, 1862-11-17

fifteen miles Of the town, sad within one mile
OF the confederate troops.
The SnRerinas Of the Rebel Army.
Tie Richmond Wig, Of the 11ta Inst,
Gays:
a few days ago scene Eas Witnessed in p1r
streets which st 1aet aroused the people TO q
lively sense of The real condition of our
solclers. a number Of regiments marched
down Ninth street, passing the; very DOOR OF
the war department. Citizens standing near
there were no officials present; taey never
are On such occaslons-saW with their own
eyes what the papers hare long and yaiuly
tried to make them believe. Tney ssW num-
hers Of soldiers marching barefoot through
the melting suow. Nor vas this all. They
saw them thiDly clad in ragged and wornous
without bats This was spectacle to sti. the
pulEe6 even Of g Speculation.
But there weTe some who took good care
not to witness so disgTacefnl sight. at the
very moment this bafefooted procession WAS
passing the var department., the president Ct
the conft derate States, his secretary Of war,
all the cabinet officers, the quartermastar gen
eral. and some thousands Of able-bodled
Young clerks, were sitting BY rousiag fires,
toastlEg Lheir veil thod feet aud thinking Of
pected that stout young fellows, who stink
into government drudges in order TO get out
OF the army, should care much for anybody
but themselves. It Is not to re expected that
an administration, no member OF which wss
ever known to put his foot inside of
hospital, or to bestoW go much as d
plate OF soup on sick private, or to
send one Of their gorgeous vehicles to hriug in
tie Hounded-it is not to be expected that
such an administration should care very much
for anything but the snobbing Of men hike
PIlce and Beauregard. Our political system
%A,s- ~,J, -
years, and it is q matter OF profound indfffer-
erce TO them what happens, SO long as they
can draw their salaries and reward their favor
It's with the honcrs and bounties Of cavern
n1ent.
But the celd-blooded iahuHlanity Of govern
melt does moi absolre our citizens from the
religions duty Of immediately supplying the
rants OF the army. The soldier who offers his
life as a sacrifice for bis country-who en-
dures the perils Of battle, and the still greater
perils Of the hospital, In charge Of drunken
and concested boy surgeons, the tilth Of camp.
want cared Tor. There is nothing that peo-
pie can do ior a soldier which ought 70 be Left
nndone. While the soldier lives he shonld 5Ss
well fed and well clothed, and as loug as he Is
In the service his family sho1id be attended
to. TIE people who allow their soldiers TO 20
naked iE the cutting Winds of winter, while
they stay warm at nome, do not deserve 1ib~
ertY. God will not prosper the cause OF such
aPeople.
We of Richmond have been rerntzs. We
have heep SLOW to wake Up to 4 Een5e Of the
Lerrible des:itution OF our army. It is not
altogether our fault. From the beginning We
desired earnestly to cooperate with the gov
ernment-to be on eoo3 terms with It's mem
hers-to 6hare its iFta1s, sad promote. as far
| as IN us lay, its success and its Glory: But
the government has pers7steutly held aloo!
rom Us and loutsd Us. Every attempt to
paztase OF its responsibilities, aud to coo2e-
ratewtth it in Its 1abors, has been scornfuliy
| rejected as imper'f1enf interference With nj
teTs which did not coEcesn u, aaa which ne
we're incapable Of compr=hendlng: II, ia de-
| tsa.ce OF official iptlaeacs, s7e endea1o:ed to
ilc ourtluty IN q pressing eNlafgea:7-asw when
the J=nes River was to be clo5ed-ye vert
uaupersd AID thwarted With the idloc5 0!
ElCth ard official routine. We appeal 10 tat
leaei: Z men Of this city to say if this is 10
| &c the letter true. What wonder, then, that
when rot permitted to take any pars III til,
| l.lsns Or purposes of the government Ut o1
own mekirg, wc DID the Only thing lett us t
-n,ske as much d. prseia1ed paper rlons5 3:
| we coulas