Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-07-16

~, :, ~, .,a.rv,ncy. ID ls good work Of providing
W ,..i defence the sealous corporation oi
~ &c T.oj.sthres and TIE firm and wise ruling
- the Courts have most materially s'reng'neneu '"0
- Of the Confederate Government
r. there has. been fault or failure anywhere, II
~ no, been in providing the men aud means
- o,rrv on the war. That was all Congress
.oud do and the only thing in which the
.;s,.,nrss and the Courts could aid them. The plan
"a conduct Of the war have been in other hands If
nrse campaigns have been Planned and attempted and
have failed the fault has not been with Congress- If sue
essf i,neras have hsen stricken down in the midst
of their usefulness and disasters have resulted no blame
is TO be attached to Congress If inexperienced or 10
competent officers have been given the command Of i'm
pOrtant posts and caaues have ensued the responsible
" tests elsewhere than with Congress.
# therefore, the conclusion we're come to, upon
full consideration, that We have arrived at so
g,eat a strait in our Affairs to render indis-
uensable = change in the structure Of cur Govern
pent-a revolution that would lop of faulty
DEPARTMENT and give additional vgor and efficiency to
those branches Of the Government that have proved
themselves equal to the crisis, what ne man would not
say upon the mere practical aud Common-sense view OF
70
The matter leaving out of consideration if that were
pos5ble the mOmeutous fact that the Representative
aud Judicial branches of the Government are peculiarly
the eustOdians of the liberties Of the people, that We
should fall back upon the successful example OF our
Reyo uonary fathers aud conduct the war without an
ExecutiveY Who would say let US suppress other
DEPARTMENTS although they have been blaneess, and
although they are the surest and Ouy deences Of civil
Ehs,tv and law. aud let ~ make Of the DEPARTMENT
hoe bunders have 50 seriously eOpardized the cause
DetatorshD-rob the Departments that have done all
st WAS expected Of them Of the vast aud vital trusts
lodged with them and pile these up IN imperial SPLEEN
DOR ard sutocratic might the Department. thatfaed
IN 4, all that was expected OF -take from the States
their sovereignty from the Courts thsriacred functions
from the people their imprescpdOle rights, aud heap
them all into mound upon which may be reared the
Throne Of a Despol
Certainly We think no such idea could enter
sane miud-assured'y it could not find adyo-
cate in an old aud respected defender OF republic
can institutions trusty sentinel on the watch tower
of popular liberty. We therefore conclude that the
Richmond Engrey has failed to express itself as de
signed or that fail to apprehend the true drift Of its
leading article in yesterday edition. The idea that the
Enquirer really means TO recommend what is above
pointed out is iuconceiysble We submit the enigma
the reader for bis solution
The one use and function of a Government here at
present il simply TO get into the field every lighting man,
6y fair means f possible, but, il needul, by strong
compu,ion The whole country is really in state OF
siege; il on BIT to be all camp All exgencies Of
fe ought to give way TO the military eGgeney all laws
ought be silent except military Law. We regard all
Judges and Courts Stale and Confederate, al Con-
crosses and Legislatures = nuisance in 80 far
rey help US to strengthen the hands of the Command
erin Chief OF this COnlederacy. The nation must lite
rally strip for battlestrp itself OF every vesge OF the
peaceful togi and let the laws be silent amidst the
cash Of arms.
No country ever yet in so fierce a tempest as now
beats upon US undertook 10 come through the crisis
without concentrating and gathering up is Whos force,
a. placing il, as LHuuderOOlt in the hands OF mill
t,.y chief There is interest institution 10 the
country worth mentioning now, except the army. The
Government of the Coniederacy the Government Of
the army; aud citizen has any right which can inter
feie with or impede it, efficiency.
This Journal has alEays advocated the fulsst
Of Democratic liberty and the strongest guarantees for
the civil rights of every citizen. When the war is over
W. shall stand the same grCund. But while the war
Is pending-snd such war while the whole Coniede-
racy uuy best ged and every eneTgs Of every citi-
z,n is called Tor TO from the hns loss Of all our
rights in one rEil together We hold that So
cety should be nothing but camp, ard its Law should
be the General Orders Il is right to be jealous Of the
encroachuenIs Of government. and we are rs jealous
As others but il will be slender consolation TO that
we have guarded ourselves from the eeEraizDg des-
p0,sm Of our government il We find ourselves
i,rg under the dcumhead law Of victorious foreign
army.
Duiug the last session Of Congress the urgency Of
our case was not pre- sing it was generally believed
thar peace was approaching and the legislation Of the
~ IN, a. a. tta fri.fipy and
em5a RAISING the military authority than strengthening
It's action Months will pass before Congress will meet
ag,il Ia the meantime, three or four hundred thou
sand fresh troops will be poured down upon US, all
hungerog for spoil and blood. We meet them and
battle them, and huh them back before; but to do
this we must rise 70 the level OF the occasion. The
ton must be mustered, drilled armed; society must
resolve itself uro steel battaions, and obey word Of
command.
We must return to this subject.
Armistice, Amnesty, Etc.