Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-08-24
LETTER FROM THE COUNTRY-THE CAUSE OF
OUR TROUBLES.
A FARMER.

To the Editor Of tts Whig:
take several OF the Richmond papers and have
chance of reading al Of them whenever choose to
take The trouble. have Eatched with much anxiety
the course of the plpers since the fall Of vcksburg
etc and am panied to that they are pursuing e
course they have always pursued when the was in
peril namely making great hula blllcO over the effect
of our disasters upon the spirits Of the people trying to
cheer them up BY making small Of troubles which are
really great and pretending there is cause for alarm
whatever. Like the ostrich yOu hide Jour head bah nd
leaf and say there is no danger You know the cause
Of our troubles and you know that unless the cause
removed our troubles must continue, and yet you say as
it'll as possible about that cause and make no combined
and persistent effort 10 remove it
Is this wise is cOmmOn-sensble is dealing honestly
bv the people, whose sennes you newspaper men are
Let me tell you frankly that your responsible y is second
to that Of the highest authorities and that the
accusing voice Of history and your own conscences will
hold you to fearful if you fail to discharge
your whole duty to the people and to their now sorey
/ imperilled country.
give the Wing credit for trying to do its duty. But
Il goes At il in q round about WAy-hintng rather than
declaring in the panest and boldes language what the
true cause of our troubles is where it lies and how alone
il can be removed perceive very clearly your reason
for acting with 80 much cau o. and pity you and all
other honest editors FROM the bottom OF my heart; for
you are in qnandary, which may well puzzle the Wses
and bodCss OF men, Permit me to state this quandary
70 remove your scrUpe5 aud TO determine yoer course
| If all this be within my power.
The patb OF the 'organs" Of the administration ia
/ plain and smooth. Duty and inclination alike compel
them to sustain the authorities right wrong end the
wonderful fidelity with which they have played their part
of late is q commentary upon Southern manhood far
I
free to declare that the resOiute sycophancy dis
PLAYED by certain presses during the last month has
| nude me heart sick and aim st ready TO believe
that the Solherner is after alt, but mod flea ion
| l might say, degradation, of the Yankee. Ger
t,Gly | have teen no extracts from Northern papers
in which Lincoln is so fusomey praised for all lis
tons so slavishy and disgustingly upheld right or
wrong a. Mr. Davis has been by certain papers at the
South So much for the "organs" If the cause pros
pers it is proof of their wisdom and patriotism the
cause decline they still beslaver the President with
praise because Il is the part Of patriotism to sustain him
in the hour Of trial. and by means 10 "weaken the
confidence Of the people in the wisdom and sagacy Of
the Administration" for that but adds to the trouble
and tends TO make the decline still further Thus
h is always plain sailing tn the Organs and, no
matter what comes, they have you at disadvantage.
Herein is one great difficulty under which you gen
tlemep of the press who not servile labor Hut
there is another still greater Not only IS ",
whether YOU can do any good by speaking OUT PaniV
spce other papers will not cooperate WIN YOU seq
tbpre ia danger of dispriting the people<Ttb onsn
ing the authorities but (aad here il YOU tho, so far
dary) the experience of the Tic opnioD as uttered by
,roes; Tie President becomes more and more stiff.
necked In proportion 10 he opposition OF the public to
his perVerse crotchets Examine your files for the last
two years. count the measures you have from time
time advocated, and see how many OF them have been
adopted, or even noticed. remember many measures
advocated ny the PTss and by the p4bhc, but
cannot recall one Nhich has rece we'd the sanction of
the President. On the contrary recall several which
have been opposed by him in proportion to their popu
l.rty.
Laboriug under this diffcuty-of making the Presi-
den. more obstnate-It is no wonder you hesitate TO
speak your mind plainly, and choose rather to suggest
AID hint your views in vague aud feeble manner The
marves that despairug of performing any real service
to the country in your capacity editor you do not
throw down the pen in disgust, and, like the people
| submit bEndly to destiny and JEFF Davis.
But this would be unmanly The greater toe danger
the more imperative your duty to remain at your pos.
and lit the warning voice to the last Do
say that you will merely dshearten the people. You
will show them the true source of their troubles and
sOorcr later arouse them TO compel even the
most obstinate Of rulers TO heed their mandatory tones
Better far better, that they should be aroused and en-
ragged than left in their present apathy speak what
know when tell you that the apathy of the people at
the present time is deporsbe and alarming They
feel that they puppets in the hands of Mr.. Davis
and they know that he them merely crafty his
Whms and 10 advance his pet Generals Too patriotic
to oppose him openly, they allow themselves to be
driven at his beck and cil; they know not they care
no., whittier. There q time when they hoped soae
thing from the manhood and hore5ty Of their repressn-
ayes but they long ago discovered that those repre-
ssntaVes looked forward to peace and foreign appoint
ments and there is help 10 them. Therefore like the
NAhommedArs, they fold their arms and leave them.
| selves 10 fate.
This is exaggerated picture Unpopular sentiment
this time What the facts in regard to the pub
lie feeling in North Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas,
North Aabams, Northern Georgia. East Tennessee
West Tennessee and great part Of Middle Tennessee?
What good will it do to ignore this feeling? VIII it re-
move itg To what is this feeling due? Obviously to
toe gross injustice OF the President in leaving he people
Of these States TO the mercy Of officers promoted by
eaUrice and desire Of putting down popular ike
Price aud BeauregSrd, and not for merit. The evil
eject Of such prom Oon3 does not end With the disas-
which inevitably foloW-the useless sacrifice Of life
the ouirages defeDceles5 women and children and
the destruction Of propery- continues in the compul
sion under which the President abors of retaining in Of
fee his Incompetent pets
To bring the matter home and this long letter to
close let US see how we siaad. Kentucky Missouri
large portion Of Arkansas nearly all Of Te nessee the
whole length Of the Mississippi river, and considerable
portion OF the State Of Mississippi have been give TO
the enemy by the President in order that he might graft
fy his capriCes and his jealouses.
What las been done to remedy those mighty disas-
ters2
/ ansEer-NotIing uhatever.
Inc people nave oeen called 70 prayers an amnesty
has been granted to deserters and peou5 appeal has
been made to the women But these do not touch the
cause of the disasters. The call to prayers Is a
piece OF political olaptrsp designed to shuttle off
the Presidents responsibility for the appointment Of
Penbertcn upon the people, whose glove of lucren Is
msanly Infatuated the cause of our reverses
Moreover it is blAsphemous arraignmcn: OF the Al
mighty as chargeable with bringing Abou, disasters
which are due 10 the Presidents iavortsm alone
The amnesty 10 deserers will add little TO the army
while it will greatly encourage the North. The appeal
the ladies' has excited dersve laughter among
the ladies themselves. So much for the Presidents
subterEuges to cover and cloak his criminal appoint
meuts.
Therefore, say the cause Of our disasters has not
be IN touched Pemberton retains command. with the