The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-05-10
The Flight .f the Res.l Congress.
The RIcHMoxD PREss ON rnE HAsrY STAN.
PEDE OF THE MEABERa

PEDE OF THE MENBERs.
Prom the nchmond Ixaminer, April 3S.
"1f there be any modern 20 outrageous
| ly brave that he cannot admit of fight un
der any circumstances whatever, SAY
(but whisper that softly, without inten
! tion to give offence to any brave man IL
the nation,) say, or, rather, whisper
that he IL an ignorant fellow, and hath
never read Homer or Virgil, nor known
he anything of Hector and Turnus; nay
that he is unacquainted with the history
of some great men living, who, though
brave as lions, aye, as tigers, have ruu
away, the Lord knows how far, and ths
Lord knows why, to the surprise Of theil
friends and the entertainment Of thsil
enemies"
By such reasoning does the immortal
Fielding justify the failing back" Of . f.
vorite hero, and in searching . good plea
for the dispersion Of our Confederate-but
not Roman-Senate, We can find none
better. They, too, have been brave q
lions, aye, as tigers; and. also they, too
have run away, "the Lord knows Why, to
the surprise OF their friends aud the en-.
tertainment of their enemies"
1t would be amusing if it were not sad
to read and hear their protests that the
opinion they ran from apprehension
was altogether an outside idea," aud
their adjournment was due to the simple
Tact that Congress adjourned because Con
gress had mo more business to do" while
their record shows that the tariff hung in
medias, while one hundred and forty nine
military commissions lay unopened on the
table, and while listening to a message
from the President declaring that he re.
turned unsigned a number of bills, the
titles Of which lie had not the leisure to
relate nor Congress the time to inquire.
Want Of occupation certainly was not the
reason of the scampering adjournment
and if apprehension" had nothing on
earth to do with it, as we are bound in
politeness TO believe, then, the Lord knows
why Congress is gone and the Lord knows
when Congress will come back to US.
We hope that all other persons in Rich
mond who intend to prefer fight, should
they ever lie in danger, will do what they
do in that way like Congress-withou,
apprehension" or panic. If Richmond
falls. it will not be a sudden tumble
There is not the least danger that their
precious carcasses will be caught under a
mashtrap Abundant time for an ad
journment will always be afforded by the
operations Of such officers as both partie.
have in the field. No large city, defend
ed by extensive lines and several great ar
mics, ever was or can be surprised. Rich
mond will always be open no one side
and those who want to get out of it car
do SO at any time. 1t is hoped that here
at least, the Confederate armies will no,
bounce off after burning a steamboat OIL
two and n bridge the moment they learn
| the enemy are in the neighborhood, with
out knowing how many there are, mol
whether they are not worse frightened
! than themselves
| Again we repeat, the falling Of Rich
nond, if i. takes place at all, will be /:
/ slow process, and we shall know all about
| ii long before it comes to pass Let nj
| one, therefore. get out Of breath before
! the race Ifthe Confederate government
! is worth a rush it will defend Richmond
to the last, for the leaving OF it, though
it will give up to ruin many thousands o
| its citizens, will not be less fatal TO tn,
government itself Nothing will remair
for the heads of that government bu
speedy resignation to escape load Of ex
ecration and infamy such as would crust
the greatest conqueror and despot tina
has ever ruled the world. They had bet
ser seek death on the field that will de
eide the fate Of the capital than attemp
! TO prolong a nom. die resistance at Mont
| gomery Though the people of the cit,
/ and country would lose terribly BY th'
| occupation Of Richmond. the members o
| the government would suffer more thar
any other individuals, and, if they have
/ grain Of common sense, they know it
| Hence it may be safely predicted tha
| they will defend this place with all tn,
| force they can command We have M
| doubt but the arrangements of Mr.. Ran
dolph are efficient, and our armies ar,
competent to meet the demands of tn,
crisis. Soldiers and officers know tn,
stake and will play for it accordingly
Many a nation has owed its redemption
to O decisive victory before the walls o
its capital
From the Richmond Examiner. April 2.
The dispersion of Congress to-day can
| not be regarded otherwise than as a n,,,>
untoward event 1t is an odious exa"p',
TO all classes 1t is done by the votes o
the Senators of those very States wiIicl
have been loudest in their professions o.
patriotism and valor. Many Of them nov
think Richmond insecure, talk about tn.
probability Of evacuating Virginia ("tem
! porarily') in case of defeat, and wish t.
be safe on their cotton plantations wher
that event takes place. They exhibit il
this way of thinking a very narrow vision
| a most imperfect idea of what is passin,
here, and are completely in error as t
the future that lies before them.
| The loss of Virginia is . thought which
shoIld not be admitted into the head O
any person of authority in the Confeder
ate States. II the Confederacy loses Vir
ginia, it loses the back bone and right arm
of the war; If they indulge the pleasing
speculation that the Yankees will be con
tent to make peace with the orIgina
Southern Confederacy when they hav,
been appeased with q sacrifice of Virxini.
they trust to a delusion, and are caugh
in snare by which goslings would not b,
entrspped.
Possession of the border States is only
a means to the end of the northern horde
If we were the only South they woul,
never put forth the gigantic effort they ar,
making. They would be we'll content t,
let us 60. 1t is the cotton of the Gul
they want and must have If they cal
conquer Virginia the destruction of tha
strong bulwark will only fill the m will
hope and confidence, and the decisive
battles will be fought few weeks later OF
the plantations of the fugitives, with wha
difference of chances let reflection say.
The wisest plan of the South is to plac
all its force on the Peninsula, stand tn,
hazard of that great throw of the die
without finching, and think about fligh
only when they are sure to have lost it,
To leave Richmond at the very momen
OF the hazard is not the way to ncourag
the army to help cause IN peril.
Far wiser, and indeed more prudent
too, would be the nobler and more cour
ageous cause of remaining in the capita
till it is certain it can be no longer defend
ed. 1t will be time enough to 60 whel