The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-14

baton in their knapsacks. Our force in
virginia, whose people have, after all.
been the backbone and the brains of the
Revolution, and whose ensanguined fields
will yet see the god of battles decide in
our favor, may not be strong enough to
attack, but are amply sufficient to resist.
The lines of Grant are already so danger
ously heightened that ere long his centre
may be pierced and his position seriously
endangered. Trying to perform that most
hazardous and critical mOvement-an at
TACK on both tianks-which even Napoleon
',t'eihP1ed but once with success, at Dres-
aen-he dare not lead his dispirited
troops 70 brave escalade, and waits in
van, ior MS skillful adversary to commit a
,auit ~ winch ne might profit. The no
pie citlzens OF Petersburg, emulating the
comPosure and ready sacrifice of their
nelghbors in the capital, stand vet nm
daunted by the long siege, and in both
cities the increase Of danger seems onlv tn
augment the courage and devotion of the
inhabitants. They have not yet suffered
as the Venetians did in 1s49, when mora
than half their grand old city was under
the fire of bombs and red hot balls.
In the dead of night, amid the shower
of shot, the crash of crumbling walls. the
light of blazing houses, the whole popula-
ton of the threatened quarters went forth,
calm, resigned, without a murmur, old
men AMI stripplings, women and children.
They may drive us from cur homes, but
they cannot terrify us into submission"
they exclaimed and have not hundreds
and thousands of our people said and done
the same? Such men are worthy of in
dependence; they are sure to conquer it
sooner or later. The very martyrs who
seal their devotion with their lifes blood
like Jackson or Rhodes, after having
proved their love of country by deeds of
martial daring and marvellous triumphs
are our guarantees of success. They are
men who cannot perish, whose voices
from the sepulcher defend the cause to
which their existence has been devoted.
In their lonely but not unhonored graves,
they still plead with unanswerable elo-
quence, the champions in death as in life,
of their native land
The nation that gave birth to such hearts,
that can boast such devotion, such heroism
as our noble troops have displayed in eve
ry campaign, on every battle field, has
already proved that she has men worthy
of liberty, and men capable of directing
her destinies. And if the enemy has NOV
ed few miles up the great valley, so full
oflofty memories of we'll earned victories
and unparalleled campaigns-what of that?
Has it not already been traversed by his
lawless soldiers from end to end, and yet
it clings more closely to our fate than
child ever hung to its mothers bosom.
Thanks be to God, who blinded our adver-
sary and led him to exchange a wise poll
cy OF federation, which might have cost us
dearly, for mad and franctic tyranny,
which changes the lukewarm friend into
an ardent patriot, and converts even the
Union-loving lOyalist into warm South
erner. We are not the first people whose
Incidence and ready acquiescence had to
be burnt out with fire; we.alSo have had to
learn that suffering is sign of life, nay,
often one of its essential conditions.
Let US not forget, above all, that the
struggle has but just begun, and that, ere
the winters SHOWS cover the graves Of
our fallen, it will be revived with frantic
pertinaclty on the part of orr enemies
with calm and God-relying faith on our
side. The storm, though darkly lowering,
has not yet burst on the devoted city-on
our noble army But we can, we wills
breast it, with the aid OF the Almighty,
and emerge from it a free, great and
happy nation. We have all the elements
within ourselves. At our head Presi-
dent whose untiring energy, united to
cOnsummate prudence, and whose unhesi-
tating devotion of life and fortune to his
native land, are proof alike of his patri-
otto herOism and his certain success. We
have general commanding our armies
whose fame rests not upon achievements
merely, which dazzle and amaze mankind,
but upon victories gained by skill and fore
sight, upon campaigns conducted with
unsurpassed wisdom upon qualities Of the
mind and the heart that have won for
him the love Of his men and the admira-
ton of the world. We have armies
neither flushed with victory nor broken
by reverse; but steadily, lottily doing
their duty as men who hold their lives
in their hands, and are ready to fling it
down whenever their country calls for the
sacrifice. We have people answering
IL SAANA AANSAAoy3 OhSSOoiuS LII oCii~
devotion, sternly determined to give up
ali to save their honor; people whose
souls are armed with courage and resolu-
ton; firm, undaunted, unwearied in the
midst Of every danger, every trial. Who
can imagine that such people can be
snbdued. But little longer, few more
efforts, and our noble country will be free,
prosperous and honored. Oh. the shame
Of those who have doubted, and feared,
and shrunk from their duty, when the
white banner shall float undisturbed over
every port and over every mast head
On the raptures, the unspeakable pride,
of those who have held out to the last,
when our arms shall have restored to us
peace-when the old shall weep tears OF
joy, mothers clasp their children to their
bosoms, men press silently each others
hands and grateful prayers rise from tar
and near to Him who has watched over
His own, and given victory to the right
eous cause
A Card from Gen. ROsecrans.