Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-01-05
zeTTER FROM RICHMOND.

Special GcrTeEDOudene1 u ~ 4cMpus AFpceAI
RIcHMoED, December &c, 1862.
The 5lessed season Of Christmas has come and gcne,
with less of festive oamuaotion in Virginia than has sen
observed for half a century,. Our hearts were lighter
then thew were at the last return Of the anniversary,
and, under E becoming sense Of gratitude to God fo Bis
signal mereies in our deliverance from the hands " our
enemies, we might. perhaps, have INDUCED innoeantly
enough IN the merriment and good cheer Of the bel days
to the fullest extent But the hilarity and hOspt;able
rites Of Christmas were restrained, in the pres mt in
stance. by many circumstances and considerations. A
large number Of the old mansions in Piedmonhnp upon
dde-water, In which, q year ago, the fres blszedc aeeFly
and happy groups were assembled, have been dismaEiled
and despoled by the ruthless foe some Of them, alas8
are ia ruins, znd their former occupants fugitiyes and
in poverty. As for the bounteous good living that be-
longs to Christmas, ii has been given over in this season
Of 1862, upon sheer compulsion. The straits in which
we have been placed by the blockade admit Of no
unnecessary profusion, and 4 glass of whisky-punch
without Irish whisky aud without lemons, is an inpos-
sibIity. But If the country districts had not been laid
waste, and we had for merry-mksing "al appliances
and means TO boot" it were enough to repress the Cs-
position for mirth and revel, that SO many bosoms are
stricken with sorrow throughout the Confederacy. We
may ~prohtably remember, TOO, that the war is not yet
over, that the foe, though beaten back in disgrace, has
yet great power, (and the greatest desire,) TO do US far
Their mischief, and we may Therefore wisely defer, until
a future holiday, the social epjoyments which this Pc
Rod OF the year would otherwise sanction.
This is not a sentence out of the sermon heard yes.
terday, though it sounds, perhaps, like preaching. The
sermon was, indeed, a very good one, with no illusions
to the war in it at al, bat such as might have been de-
Hvered, (and probably was) in the "piping times of
peace" and was listened to with proper attention by a
ura-.A--.E 70. no-Tfe N-aa haau
tifuny drest with evergreens, and the music was far bet
ter than we have been accustomed to hear. since the
yvuug ieHes 81 the choir have given up their weekly
practcing to work for the soldiers, and the bass and
tenor voices have gone to the wars.
Our army remains as yet in its old lines on the Rap
pahannock, and we have no further advices from Burn
sides forces, the main body of which is supposed to be
between Fredericksburg and Acquis creek. General
Hampton made a spirited cavalry dash upon q wagon
train, 8 few days ago, near Dumfries, and captured a
considerable quantity Of supplies, among which were
f1e braniies and cigars, intended as Christmas presents
for Gen. Burnside and some Of his most distinguished
companionsin-srms and marked with their names,
Let Us hope that Gen. Lee and his noble band Of gen
erals of divisions enjoyed the same as adjuncts 10 their
aimp e, frugal dinner yesterday.
Il is stated that Stewards resignation not having been
accepted by Lincoln, Seward has Withdrawn it, and
will remain, in defiance of the viii Of the radical Abo-
Htionis.s, the principal adviser of the Yankee President
There ara all the symptoms, however, Of a speedy
back down Of the government through the withdrawal
Of the support Of the mOneyed class, the bankers and
capitalists Of the North, who have, up to the reverse at
Fredericksburg, been steadfast in tie belief that
the suojugston OF the South was a possible
thing, or 90 use their own expression, twas on the
cards" bUl who have now changed their views and be
gun to look gloomily enough iato the future. The South
conquered andbrought back into the Union, the pay
ment OF the Yankee debt, (now amounting to two thou
sand Millions Of dollars, whatever Mir. Chase may aver
to the contrary was a very simple matter nothing
more than Buffers exaetions and confscstons extended
all over the Southern country bus the South, free an
independent the debt is quite a different affair, es.
peeiaIly, IT, through an indefa1te prolongstion of the
war, it should mount up to three or four times its pres
eDt enormous aggregate.
We have had a fresh arrival OF English nobilites in
Richmond within three or four days past, the Hon. Mr.
Leslie, of the house of commons, and the Marquis of
Harrington, eldest son of the Duke Of DevOnshire.
Th=se gentlemen ran the blockade of the Potomac from
Washington. A good story has leaked out concerning
their visit to the Yankee President, which is too good
to be lost. When Seward was in England in 1859, he
was very handsomely entertained by the Duke of De-
vOnshire at his pslatial country mansion, Chatsworth,
and in return for his noble hospitality, he volunteered to
show Lord Harrington the lights of the Federal capital,
aud took him to see Old Abe. After some minutes con
vorsation, Lincoln turned to his ~lordship and said: 81
didn't hear your name" Harrington, e" said his visitor.
" Harrington replied the gorilla, Oh, I can easily re-
member that, because it rhymes to Mrs. Partington."
The disgust Of the Marquis and the cbagdn of Seward
may be imagined
Gen. Roger A. Pryor went with a small force OF
cavalry into the county Of Isle Of Wight severaIs days
ago and broke up Black Republican election on the
bauotsygtem that was going on there. The OBJ
Of holding these sham elections, in districts Of the
South overrun by the Yankees, is to overcome if posi-
BILE the DemScrstc majority in the next house of repre-
s~entadves.
We have very mild, damp weather todsy.
DIXIE.