Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-08
No InAuualitv.

The Confederate authorizes should not forget that
they are the agents and ruSeesOf the people, and that
in directing the policy and conduct Of the war they
have no right to do or leave undone anything BY the
doing or not doing Of which the people Oee any Of the
rights that belong to them begsreuts, or are placed
at disadvantage with the enemy in the prosecution Of
the var nigh be knghty to 6ght with the sword
than With "vlIlAnous gunpowder;" but II the enemy
come at Us With minnie muskets and rasd ar ilery it
usuld be quxotic and susidal Limit soldiers to
the use OF the sword. &c. when the enemy enlist In
their service starvation and Ae aud assassination, and
the unmentonAbe horrors that attend the sAckng Of
city, ii would b. puere and puslAnimOui to talk Of
Adherng to the usAges o. OiVizsd war. The Confede-
rate authorities would have right to place the people
4. such disadvantage, to expose them TO barbaric
atrocities 70 the fury Of bloodhound and fre-hends
and woman destrOyers, while they retorted upon the
savage foe nothing but the eaRullties OF chiVAlrous
combat, and covered the remorselsss Wrstches when
captured With the mantle Of christian cemency.
Nearly week has elapsed since the capture Of seVe-
raj hundred osslAWs engaged ia the attempt 70 take
chmond for the purpose of sAcking and burning tt
Those Hho have read the inadequate desop Of the
scenes Of horror that have arisen Whsn in rudsr times
or in savage lands eiies have been given over to the
iury and lust of An unbridled and brltAlized soldsy
~i think it a small part Of the doom We escaped that
the President ard his Cabinet specially delegated for
murder we're not bAyonetted In their beds. To this
hour not one Of these villains has pid the penalty Of
the mons rous crimes he attempted nor have We hGa ID
that it is in contemplation to treat them otherwise than
a. prisoners tAkn while engaged In making lawful war
Indeed our Information Is correct they have already
been thrown In among the herd Of THOUSANDS upon
Beise, where, We suppose, IL would be impossible TO
identify them.
II this Is TO be- Al seems the end of the matter,
voluntarily or from eOwardics do for the enemy what
no code Of war opinion Of mAnkini does for them
We lsgmAtlze and authorize lhs Arocious system Of
hosties We invite repetition Of Il, BY extending
impunty other than the chances Of combat to thoss
who engage in it, While only upon the lives Of
armed men, We encourage them TO war upon the lives
Of the innocent and helpless, upon the roofs and the
6rssdes that giFs comfort upon the food thai gives suS
tenAnce upon tie honor Of our wives and daughters
upon al that makes e1isterce endurLbe. viii the Goa
fderats authorities selected the guardians and pro-
ecsors Of the rights Of this people place them at such
dsadVlntlgsi Do they accept for their constituents
position inferior to that which they accord TO the
snsny' Do they ignOrs their own rank and rights IS
= government, and consent to be regarded rebels
and fsOns entitled to Of the privileges Of legi
mate authority It Is time the people should know
whether they are engaged in cause that dares not
assert itself boldly before the world. Is Is time the
army should know whether must lower is proud crest
before = condemned and despcAbls adversary. The
administration cannot tsmpOriIs With the occasion 1t
must meet It. and that boldly 1t must for the future
stand aside and the army and the people will go On
without L.