The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-05-16

FLIGHT OF THE REBEL CONGRESS.


1t seems that the rebels in Virginia are
in great fright, and the strangers from
other southern states who have crowded
Richmond for months past are leaving the
city in haste. The Richmond Egamiaaer OF
the 23d April asserts that the rebel Con-
gress had not nearly got through with its
work when it dismissed itself, and ran away,
to the surprise of its friends and the enter
tainment of its enemies" "Want of occu.
patton certainly was not the reason of the
adjournment" says the Examiner ); " their
record shows that the tariff hung IN medias,
while one hundred and forty>nine military
commissions lay unopened on the table.
The flight seems to have reused the anger
of some of the journalists of that town, who
would probably like to accompany the re-
treating orators, but the necessities of a
daily paper" prevent. The Richmond
Whig grows facetious over the fight:
For fear of accidents on the railroad, the
stampeded Congress left yesterday in mum.
ber of the strongest and newest canal boats.
These boats are drawn by mules of approved
sweetness of temper. To protect the STAN.
peders from the snakes and bull-frOgs that
abound along the line of the canal, General
Winder has detailed a regiment of ladies to
march in advance of the mules and clear the
tow-path of the pirates. The regiment is
armed with pop.guns of the longest range.
The ladies will accompany the stampeders to a
secluded cave in the mountains of Hepsidam,
and leave them there in charge OF the children
of the vicinage. until Mcclellan thinks prop er
to let them come forth. The ladies leturn to
the defence OF their country.
The Examiner takes the matter more Sc.
riously, and calls the flight an odious ex.
ample to all classes"
1t is done by the votes of the Senators of
those very States which have been lOudest in
their professions of patriotism and valor.
Many of them now think Richmond insecure,
talk about the probability of evacuating Vir-
ginia C'tempOrarily'') in case of defeat, and
wish to be safe on their cotton plantations
when the event takes place.
This is all very well, but we cannot agree
with the Examiner in what follows:
They exhibit in this way of thinkiag very
narrow vision, most imperfect idea of what
is passing here, and are completely in error as
to the future that lies close before them.
We think, on the contrary, that they
show very clear apprehension Of" what is
passing here" and that they are perfectly
right in endeavoring to use " the future
that lies before them" in packing up their
valuables, and getting ready for further
flight to a place of safety-or leap into
the last ditch. These hiding couspirators
are like John B. Floyd at Donelson, they
dare not be caught. Whoever surrenders,
they "cannot afford" to fall into the hands OF
the Union men.
But it is not /" the Congress alone
which is running away. The following
singular letter from Danville, in the Rich.
mond Dispatch of April 9th, shows how
general is the desire to fly.
The present appearance of Danville reminds
one very forcbly of the cities of refuge spok.
en- of in the Old Testament Scriptures. From
allparts of the frontier and sea.coast of this
State refugees are fOcking to this point. AL.
are crowded.
Not having anticipated such an accession to
their population, the resident citizens had not
laid in such supply of provisions as would be
sufficient in order that all may have enough.
Thus eatables sell very high, and the prices
have an upward tendency. But the country
around US is rich and fertile, and tobacco,
which has thus far answered all purposes with
the farmers, will give place to corn, pork,
peas, potatoes and other articles more easily
digested than the weed,
Danvile is a village on the borders Of
Virginia and North Carolina, and is im-
pcrtant, because Davis is constructing, at
this time, a railroad to connect it with
Greensboro, in North Carolina. This
line is not yet completed, if we may believe
the Richmond journals, and until it is the
rebels have really no way of retreat open
to them, out of Virginia, for their army,
which they can move only by railroad ;
Burnside having cut them off from the seas
board lines through North Carolina, while
Mitchell ami our Generals in East Tcnnes.
see make the retreat westward If not i'm.
possible, yet exceedingly hazardous.
Che Nashville Union says:
From gentleman who has just come
through trom Richmond We learn that a fear
ral state Of affairs prevails in the rebel capi-
tai. There is a great scarcity Of the necessa-
ries OF lie. Provisions are at famine prices,
and many OF the poor are in . starving condi
tion. The Weather rebels refuse generally to
extend them ordinary charities, and cases of
dreadful Suffering and destitution are reported,
especially in the families OF rebel soldiers,
Men once noted for their lberality are engag.
ed in all sorts OF Gishonorable speculations.
The people have no hope of defending the
city against the federal troops, and look on a
speedy surrender as certain. 1t is the saddest
and dreariest city on the globe On all sides
are witnessed want and squald poverty, sci.
iishness and wild debauchery.
4 Fest Vote TN the Senate Oh CoUfi sea.