The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-20

liberty who will consent to surrender 1t upon
single defeat. True courage consists in tn.
bravery which is shown amidst circumstance
Of danger and desperation. A coward may b,
brave whom the danger is only nominal. The
resent is time which tests the true qualities
If men. The patriot may feel oppressed witt
concern for the Southern cause. lie may BE-
anxious to sadness and gloomness but he does
not once conceive the thought of givingup the
cause Of the country. His resolve to fight on,
tight ever, is only strengthened by evil news
and the announcement Of defeat is TO him only
q notice to be ready for another struggle. This
fixed resolve, this unshakable purpose, is the
true touchstone of loyalty in the present crisis.
The true man thinks Of othing but of fight
md resistance to the last Such is not the
case with the time serving and disloyal. These
take thought only of how they would ingra:iate
themselves with the enemy, if he should sue
ceed in overrunning US. 1t matters little
to them which side shall win. They have
principles for either fortune of war. They car
be IS obsequious to the enemy as bypocriti-
cal towards the cause of the South.
The few weeks Immediately before US, will be
weeks big with the fate of the country, and
may be chockered by varying fortune. The in
dependence of the South may be lost or Won
in these weeks for long time to come; and
we should put forth every exertion to make
| good our success in the contest We believe
| that these weeks will be a period of victory
| and glory to Southern arms. The enemy out
| numbers Us in men; but we have the advan
tage of him in position, in the spirit which
animates our ranks, and in the cause for which
| we fight. We believe, too, that we have the ad-
vantage over him IN generalship; and we have
unbounded confidence in our troops, provided
only they be not sacrificed by incompetent
commanders.
| But with all this confidence in our troops,
VIC must recollect that fortune is always tickle
| in war. and that mere accidents often decide
the result of battles and of campaigns. We
should be prepared to receive with composure
any fortune that may be in store for our
arms, and be ready promptly to do all in our
power to improve victory or to repair de-
feat. Every patriot should be On the alert to
encourage the responding and to advance the
efforts Of authority to put the affairs of the
community in the best position of defence.
There is no doubt that the enemy is actu-
ated by very bitter feeling Of animosity to-
wards Eastern Virginia, and especially towards
the city of Richmond. He regards this city
and this portion of our State as the hot-bed OF
Secession and the chief authors of the disrup-
ton of the Union. Richmond is the city where
we're cast the heavy guns which reduced Fort
Sumter, and awful vows OF vengeance have
been sworn against her by the minions Of the
| North. How anybody in Richmond can en-
terrain the belief of escaping uniDjured, in
case the enemy should make his way this far,
is past comprehension. If there is any city
in the South which they would sack and pill
lagc it would be this very town OF ours, so
beautiful, so wealthy, SO true to the Southern
cause, and by its manufactures so far surpass-
ing all other places in its capacity for furnish
ing munitions of war for Southern defence.
| Even the disIoyal class of our people would
he heavy sufferers by such misfortune, and,
| like the Submissionists in Romney and Mar
| tipsburg, would find themselves robbed and
outraged along with the rest of the commu-
| nity. An unscrupulous and LAWYERS soldicry
would not stop to inquire of the antecedents
of the owner of splendid mansion, filled
with costly plate. 1t would be sufficient for
| them to know that he was an Eastern Virgil
MAN and Richmonder, to commence upon
him the work of plumber.
In view of all the contingencies that may
happen in short time, it behooves our au-
tborities to push forward the defences of the
city with all the force and energy possible. 1t
bebooves the people of the country to be
prompt and active in providing them
selves with all the means of annoying an
invader in their power. few trees judi
ciously felled across roads, few ambuscados
of sharp shooters behind fences and trees, an
active system of guerilla annoyance, would
90 very far to check an invading column, to
demoralize and discomft it in its plan of ope-
| rations.
Now is the time for the whole community to
be up and doing, and for every true man to
out himself in readiness for the field.
If it could affect this result by arousing the
people to full state of alacrity and prepare
ton, a reverse in the field might prove of great
service to our cause. 1t is from victories that
over confidence proceeds, which is often the
| Precursor of misfortune. At time when good
news from our gallant soldiers is coming in
upon us, we have thought it incumbent upon
us to keep up few words of warning and
admonition against relapse into dangerous
/ failing of security