The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-03
Object or tho War.


thu war 10 TO prove that Northern men are
No. towards. We have too much abhorrence
of the blendid Hypocrisy and sillinsss which
sets mn ouch pretext to argue 1t grayely.--
We have long ago, and on many oceasions'
axnre.sed our belief that the North, as we'll as
every other nation, is composed in the main of
brave men. Animal courage is the rule among
mankind. and cowardice Is an exceptional
misfortune which Is confined to no country
Having said thus much, however, we may
also add our conviction that the North IS not
MS military a people as the South that the
opinions and customs OF that section do not
encourage that aptitude for arms, and that
warlike temper, which In the. South are uni
versal The North are commercial and
manufacture people, and, without dispar-
agement to their courage, that, and not arms,
IL their forte.
Instead of this war being waged to de-
monsuate Northern courage, ITO secure
the Northern hold Of Southern trade, is
its real object it looks much more like an at
tempt to demonstrate Southern cowardlce.-
The imputations upon Southern courage have
been Just rs common in Northern newspapers
rs those upon Northern courage in Southern
newspapers. The Harper's Ferry capture has
become a stereotyped theme Of sarcasm
through the whole North at the Southern
people, who, they declare and verify believe,
are gasconading and pot-yaliant race, one OF
whose towns can be taken by eighteen men
and who will fly at the first blast Of a trum-
pet. Their assurance of this fact, and their
Idea that the South Is unpreparsd to meet
them. have a good deal to do with the rsadi-
ness OF many of them to march Southwark
The big stories they tell of immense private
subscriptions TO the Government, and forces
as numerous as the armies of XHRxgs, are all
parts Of the same plan, as is also the circum-
stantial relation Of the oath taken by their
street rowdiss on their knees at public hotels
to cut OF Southern mems heads. They must
believe that we are dastards to the core, or
the most hopeless fools on the face of the
earth, to be terrified BY such absurditiss. The
object Of all this 10 plainly In to
demonstrate Northern courage, but Southern
oowardice. Gen. ScorT, In true military style,
pursues the same policy, and spreads broad
cast the most exaggerated accounts of his
military strength and resources. But, beyond
military policy. we freely acqnit HIM of any
expectation Of operating on The fears of the
land in which he was born. He knows Vir-
ginia too we'll not to know that, brave as he
ie, there is no man In Virginia who is not his
equal In courage, aud his superior in gratitude
and fidelity.
We shall not condescend to vindicate South
ern courage against the libels of its assailants
The time ID near when that will be INDICATED
in the only unanswsrable manner. The fero-
cious threats Of butchering whole people,
OF giving no quarter to prisonsrs,-of exter-
minating men, women and children, might
have some extenuation if they came from
those who have been wantonly invaded and
who are fghting in self defence. But coming
from those who perpetrate these enormous
wrongs, we have no words to express our in
dignation. The annals Of civilized mankind
might be searched in vain for equal wicked
ness asd ferocity. They can have no other
eject than to fire even the weakest heart, and
nerve the arms of even women and children
not only TO defend our soil, but to visit upon
these demons in human form the thorough
retribution that their crimes demand.