The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-16

AzrRA0e WANTED: -Tee hSncss mas.es ~
IN. (. ~ssd a rHIs orc Tor ali khds q Clan
coffon AND LINN AAAS, n asss - snAl'
Ths sisaaasa q ~ CsaseAsraey.
We feel pefectly confident In the belief
thaa the dependency which to certain e1'
tent has lately spread over the country u
due. IN . great degree, to the muEmurings OF
those Who have been subjected TO the ope-
ration Of the conscsiptiou by the repeal OF
the substitute laws. Those gentlemen who'
In the primo OF life, with oil their limbs
sound and intact, with their bodily conof
ton ia . state of perfect health, strong,
and active, who thought themselves secured
rom accident by shot and shell under cover
Of their substitutes, have found themselves
mistaken. and there IL no end to their lamen'
tationa. OF course, the country must be
gone to the dogs since they arc called upon
to fight for It. What more terrible calamity
can befaM II than that they should be dis
turbed In their patriotic occupations of
fleeing the public and boarding mp money,
20 bear arms, like common people, In de-
fence Of their lives, their homes, their fami-
lies, and their nresidess Az long a. the ques-
tlon was left to be decided by others. every
thing was going on we'll enough. No reverse
could dauut their courage, since It did not fall
on them no defeat could abate their hopes,
since 1t did not endanger their money-bagf.
Now, however, the scene Is completely re.
versed. These patriots sec ruin In every.
thing-even In our very successes. The idea
Of having to shoulder their Duskets and
face the enemy In person tinges all their
CONCENTRATIONS, and causes them to see
everything through veil as murky a. the
very pit OF perdition. They live in An at
mosphere rendered gloomy by their own
personal apprehensions, and they fancy that
It Is the only atmosphere in the world. Be-
cause everything looks black and gloomy to
them, they believe that everything is black
and gloomy in very truth. "Pat," said
gentleman sleeping at an inn to his Irish
servant, "Pat, open the door and sec what
sort Of night 1t L." "Plase your honor"
answered Pat, opening the door OF q press
and popping his nose upon huge cheese,
PHASE your honor, It's dark and smells like
chee,e."
The discomfort, the murmurs, the gloomy
views of this class of malcontents have, we
verify believe, done more to dispirit this peo
Die than all the disasters we have sustained
from the beginning Of the war to this mo-
ment Instead of meeting their fortune like
men-instead Of being thankful that for
nearly three years of unexampled trials, dan
gers, and hardships they have enjoyed, by
the mere payment Of sum of money, . total
exemption from them all-instead of taking |
I'd their muskets like men aud doing their |
doty as every mau is called on to do in this |
day of trial-a large portion Of these people
are engaged In no other occupation than
that of spreading gloom and discomfort
around them. Aud all for whaty Because
they are called on to serve their country as
well as the poor, ragged, hard-fghting vete-
rams Of Lee, Johnston, and Beauregard, to
whom they owe it that they have not long
ago been stripped of every dollar that they
have In the world, and made the servants of
heir own negroes and the mockery of the
white scoundrels with whom they are assO-
e,ated. Let us not be understood as en-
brAcing In these remarks all or even the
larger portion Of the substitute hirers.-
Some Of them, large portion, accept their
Fate with cheerfulness Others, quite large
body, were compelled to procure substitutes
by O necessity inferior only in Its eYactions
to absolute duty. We speak of that class,
and it IL q very large one, which procured
substitutes for the purpose ofmaking money
out of this war, and Of that other class, .
larger one still, which procured them merely
to keep their own carcasses out of danger.
These classes 1t Is whose complaints and
clamors have had so large a share In depress-
ing the spirits of the people at large. a
1t must proceed from some such source as
this, or how are We to account for its The
country, certainly, is in no worse condition
now than 1t has been on more than one Oc.
casion heretofore. Compared with the situa.
ton In which 1t stood two years ago-when
Donelson surrendered, and New Orleans and
Memphis were taken; when Mcclellan had
an army of 25O, 600 men behind the Potomac,
aud Johnston had less than 10000 to face
him; when the volunteer system had failed
TO procure any moro recruits, and c ngress
was wasting its time, as 1t is now, In listen.
ing to Buncombe speeches, instead of pass
ing q conscription law. Assuredly, it Ia not
80 bad now as 1t was when Mcclellan lay
around this city with an army of 1900
men; when every hour disaster which
might throw 1t open to his advance was ex.
pected; when the Government was preparing
to save itself by flight, and Congress, after
hurrying through CONSUMPTION bill, just in
time to save the country, did actually aban.
don their posts, and fly like rabble Of mi
itia before charge OF cavalry. We hear
enormous Boosting Of their preparations
from the enemy, and We give way to panic
just as ii they never boosted before, or as II
we had not heretofore withstood them iu
spite of all their braggadocia Why, when
the war was about to open, they were con-
ndent Of subduing as with IS 900 men. g..
900 were to march from Cairo down the
Mississippi, 25, 900 were to land and march
On Charleston, and Is 600 were to move upon
Richmond. Not the least doubt was ex-
pressed Of success, which was to be signal.
lied by hanging JEFF. Davis "over the bate.
a.ss.ts O Of Washington" Have the loud
boasts and confident predictions that herald
ed the march Of Mcclellan upon this city
been forgotteni Is nothing remembered of
stat famous number OF Yankee periodical
which contained picture of his triumphal
entry. In all the pomp, pride. and circum.