Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-19


Of 100000 men. This is no idle Statement. of my own,
but taken from the lips Of the Oldest sbles and least
bcastfu of Confederate officers who.e name viii sug-
gest itself to every reader. Cannon are constantly
seen in the sreets-either twelve pouneer Napo-
Icons going up to the army from the Tredegar WORKS
or guns which have undergone repair or field pieces
which are going north south the we-kncwn, lean,
lank ragged "gray troops, with the fame rty
defiant air of individuality and ever, con-
sAnty troop through the city, with their old wild dscord-
ant yelP, making day or night hldeous. The familiar
Southern tunes Of Dixie" "The hooking Bird, exc
crably interpreted by few ffes cornet and drum,
marvelousy with the rich swell Of the German
bands in Washington which Ieader to perfection the
"Llst Rose Of Summer" or oae Of Memberships fu-
pc marches, crashing among the dstant echoes Of
Pennsylvania avenue. Ard yet there is a heart,
nerve and a ssucness about the Sluthern "DIie" and
the men of its interpreters, which looked for IN
vain among the stod German musicians Of Washington,
and the gaudy troop bedzsned with gold lace, who
follow them. But other symptoms of war. with the
exception of the uniforms in tte streets Washington
has none 10 show. TIE redundancy Of "greenbacis"-
those evidences, according to Mr. S.ward, of mighty
nation's exuberaDt prospery-is very percephble 10
the increased crowd of the streets and the hungry lock
of greed which every face wears. But perhaps there
/ Is no sadder sign OF the tmes which have brought
sudden wealth TO all and moral houghtlulness TO none,
than the ubquty and bodness Of the fra ssterhood,
who thropg every avenue and public resort, seeking
the sines of the contractors pecuators and novsdur
riches and blending in scene which could alone
be photographed 10 language by the pen Of q
l JuyeDal. On every side money flows as though
| the Potomac the Pactolus. The dome OF
the Capitol which promised to ehsrs the fate with
out rvaDg The beauty of Cologne Cathedral Is finish
ed and surmounted by Goddess Of such Liberty 80
even Madam Roland never conceived. The hotels are
thronsed TO bursting. Wizards in particular, Is occu
pied by An eIcitAd pinkeyed seetbing crord such
vibrates in the coulissss of the Partisan Bou At
night theatres gambling houses, Varieties" and
i dens of nfsmy, yelled under pref at disguise
vie with the attractions of the inep red mind Of Pnila
delphia" Miss Anna Dickinson. Mr. Stewards optimism
is accepted without thought or comment; no sound Of
war save the occasional boom of cannon being tried ct
the navy yard IA sound soothing to Yankee vanityl
ever utters in the senses Mr.. Lincoln acd Mr. Chase
openly, and Mr.. Seward secretly speeuatiDg much
more as TO their chances for the next Presidency than
as TO the strength of General Lee or the designs Of
President Davis. Proceed next TO New York. and the
rtcoec ions Of Richmond blurred by intercourse with
Washington fade into the hszy distance and can ts
recalled only by vigorous effort Of the understand
/ ing. Bat as he journeys northward from Wash
lngton the passenger cannot blu. dreamily con-
| trast the memory of his recent sufferngs upon
the overtasked railroads of Dixie" With the speed
comfort and tie rooniaess of the Northsrn car. shall
not attempt to crry your readers into Broadway-a
thousand times described, Blu, indescribabe Nj
agara-uor enter upon any attempt at detail There
Is such matter for all feeling in this street that the mind
sinks crushed. Luxury, ostentaon heedessness hear
lessness-he richest furs the gaudiest silks tho bright.
/ est bonnsts the most glltteripg diamonds operas
theaters ooncerts cafes chantaH shows of every
hue--why should seek to proong the lsts At Del
monico's famous restaurant, at the Naison DOrse
Spaniard, Ffenchmeu, Italians, Euglshmep, discu 8
wines and vAu6s to which nothing superior can be ex-
hibied at Pnilippes or at Vefour. As for thought
of the war; of the five hundred thousand souls which IL
has hurled into eternity from the North or the two
hundred thouaand O1niederates who have died grimly
e., no. al nrfh txE
theme? Good taste forbi1s is mentor; nevertheless
if ever among the upper ten thousand Its name Is
breathed it struck me that four times out Of Ave the
speakers fymI a.hy with the South aud jeff AVE-
Occasionally, with the useful dnfsrefs oil magnificent
bands, regiments, "iresh from our couatrys glorious
bate-Aelds" parade along Broadway, with bateA ies
Uttered and torn, and las Ia insnuated) riddlsd In
sheds by the tornado Of shot through which they have
plssed. lave, as Il happens, seen 100 many Conede.
rate flags which have been through every en-
counter OF the war; and which as the Northern bullets
are far numerous than the Souiherp) have been
exposed to feIcsr fire, to believe In this dsmopstra-
ton of Northern bloodthirsines5. But the sight never
fails ito bring the house down." and elicit the raptu-
rous cheers Of BoadTay which believes in the truth
fulnesI Of the exhibition, and makes many secret re.
sove to keep far away from the spot where such scenes
are enacted But Of all things the most astonishing and
bewidering 10 the stranger fresh from Richmond the
incredible gnoiauce and creduty these careless
al daughters. have hardly patience to dwell upon he
|
from Richmond and gives out that he has escaped from
President Dl1il il elevated into authority, end
mounts the through the columns OF the public
iournAls "The Southern ermies are melting away
by deseTtion, and Lee and Longstreet can hardly
keep the field" 1. will be well to state oncs for s
that in the spring and summer and autumn months the
balance of always in favor Of the Ccpfede-
rates but that in the depth Of winter while inaction
and staguation prevail the FsderaJ are as /. W. re-
tehered by their teeth 10 tbes own standards North
Carolina is the eve of yielding to the Establishments
of Gen. Butler, and, headed by Gov Vance, will be
back in the Union by the 4th Of next July" Am /
dreaming or did hear fortnight ago from Governor
Vance that he would rather fight for twenty years than
consent to anything but full, fnal and rrevocabe Il
solution of the Union? "Vice-President Stephens, The
ablest man in the South, is at the point OF DEATH
Durirg sixteen months in the Confederate States have
never seen or scarcely heard Of V;ce-Presdent
Stephens. The Est Of similar chimeras might be swell.
led 10 nfnity As was in the beginning, t is no
and so 1t will be the end SHppresio vsri alternate
with suqgsso fdLsi; the Union and shall be ma n.
tanned because every In the Northern States so
wills it. and will give his last dollar rather than aban-
don the contest IL Is useless reply that the dollars
which they giving "bogus" that tbis war viii
be won not by thoe who PROT the fastest but by Iho
who shed their blood most freely aid facs sedenial
with most sublime il difference.
Secondly, a. | looked down on Broadway and mu e d
upon IFS kaleidoscope faces could not but remem Der
TIE ref ctons of one of the brightest intelIects 10
chmOnd he told me, when taxing leave of him, in
what earb should find New York, aud described the
s:ese now before with the intuition Of genius aud
in words which il would be well if ! could reprocu e
for your readers. He said "What delights me above
all 10 to hear of the wealth, the spenaor, the lavish
prodigslity OF New Yosk. Tiffany had such a
demand for diamonds; Stewart hardly sell shas
if il Is worth less than thousand Eve hundred D.
lars. Never wereIhete such imports OF woman's gear
from Paris Of articles de lure from London. For al
tn pay in gold ipdspen able the day of fecS
oDing will come, though it may not be YETI It's IN