Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-27
we're arrested under tbe Extradition Trealy

Were arrested under the EXtraditlOn Treaty
mat Mr.. Thompson, in generous compli-
anee 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 I'D to enemies who, in
their existing state of excitement, would
be incapable of giving them fair trial. LII
SO doing ne discharged simple act of JUS
tlce In Difference to impulses of philanihro-
Ply and dictates Of duty. g4-.i ..s.-
THE BURNING OF THE NEW YORK HOTELS.
And now to approach the present more
serious charge as to.the burning of this C ty.
Many fair homes of the South had already
been disolated, burned aud RACED to the
ground. Irritated by these waDton acts Of
destruction; wild and desperate young men
assumed an irresponsible license of retaI;a.
non. Mr.. Thompson never justified the
burning OF private property, but in geuer-
al order authorized the destruction of feder-
al stores wherever they could be found.
Inc public property used as war nate
rial In New York was immense, and the
public stores without limit Its navy yard
was rehtting ships with rapidity, which we're
carrying desolatiOn to Southern homes. To
ourn or destroy these was a UNSUITABLE war.
measure. War can only be defined as
licensed crime. To take life in a state of
peace is murder; to burn a house is arson;
70 pllage or take that which is not your
own by force Is robbery; yet belligerents as
war measures commit all these acts from
compulsion of circumstances. So of many
acts committed during the last unhappy
conflict. When the effort to DESTROY public
stores failed Mr.. Thompson at no time and
in no way sanctioned any subsequent effort
TO destroy the private property OF non-com-
batants; for however much this might have
been justifiable as retaliatdry, it was not
sanctioned by the rules of civilized warfare.
Ihere are many acts, however, in a state Of
war TO which the most honorable man may
give bis assent, the commission of which
IN time Of peace would be alb
horrent. 1t may be asserted, but
It is yet to be proven, that Mr..
thompson ever exceeded these justifable
limits. Ii is true, when the young men
who made the efforts to burn the hotels es-
capped to Canada, that they applied for aid
10 return to their homes, and Mr.. Thomp-
son, being charged with the duty of return
ing escaped Confederate soldiers to the gov
eminent to which they then adhered, felt
bound to furnish them the means of re-
turning and accordingly did so. They were
all SO returned, excepting Kennedy, who
was arrested In the attempt, tried and exc
cuted as a spy. a-{
This is full, frank and truthful state
ment of the extent of Mr.. Thompson's con
nection with that affair, in all of which
conduct we can recognize the clearness and
tirmneSs with which he confined himself
within the limits of the authority instructed
to him in only justifying the rights which
are awarded to belligerents. In the case of
: THE ASSASSINATION OF Mr.. LINCOLN.
The first intimation Mr. Thompson. ever
had that he was suspected of being In apy
way implicated came from the proclamation
which emanated from Washington. A sub
sequent trial, suborned witness aud Con-
gressional committees all failed to
establish any proof of the slightest
to every mind not gan
grened by political or personal animositY.
Separate and apart from any other fact the
well known caution with which Mr.. Thomp-
son was accustomed to deal with men for
babe the belief that he would have held
any such conversation as that detailed BY
the man (Conover) who has since expiated
ms crime OF perjury by residence in the
State prison.
Needless, therefore, TO revamp these idle
stories, for truth viii ever prevail, and the
conscience void of offence can safely ex-
claim, 'Thou canst not shake thy CORY
locks at me-"
Truth pleads at the bar of history after
many days, and when the caIamities Great
ed by war shall have passed away compass
sion for those illuminated by an easy tran
sltlon IS changed into condemnation Of the
unjust judgmens of opposing minds. c.