New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-21
NEWS From RICHMOND.
What the Eebc,s thought Of Gen. Grants
Pinns-Mrnsurcs for Defense of Rich
mond-The Washington Monument
Outragcs on the Memory Of Washing
tou-Thc Citizen Militia Of Richmond
How the Rebel Ranks are Recruited
Negroes Employed for the Defense
OF Richmond Davis with
Lees Army.
Lees Army.

| In n previous letter | mentioned that when
cscped from Reheun left behind several friends,
Union uen who were determined 10 come North at the
r.t opportunity; one VI these gentlemen, Mr. George
H. IIargh arrived here yesterday. having left tho
Rebel captal Oh the l2th nst and the Intelligence he
brines is 10 interesting and Important that hasten ~
communicate 1t.
Nj Harris il an Engshman. who FOR upward Of two
years has bcen rploycd in the publishing house Of
West & johnson, No l45 Main street, Richmond.
SOM after the beginning of tie war; be presented to
Gen Winder, aud ew days later to the Secretary OF
War the proper evidence that he I'm alien. and re-
qnesiod permission " leave the country; but those
unctionaries blinking probably. that II not allowed 10
leave be would be obliged enlist In the army 10 avoid
starving refused him passport. Fortunately. bow.
ever he obtained e!erkship with the above firm at a
salary which enabled him to subsSt without aiding the
negro. drivers abhorront cause.
-Four weeks ago the Rebel authorities became salts
fed for the first that IL really Gen Grants purpose
10 attempt the eapare Of Rehinond. Before this they
believed tat the demonstrations 10 that direction
mere fint to conceal his real intentions. They Hat
tered themselves that ION 10 Richmond" had been
tried so often without success. that it would not be ven
r,d on very soon again and that Grant Was endeayor
ing TO accomplish by strategy grand result not at
ainable by the yaor and strength Of the Union armies
il bis designs were anticipated. A soon M Davis
Co. became satisfied that grand movement was to be
directed aganst their capital they commenced anew ex-
teusive preparation ~ resist IL Not only were re-
collected from every quarter for Lee. but
the erection OF defensive works previously suggested
BY Bcaurcyard but believed BY JeG Davis TO 90 super
nuous was proceeded with
Addniosal measures were also adopted 10 render the
citizen militia" more patriotic and effective The
mnnhcrs have been for several weeks assembled every
afternoon in Capitol Square for company and battalion
drill after which they gathered around the eques
trian monument Of Washington and around the steps
" the Capitol and cxhortcd aud mplored by eloquent
speakers-each Of whom imagines himself Patrick
Heury-to welcome the Federas with bloody hands "
hospitahle graves.
The washington Monument rs the reader who has
seen il knows an elegant structure, both in design
and artistic finish II stands IN the center Of circu
lar base about Is feet IN diameter, and consists Of
| column about fifteen feet in hight, mounted on a
polyona pedestl or star On the top Of the column is
sta,nc OF TIE father of his country horseback. On
each projecting angle Of the STAR few feet from the
column stands on q small pedestal one Of the lesser
lights Of the Revolution On tbe circle Of the main
eagles standing on blocks Of stone.
On the breast Of each OF the revolutionary heroes
surrounding Washington is placard quoting some OF
his distinguished sayings In the days that tried mems
sous. As sample on the breast Of DR.. Franklin.
ted from bis remarks in the first American Congress
/. written, Independence will cut the Gordon knot
at once and give freedom. What would that great
man say now II he could speak at being thus made tie
| Dbl
From the beaks Of tie eagles suspended riaoesds
with flaming mottoes In Latin 1t must have been no.
tced that the Rebels leaders prone to interardug
their speeches and Rscrbing their banners with mot
toes from tho dead and foreign languages but the
.f their doing So no Yankee perhaps, has ever yet
guessed II is because to their ignorant and deaded
followers there is something awfuy imposing In dead
language saying inscription. Should they hear
the same sentiment in English they would scarcely
tce it. But having 1t In Latin they will not rest
until they find who interpret IT, and then
they will mentally repeat the translation until il be.
as familiar TO them. and moro sacred. In their
timation. than any OF tho Ten Commandments. To
give all the inscriptions these cards would be tedious
but Of them may prove interesting. On tue
eagle nearest the Capitol steps hung the ancient say
ing" Duics deoorua pro patrta mort" 1T If sweet
and glorious to die for ones country another hung
pro ayis Joeis" or for affairs and our resides
There can be no doubt that the Rebel leaders have
succeeded by acc and chicanery such as this in con-
yncing many unsophiscatcd youth that II Is sweet
and glorious TO die for the Conicderacy and that they
arc fighting for their affairs and their frcsides; and
many thousand more must DO led to the slaughter be-
fore the terrible deluson is dispced from the Southern
mind.
Had their Dissertation Of the monument ended here.
they might perhaps be forgiven but not 1.-THE OF their
sacriege has yet been told. They most ontrageously
insulted the memory Of the immortal Washington.