompted the sacrifice that
even the North beholds with wonder.
Let ns confess that beneath the outward
seeming ofrejoicing, there is bewildcr.
'inent and forcboding, and conscious.
ness that the fruit we have SO long
reached for, and that, at last, has fallen
of its own accord into our hands may
turn to ashes on our lips. When, Amer,
lican freetnen GO forth to battle, with The
flames of their homesteads lighting theii,
way to victory or death, dedicating theil
household gods TO destruction, and Civ,
| ing all their worldly treasure as tribute
to a political sentiment, the word rebel
lion, as applied to them, looses its sig
! nifcapce, and history records them a,
patrlots whether !, they fail or win
Against this indomitablc will, this dog
! ged perseverance, this sublime devotion
| It is III vain for aeets and armies to con
| tend. n 20 's, "'."y 'd q '''. g
| sEhey would make every needful sacri
hasfo resis. INVASION; but for conquest
Rsll such as are forcedupon them by tn,
Us power that conducts the war
III But at last the North. begins to com
silHrehend the stern unfaltering and. in
Rincible purpose Of the foe. !, They ;un
aerstand at last the true character of tn,
4 war, and they know that it means South
ern Independence. or determination.
4 Three years ago, or two, or even
year ago, the capture of Charleston
would have set the Northern pulse in ,
fever of excitement and exultation. To
day, although the flags are flying, ant