Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-30
THE RICHMOND WHIG
A FLEA FOR TIE SOLDIER.

To Ms JxEy DAVIS, Mas. L. T. WIoYALL, AND NRs
TN. WAUL:
Were the war in which country is low 90 fercely
engaged one Of glory Of conquest simply where the
baz, and brighnts, Of gold and silver tnsel flashed
merely to attract the eye and where men In combat meet
only to display skill made chivalrous BY the rules Of
fsshon you might be permitted repose in that privacy
which so BELTS your sex and which delightful TO an
American woman.
But the case Is no. so. powerful nation-one cele
braed for the grandeur of Its pretensicns morally phys
icay and socially In its relations with the communities
Of Christendom, is now struggling in the throes of
mighty convusion and Which, as II reels and trembles
by the violence of ts own long pent up res is CRUISING
the remoer Powers of earth to shake and shu ider for
the coDs quences which the future can alone unfold
While prospect % momentous Is brought to our view
while qaences so suptndous submitted for our
contemplation, appealing to all for such earnest coz
siieIaion, do not forge ldes that with US the court
The camp the pulpit and the forum have hitherto been
forbidden places TO that class of society to which you be-
long and that yous capacities conventional usare
been assigned to humber sphere But do not fail
to rem, mSer that in the history Of people preceding u.s.
in times Ct extraordinary political and revolutionary
crises, women have APPEARED upon the stage of &c ion
who hava proven themselves equal to tic occasions that
surrounded them and a7c left names interviewer With
tas eVenso Of their times Nay, SO deeply skilled in
the in'rcite woknls Of diplomacy ard matters of po
ltctl legerdemain o Talleyrand or he.u-minds
prehessve and cncon issing that Of Espoleon-
have not hesitasd to call them into COUNSEL aud 10 pay
tribute to their talents and The of Eug
sh history few centuries back replee with the fame
oi great women, who have left shining names behind
them to teach mankind that though kings have left mou
uuents OF wisdom land Of folly in their wake, mingled
among them we may now and then behold an allbaster
dome erected to the virtue greatness and glory queens
who we're lot 20 by heIisge. The names of Madame
Relmd or Nscker, De Stsel or Charlotte Corday,
end many others in Europe, will readily be brought to
your minds in this connection while the pages of our
own revolutionary history not altogether vcd of
table achievements performed by your sex. 4
Thsse considerations, ladies' added to the fact that
find 10 the public pints your connected with vol
unteers from my own State The interesting occasion
Of their departure from Richmond 10 the theatre of war
adad to the c that the President Of youthful but
beloved Conf racy, burdened with the cares Of cie
and annoyed At all mes by eIscons upon his patience
to say nothing of physics, fctiors and fstgues-bas
seemed to justify me in addressing few obssv .ous,
crude though they may be- and taking this method Of
making them public upon matters touching the welfare
of the COnsderacy with the hope that your names will
at least cell attention to them and that If thought of
ment, your influence and that Of all Southern women
who have an irhuence at "Sates Rights Court,
may be eIered TO tho reform Of such abuses as as re
fered to, IL indeed they exist. IA
From high plee, in one great Government, the pre-.
sent Executive Of the COME erse States has been called
to preside the destnes Of another and new one
stop to enlarge upon or to alude even to the
causes superinducng this change. |: is So and where
yesterday be could Stand in the Capitol of the United
S'ates-and looking upon tie niche filed by Wash
ogton rs, his voice trumpet tongued for Freedom and
Eqrsity-he dare not now &c, bu. Is proclaimed Rebel
and threatened With traitors doom.
We, however, recognise in this ana,hematised rebel
and traitor our Executive and civil Ruler" He has
been pced where he Is ia sympathy with the instincts
and sres of the people, who will keep him there until
the tale Of his country shall be written. He has given
to bis adherents and to the world proofs Of bis capacity
and fitness challenging universal admiration. No body
nds FAULT his praises upon every tongue; his
mics bitter eIce vinictive dishonest they are do
not gainsay the ability with which they have to contend
In his person.
But his Army Never has mortal man reviewed euch
army Of troops he look upOp, when the morn
ing Sun GAUGES the biops to blush. XcrIcs, Cyrus
Hannibal, scpio Ce'ar nor Pompey, Nspoleou,
Wellington With all their serricd phs!arxI Of free-born
un and kves could not nor does the history of armies
furnish any thing Ike parallel to the f,rces Of this
Oonfederacy compared in the scale Of moral and inte
lectual worth.
Ispeak not in the l.ngusge Of hypsrbcle: eIami
nation will sabstan,iae the assertion without pursuing
the idea further. Oar men are brave; they are vrIu
QUE they are patriotic; they are inpineib!s They
have entered the SERVICE and gone into he ranks from
pl ces proud any feud, baron boastcd opusut
and proud fathers aud sous Of th, Reputi cwho could
stand upon mound by .he Father Of wa,ers,' and
looking over possessions which the eye cannot span sy
"I am monarch of ali survey" whose a.ted cattle
aeek tho thousand hills, aud whose bondsmsn dot
the distant fields you find prvates in the ranks The
iatelec aud talent Of the country the Bench and Bar
the Church and College, the laboratory and the Press
arc here represented. scornng Office or place. seeking
no reward careless of losscs, mindful OF obligations to
loved ones around the domeec hearth 1t Ia true-bu
sieps the calls of affection and ovs in sterner feeling
and more heroic sentiment-you nd them In the ranks
,,illinq TO die for Js6srson Davis and tie SO'ah.
Such Is the picture before US; where will you fnd It's
parallel!
Bot beautiful ss all this appears, let us proceed fur
ther structure, however symmetrcsl and polshed t
may seem, however adorned and garnished Without is
no, perfect unless there be harmony and judcious me-
chanism in all It's parts unless Its tmbers from vault to
dome are sound unless Its foundation pillrs are fitted
firmly ard supporsiDgiy together. slsa s.t.
Are there no flaws in edifce? Are tsere no weak
columnss No apartments left upHnisheds No cham.
bers filed With rubbish left neglected to offend both
tight and smell, snd BY ard BY to spread malaria and
disease throughout the household! ,-.ls
I fear me much, II Inquest be made, that Ii viii be
found there in certain departments Of the Govern
ent much that is uncesn, much that Is clrupt much
deserving Of ccrsurs, much TO be ard have alluded
N l. IL. n arA N