The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-16
The Burning Of Columbia.

The most interesting incident in the pro-
ceedings of the Senate, on Tuesday laSt,
was the reading, by Mr.. Reverdy Johnson
of a letter from General Wade Hampton IN
regard to tho burning Of Columbia, South
Carolina, on the eighteenth Of February,
1865. In this letter, which the Radical
press style most impudent production,
General Hampton fatty contradicts tne
statement, made by General Sherman, that
the destruction Of the beautiful capital OF
South Carolina resulted from the burning
of large quantities Of cotton, in the streets,
by General Hampton's order, and invites
an investigation Of the matter. The letter
having provoked some bitter expressions
from Messrs. CONFESS, Sherman and others,
was Withdrawn by the Maryland Senator
but the object for which it was written has
been accomplished. The solemn denial by
the Carolina General, Of the foul and slam
derous accusation brought against him
and the retorting Of the charge upon Sher
man himself, are now first published in
form that will command public. attention
and it will be for the country to decide the
issue Of veracity thus raised. What the
ultimate decision will be, cannot be doubt
ed The high breeding, the elevated so
cial position, the nice and delicate sense
of honor of General Hampton, no less than
the great qualities of head and heart
which have made him famous, will lend to
his assertions dignity, force and weight,
not only among his own people, but every
where, which will scarcely be accorded to
those of the ferocious chieftain whose
track was marked by devastation as
wanton. as it was cruel and unsparing. Il
is natural that General Sherman, or his
fri dis for linn, should ak to rid himself
Of some portion Of the obloquy thatwill for
ever attach itself to his name. There are
deeds that even an Alva would blush tt
own, but, unhappily for Sherman, hisacts
stand out in the iurid light of the cOntta
grations he raised with a CHASTITY conspic
nOusness which renders disavowal as fruit
less, as concealment is impossible. Oficia
documents will avail him nothing; they
have long since ceased to be accepted
as trustworthy evidence o. anything, ex
cept in the conventional hypocrlsles OF al
plomatic intercourse. TO lie like q bnlle
tin, is comparison as just on this side o.
the water as on the other; and when hlsto
ry comes to make up its verdict on this, as
on other questions Of the war, it is not IN
the "Story Of the Great March" OF the offi
cial bulletins, that it will search for its
facts. And these are too notorious and toa
well established to require the aid o.
even Hampton's testimony. Thousa nds OF
people in Columbia knew-for the soldiers
told them so-that their city was TO be
l,,,r,, al onI on ar oil that Gouora1 Ghar.mHD
had promised twenty-four hours loot to his
soldiers; and that three rockets, thrown up
rom the heights on the west bank Of the
Congaree, would be the signal for common
cling the work Of pillage and destruction
They remember how, at the concerted sig
nal, all the devils in hell seemed to have
been turned loose in their MIDST, and how
after twenty-four hours of untold and un-
uterable horrors the repetition Of the same
signal heralded the return Of comparative
order. They know and their countrymen
know. and the world will one day know.
that William T. Sherman is alone respon.
sible for the burning and sacking OF Col
umbia and all its attendant atrocities; and
if his name lives in history, the infamy. Of
the deed Wheeling to it forever. The
memory Of the spirit Of cold-blooded cruel
ty and anrelenting ferocity in which he con-
Quoted his campaign will outlive the recol-
lection of the success which attended it;
his merits as soldier will but serve to
point the moral Of his cruelties as man
and he can hope, at best, but for the fame
Of Sylla or an Alva.-New York News.