The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-27

Thompson disapproved Of 1t, but that he had
ordered the leader of the party to return to
Richmond and report himself for duty. When
this party showed determination. to disobey
the order, he applied for relief from this or
der to another commissioner, as uide Lieu
before the Congressional committee.
This makes.it clear that Mr.. Thompson re-
fused to sanction the raid upon St. Albans, be-
cause he was under the Impression that the
movement was impoitic. ills true. however,
that when these young men were arrested un-
der the eXtradllion treaty, Mr.. Thompson, In
generous compliance with the solicitations of
the friends of the parties arraigned, stood by
them In their hour of need in order to save
them from being delivered up to enemies
who, in their existing state Of excitement,
would be incapable OF giving them fair trial.
In 30 doing he discharged simple act of JUS
tlce In Difference to impulses of philanthropy
and dictates OF duty.
THE BURNING OF THE NEW YORK HOTELS.
And now to approach represent more serl.
GUS charge as 10 the burning of this city.
Many fair homes of the South had already been
deseated, burned and RACED to the ground.
Irrltated by these wanton acts of destruction,
wild and desperate young men assumed an
irresponsible license Of retaliation M. Thomp.
son never Justified the burning OF private
property, but, In q general order, authorized
ihe destruction of Federal stores wherever
they could be found.
the public property used as war material In
New York was immense, and the public stores
Without limit. It's navy yard was refttlng
ships with rapidlty, which were carrying DESC
lation to Southern homes To burn or destroy
these was jnsr6able war measure. War can
only be defined as licensed crime. To take
lille 10 q slate OF peace is murder; to burn q
house Is arson; to pillage or take that which is
not your own by force Is robbery; yet belliger-
ents, as war measures, commit all these acts
from compulsion of circumstances. 30 of
many acts committed durfpg the last unhappy
conflict.
ed, Mr.. Thompson at no time and1n no way
sanctioned any subsequent effort to destroy
the private property Of non-combatants; for
however much this might have been juslif-
able as retaiatory. 1t was not sanctioned by
the rules OF civilized Warelare. There are
many acts, however. Ia state of war to which
the most honorable man may give his assent,
the commission of which In lime of peace
is yet to be proved, that Mr. Thompson ever
exceeded these justifable limits. It Is true,
when the young men who made the efforts to
burn the hotels escaped to Canada, that they
applied for aid to return to their homes, and
MIR. Thompson, being charged with the duty
of returning escaped Confederate soldiers to
the government to which they then adhered,
felt bound to furnish them the means of re-
turning, and accordingly did 80. They were
all go returned excepting kennedy, who was
arrested In the aLtemptltrled, and executed
as q spy.
This is full, frank and truthful statement
of the extent of Mr.. Thompsons connection
with that affair, in all OF which conduct we Gun
recognize the clearness and f1rmness with
which he confined himself within the limits of
| the authority entrusted to him in only justify
ing the rights which are awarded to belllger-
ents. In the case Of
THE ASSASSINATION OF Mr.. LINCOLN,
the first intlmallon Mr.. Thompson ever had
that he was suspected Of being in any way i'm
pllcated came from the proclamation which
emanated from Washington. subsequent
trial, suborned witnesses and congressional
committees all failed to- establish any proof
OF the slightest completely to every
mind not gangrened By political or per-
sonal animosity. Separate and apart from
any other fact, the we'll known caution with
with men forbade the belief That he would
have had any such conversation as that de-
tailed by the man tConover) who has since
explated bis crime OF perjury by residence
IN the State prison. Needless, therefore, %
revamp these iule stories, for truth will ever
prevail, and the conscience void of offence can
slfely exclaim, "Thou canst not shake thy
gerry locks at me-" Truth pleads at the bar oi
history after many days, and when the calaml-
ties created by war shall have passed away
compassion for those illuminated by an eaay
transition ls changed into condemnation Of The
unjust Judgment Of opposing minds.