The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-29
The BurninS oficoaui,,ssa.

erroneous report, by o Northern re-
porter, of the Sherman meeting in
Columbia" has been published in the
New York World, and copied into
your columns. AS you requested
and no one has sent you an account
of the meeting take leave to give
you q correct report.
Upon the Chairman announcing
the object of the meeting, I offered
the following preamble and resolu-
tions:
Whereas Maj. Gen. w. T. Sher-
man, U. s. A., who gained for him
self, by his systematic employment of
the torch in the war upon the South
ern people and their homes, the we'll
merited title of the Gre,a h,cendiorv,
has attempted to shirk the response
blhty Of the infamous act of burning
Columbia, after being surrendered to
hlm, and in the actual occupation of
his army:
ReSolced, That committee of
twenty-one citizens, who were present
at the confagration, be appointed to
collect affidavits of evidence thereof;
and that said affidavits be deposited
among the archives of the CITY for
future use.
Resolred, That the committee of
twenty-one be authorized to prepare
a carefully condensed synopsis of the
evidence, and publish it to the world.
certified by their names.
stated that it would be impossible
to give extensive publicity to the
volumlnous evidence which would be
collected, but that n short synopsis
would be widely copied by the press.
while the affidavits would be pre-
served until the proper occasion oc-
Cured for using them in legal point
of view
Colonel McMaster objected to the
preamble, as prejudging in advance
of the collection Of evidence, and
said 1t should be remembered that
the people Of tie North looked upon
General Sherman rs great soldier
and honor to his country, who had
done more than General Grant to
bring the war to close; that he was
entitled to have the evidence against
him adduced before condemning him.
Mr.. Talley took q similar view, and
so did the Hon. f. J. Arthur, who
offered substitute, simply proposing
o committee to collect testimony and
report to a subsequent meeting.
Other resolutions to the same effect
were offered by Mr.. T. G.. De Fon-
taine.
Not convinced by the technical OBJ
lectlons of these gentlemen of the
bar, still replied that my object was
not discussion on n matter upon
which all agreed; that in the pream-
BILE | had simply explained, in few
words, the object Of the meeting;
that, IN stating propositions known
and believed by all of us, l did not
consider that [ was denouncing Gen.
Sherman; that thought was draw
ing it rather mild on the General i'm
auuding to him so gently; that the
preamble was not absolutely neces-
sary; so, for the'reason above given,
| asked leave to withdraw it. DR.. w.
Reynolds objected, but 1 insisted,
and it was allowed. Mr.. Arthur's
resolution was then adopted, rs fol-
lows:
Whereas it is highly important to
the truth of history that the circum-
stances attending the destruction of
the city Of Columbia, on the 18th of
February, 1865, should be fully and
impartially Investigated, and the evi-
dence in relation thereto collected
and perpetuated while the facts are
still fresh III the memory Of witnesses;
be it, therefore
Resolreti, That committee of
twelve persons be appointed by the
Chairman to collect the testimony in
relation to the destruction of Coium-
bin at the time aforesaid, and report
the same to on adjourned meeting of
the citizens of Columbia and of Rich
land District, to be called by the
chairman of said committee when he
may be prepared TO make such u re-
port.
Under the above resolution, the
Chairman appointed tho following
named gentlemen: Chancellor J. +.
Carroll, Hon. w. f. DeSaussure,
Hon. +. j. Arthur, DIR. John Fisher,
Gr. VIM. Reynolds, Dr.. D. Il. Treze-
want, DIR. a. n. Talley, Prof. w. J.
Rivers, Prof. John LeConte, Col. J.
L. Sloan and Col l.. d. Childs.
In common with his fellow-citizens,
am unwilling that an impression
should be made that resolutions vim
dicating Hampton, and indirectly
fastening the blame on Sherman,
falled"-no such aceye offered. Where
Gen HamntOn 10 ca urall l-no,,,> g.