The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-15
The Prsphst Russell srsn American Inssi-
lH,isas.
Errcm the Net York Herald. yen. /

Still remaining IN q country whose inte-
gritty he opposes, whose ms siitntions ne SLAM
derS, whose policy he misrepresents, and
whose ospitality he abuses, Mr.. LII II
Russell continues to write silly letters Upon
American e Il irs to the London Times. Hav-
Ing lost here what little reputation h. hal as
convince those who read his letters that he js
a prophet The number of such phrases as
81 told you SO before, and las ! formerly
pred cted, and las l said it would be-, and
s.as told you month ago." contained in his
letters, would bsffie the lightning Ca,cuia-
tor to compute.
That Mr. Russell brought extraordinary
powefs to his prophetic work no one can
doubt. He had been III this country but a
very short time before we discovered that he
reported occurrences upnn the elairyoyant
principle, End that 1t was not az ALI neces-
sary for him to be present in order 10 aeca4
ratsly describe any incident or occurrence
His description of the battle OF Bull Run, for
instance, and OF the panic that ensued, was a
masterly piece II workmanship. Ii was
i'm posi- BILE for ordinary people to understa nd
how Mr.. Russell couid de scribe so yiyidIy
things which he never saw, and, indeed
things which never actually occurred. de
was not upon the battlefield, and yet ne
con fident!y asserted that no batteries yese
charged by the rearra troops 1t is true that
| ali the official reports give tie lie direct 10
Mr.. Russeli's statements; but, then, what :s
the veracity OF an ofticisT repor. co m par ed
to that Of u Times Correspondent
Mr. Russell was nowhere near the hattl
field and YET he saw Capt. Msagher piav tn q
coward. 1t Is true that al - the offieers of
the sixty ninth anc all other persoiis who
were witnesses OF the contest, agree that
Capt. Meaghsr fought like & hero but then
hIeagher is only an lriShm ar, and Russ 4 is
that tusns nature, an Irish tory. After the
batI,e mr.. Russell wrote that he encouraged
animated, and talked wi h the fl yi2g s,Idi rs
" is trua that q gentleman who was with DIR
RUSSELL during the ride to Washington coz.
tradicts these assertions, and says that US.
sell did nothing but spur up MS horse and
beat a hasty retreat; but Is Russeil's word
to be doubted nron such evidencss Ger
talniy not Russell is a medium, and sees
things by elairyoyaBce. 1t Is not necessary
for him to see battia In order to kno W all
arou. 1t, or to be present with men in order
to converse with them.
With such powers it Is singular that the
prophet Russell has not succeeded very we'll
In his predictions, Cur readeTs viii RENE m .
beF shAt when he frat came to this couurvv
| he grasped the whole question with that ia
| cihty of obs5rvsI IioB and readiness of dsduc-
| tion pecu liar 10 his geBiue, and immediately
| info rmed us that the Union wcald be peacsa-
bly, dissolved, because our merchants were
| apathetic, and referred eating strawberries
and cream to fighting the rebels. We all
I know how completely that prophecy has
| been fulfilled. II MUS. b. q source of xrati-
1 hcation to the eminent British SEX 10 review
| that truthful prediction. A Wooster street
"sevsnth sen Of seventh s0n,' CT the tribe
| to which mr.. Russell sspires TO belong.
| would curse his unlasky stars. and either
| commit suicide or change his place Ct bust
! ness forthwith, il he had made such q 6a,r,
| and /. we're found out. Hut Russell is no
| Ordinary soothsayer. Such failur.s do not
1 in ths least dispirit him. His "seif-conseions-
ness, !" rs Oakley Hall calls Massa Gresley's :
vanry, Is altogether TOO grea. to anmit cf u
| defeat. He picks his prophetical flint and
| tries again.
this time he predicts Northern eivi. war
besai'se Fremont was not presented with q
real sword for nothing. Evidently he ina
Rinss that the Pathfinder intends to turks
Honest Old Abe, trAnsfx the sablnet like
pigeons on skewer, and seize the Govern
n;ent. Conscious, however. fha. he is un-
pfophttically behind the sge, and that IA
has read In the Herald that the Abolition con-
| spiracy 10 unpopular, and only exhibits il.
self Ia certain pon-com hastve Ways, peculiar
\ to the sxeitabls 0reeley and the virut~nt
Phtips, Mr. kusssll shifts his ground and
holsters up his prediction ef NCrlhevn civil
| Wsr hy the excessively subtle and abstruss
aTgamNnts - that shs lsaoiag New York cxi,
lies are discussing their rSiAaivs c1rcnlstion
aed that Mew York ely hss elassad s new
Mayor. Jeese5cre, eAJa ahe craenlar Ups.
to1ls ~ e01Se - 1ha1l AAve lfoeeAeea oavil
Xan 4sanek ee4sg p4spte - net - ~
eeesesaeAt ~ 5o1ne ~ asuQeA vasAel