New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-09
The Burning of columbia, 3. q.
LETTER FROM WADE HAMPTON.


LETTER FROM WADE HAMPTON.
In the Senate, on the LIST, Mr. Johnson CMd) |
read the following letter from Gen. Wade Hamp- I
ton, on the subject Of Columbia, S. g.;
| WIN WooDs, Miss, April u, 1866.
To the Hon Reverdy Johnson United States senateri
/ SRA few days ago ! saw IN the paDll7heg pro
| ceedings of Congress that petition rom behJa- t
min Rawles of Columbia, S. c., asking compensa.
ton Tor the destruction of his house by the Federal
army in February, 1865, had been presented 70 |
the Senate, accompanied by a letter from Mayor
| Cen Sherman.
The citizens of Columbia set fire to thousands
of bales of cotton rolled out into the street. and
which were burning before we entered Columbia |
l. myself, was in the city early as o'clock, and
saw these fires, and knew that efforts were made
to extnguish them, but high and strong wind
kept them alive,
but on the contrary the conAagration resulted
| from the great imprudence of cutting the cotton
bales, whereby the contents were spread to the
wind, that it became an impossibility to arrest
the fire.
81 saw in your Columbia newspaper the printed
order of Gen. Wade Hampton that on the APP
proach of the Yankee army all the cotton should
thus be burned, and from what ] saw, myself,
have no hesitation in saying that this was the cause
of the destruction of your city"
The same charge, made against me by General
Sherman, having been brought before the Senate
of the United States | am naturally most solicl-
tous to vindicate myself before the same tribunal
But my State has no representative in that body
Those who should be her constitutional representa-
tives and opponents there are debarred the right
of entrance into those halls. There are none who
have the right to speak for the South none to
participate in the legislation which governs her ;
none to impose the taxes which she is called upon
to pay and none to vindicate her sons from mis-
representation, injustice or SANDER. Under these
circumstances, / appeal to you, in the confident
hope that you will every effort to see that jus
, tice is done in this matter.
deny emphatically that any cotton was fired in
| Columbia by my order.
deny that the citizens set fire to thousands OF
= bales rolled out into the Streets
| deny that any cotton was on fire when the
/, Federal troops entered the city.
most respectfully ask of Congress to appoint
committee, charged with the duty of ascertainng
and reporting all the facts connected with the de-
struction of Columbia, and thus hxupon the author
y of that enormous crime the iutamy he richly de-
serves.
= am willing to submit the case to any honest
a tribunal Before any such l pledge myself to
prove that gave positive order, by direction Of
= Gen. Beauregard, that no cotton should be fred
~ that not one bale on fire when Gen. Sherman'S
troops took possession of the city, that lie promised
protection to the city and that in spite OF his sol
= emn promise he burned the city to the ground, de-
I liberately, Systematically and atrociousy.
|, therefore, most earnestly request that Con
gress may take prompt and efficient measures to
Investigate this matter fully. Not only is this due
to themselves and to the reputation of the United
States army, but also to justice and to truth
) Trusting that you will pardon me for troubling
you, am, very respectfully, your obedent ser.
want, WADE HAMPTON.
In the Mater Of Treaty OF IT, Trgstass be-
I the Cherokee Nation.
The first question here to be considered by the
J. authorities of the government relates to the
/ proper parties, on the part of the Cherokee ma
ton with whom to conclude a treaty. Prior to
j. the war of the rebellion John Ross the recOg
e nzed head of the nation, and with him this gov
l, eminent had a subsisting treaty When he joined
q the enemies of the government, however, made
e treaties offensive and defensive with them, and
IS issued his declaration of against the United
e States the treaty then existing at once abro
gated and at an end. Nor could he any longer be
regarded as the head and chief of a people who
IL were under the guardianship of the Federal gov
n eminent, and whom he had led into open ant
Q bloody warfare. 1t has always been one of thu
Of reserved powers of the government, as, also, it
constant practice, to depose the CIiefS Of India
id tribes lgt0 are TaitesS to their trusts and duties
al The claim in this case that Mr.. Ross was unde
duress when he broke his treaty obligations witt
a. the United States, made new treaties with tn
rebel authorities, and issued his most calumniou
declaration of war against the government which
had so long protected him, will be noticed here
a. after At present it is simply our purpose to shoV
as that this government is fully at liberty to set asd
ar all his pTetensions indeed, that it is bound II
e ignore him as chief Of the CherOkees. We pre-
d sumo it is unnecessary to more than state thi
u proposition as the government has already sane
ia toned and acted upon it. When the authorize
-e Of the government met the Cherokee people a
Fort Smith, in 1865, after the close of the war
e the claims of john Ross to be regarded as thi
IS chief of the nation were officially repudiated
u ItcO treaties of peace and dr1iy gele there CON
ctied leith persons Of the CherObee nation repre-
se11tiag ttco different interests. This was com
= mencement with that people de moro ignoring al
|, past relations Asking that this point be borne ii
e mind, we will proceed to state the reasons which
c should impel the government to make treaty o.
treaties on the basis of the propositions which WI
# WASHINGTON, D c., February 26 1866.
l. Etr-The undersigned, Cherokee delegates, atte
g. due deliberatlon, respectfully submit the follow
4. ing propositions as basis for treaty with tn
United States; .-.-..a =r.
ID l. We propose to sell all the neutral lands to tn
IS government at such price as may be agree
HI upon. ..-
IA 2. To sell such portion of the Cherokee nation
Il commencing at the western line and running east
in as may be required by the government or deeme
ct necessary for the Kansas Indians
40 3. After dlsposing OF such part Of our countT
10 to the government, are propose 10 accept as
~ basis for diUjs0n Qftbe country and all funds b.
ie longing, on achicl may hereafter belong 10 III
N Cherokee people, the estimate made by The SUpe1
= jatendent Of Indian QFairs, or the Cherokee
ma agent; or if considered important, that q cens
~ shall be taken, l9ldeI the direction Of The Pres
dent Of tte numbers of each party of the CherC
Oh the census papers to egioC party he or she 1otSht
~ 10 adhere.
n. 4. As soon as the relative numbers of the Nortl
OF ern and Southern Cherokees are decided upon b
d the government, we propose that The aulsoid poi
H. ton of the country shall be divided pro rata b.
Ceea The ttg0 parties, The Southern CherokeeS tai
ing their share on the aoeSt and unsettled side
mt The country that remains 10 4te Cherokee pe0pL
ed S. That after the line of division is determine
ed and drawn and the bonds in the hands of the goJ
It'll eminent, onr monies aceruing from the sale of til
oh neutral and other lands are equitably divided
I'd, that the improvements of the party which ma
at fall within the country assigned 10 the other part
90. upon whose territory such Improvements may /
nd situate.
in g. We propose to sell to the government, or
railroad company heretofore recognized
Congress belt Of land from the northern to IL
- southern boundary of our country not exceedn
&c, ten miles in width.
ga T., We are ADVOCATES for measures 2yhich ay
NY tend 70 ctUtljze, improve and ddUauce oar people
betiechg that Territorial goDernnleRt acitib sue
IL cbectS and restrictions as 3CW secure the idelst
Of the Indian people, and pe,petuute their 1igl1
raj las SUCH lCW haze such tendency, zoe f1Uor h
let general principles Of The Territorial bill nom b
re. fore Congress, pro6jded ii is so modified an
VS. aHleRded as TO more fully secure the rjghts an
ia interests Of The Indians.
lm s. Whatever unadjusted claims may hereafter
M settled by the national government as due IL
ir, Cherokee people, shall be equitably divided b