Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1873 — The Burning of Columbia. [ARTICLE]

The Burning of Columbia.

It seems that the ridiculous termination of the Liberal movement has soured the papers and the men concerned in it to such an extent that they are ready to take vengeance against the whole American people, in any manner or form that suggests itself. An illustration is at hand. The Treaty of Washington provided fora Commission to examine the claims of British residents of the United States whose property was destroyed during the rebellion. This Commission is in session, and has lately been engaged in hearing the evidence regarding the burning of Columbia, S. C. Upon the result of the examination will depend the responsibility of oiir government for the cotton there destroyed belonging to British subjects. If the town was fired by our forces we must pay tile loss accruing to these men, while if the rebel troops were guilty of setting the flames the United States are not liable. General Sherman testifies positively, regarding the matter: that the place was in names upon the approach of our troops, and his testimony is corroborated by the evidence of many other officers before the commission, and by informal statements of thousands of officers and private soldiers who were With the advance, ami have always declared that the charge that our troops fired the place was wholly false. This evidence is opposed by Wade Hampton and a number of other Confederate officers, who state that the place was not set on fire by the rebel soldiery, although they admit that they were no’t there at the last, and consequently give only their belief regarding the matter. The theory has always been that the cotton w'as fired by straggling soldiers or rebel citizens, who wished to keep it from falling into the hands of the Federal's, and that "the flames were thus communicated to the town. There is no cause for changing this generally received belief, but more than ever ground for considering it conclusive after the sw'orn evidence of General Sherman; yet there is an attempt being made to overturn this evidence and saddle an immense sum in damages on the country for the destruction of property in which our army had no part whatever - Among the natural advocates of these British and rebel claims are the independent papers of the country. Anything that increases the burden of the people, lowers their good name, and embarrasses and degrades the nation, has their warm and enthusiastic support. It should be enough that these claimants are permitted to introduce the testimony of those having no personal knowledge of the facts, and those who are interested in various ways in having the responsibility of the burning of Columbia shifted toother shoulders than their own, but fearing that they may not succeed they are reinforced by these enemies of the Admiaistratioß-aud of the country, and we may rest assured that if we escape the payment of* from five to ten millions of dollars in the various cases to arise, it will be in spite of the attempt now being made by these papers to fasten them upon us.—Chicago Inter-Ocean , May 20.