The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-12
E6set sf Oar Rsvessss.

Reversee be they ever 60 severe, are use
fal 20 tho Southern cauae. They rouse the
a:eu, energies Of the country. aud spur its
nrblic men "a sotivitv The victory of Ma
uss4as bad If evil consequences a. well a. ts
rood II inspired aith an undue conf
deuce. and quellci the sense Of danger tina,
al had felt. II made us aespise the enemy,
he inert fatal of all mistakes in warfare. IT.
stuug the pride Of the adversary to the quick
and get him to work In earnest in preparing
the means of vengeance. The mighty armies
bat he has brought into the field, and the
| mammoth expenditure he has incurred in pro-
vidne was material, are in part the fruits OF
Manassas. A corresponding activity and zeal
on our part would have continued 10 weigh
him down with tbs dismay which Manassas
| inspired bu; he found that we We're indolent
! in proportion as he was alert, and he has
taken new courage tor the combat
the same danger which threatened the
| coautrv on the eve Of Manassas, threatens it
| again; and our people must once more rise in
| their might. rs they rose and stood forth for
Lhat occasion. The misfortunes in Tennessee
| and North Carolina are misfortunes on a
| mall scale. and doubtless intended by be.
nignant Providence to provoke that activity
| which the emergency demands. 1t is well
| that they have occurred at the present time,
| when il il impossible for the large land forces
Of tire enemy TO avail themselves of the di
version they occasion in the public mind
| These land forces cannot move i'll column at
| obe propitious moment that now offers; and
| we ara afforded time by the elements to re-
! pair the reverses on or outposts, and prepare
! tor the great battles in prospect.
| The fall Of Roanoke Island hes already pro-
| inced one compensation. 1t procured the
| passage through the Virginia Legislature of
| ill for retaining the army Of Virginia in the
| iield, II measure wnch that body had been
| inat.le To mature in a session of two months
md half, so sadly unequal to the emer-
| sency wac that coucIave that, though the
| enemy was laundering at the gates of the
! Commonwealth, they sat two months in cold
| ieba,e over the details Of military organia-
! isu The clap of thunder from Roanoke
| leland at length startled them TO their feet,
| md frightened them into their duty; and the
| army OF kIrgisia may be considered as saved
| " the melancholy occurI ence on that island
Thus defeats have their uses no less than
victories; and though il is a sad, yet il is a
consoling reflection, that what PATRIOTS
eonld not effect in the Legislature of this
Commonwealth misfortune has done; and that,
five NAV expect vigor from our Government
At no other time. we may do so, at least, when
DANGER stares us in the face
a grave responsibility now derolves upon
the Governor Of this Commonwealth. 1t be
hooyes him 10 move energeticaily, and it
touches the safety Of the country, that he
should enter with alacrity upon the discharge
IF his dirty under the military act. Not a day
Is 10 be lost, and the moLth should not end
wi,hou; seeing the leading provisions Oiths act
carried into effect. Ii lies within his power TO
have the ranks Of the Virginia army filled by
he irs' OF April, and all the regiments fully
organized before That date.
The act That has been passed is 10 the main
good one, and whatever defects it may be
found TO contain can readily be remeoied by
additional legislation Bat these amendments
should not touch the leading principles and
a compact with the volunteers in the field and
cannot be materially changed without a
breach OF the public faith.
The enactment of this law is the first good
fruit Of the sad reverse AZ Roanoke Island
we trust that other good fruit will follow
We doubt not that they will. All that the
South needs 81 present il Ia be thoroughly
reused 10 the occasion. Ii she but brace her
self 10 the WORK in earnest, the Yankees can
not stand before them. Their splendid arms
and artillery viii avail them no more against
the fierce courage of her troops than they did
at Manassas, The crisis OF Manassas is upon
the country again Ter the last time, and let
our people come forth and meet it az we met
it then. That viii give ns peaoe-that will
secure us ependence-aud that alone