Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-05-09
THK CRISIS.


THR CRISIS.
By universal consent on both sides Of the
line, the present hour is felt to be the most seri-
Gus and important crisis which the country has
passed through since the commencement Of the
war. Both parties to the contest have mar
shaIed the bulk Of their forces ct two points, as
If to make hnAlity Of the struggle. That a
defeat Of the Federal forces a. Richmond and
Dalton, or ct either place, wonld hasisn the ter
miHatiOR Of the war by prscipiiating revolution
Al The North, we are prepared TO admit though
we are By no means willing 70 acknowledge
thss reverse 70 rzf srns would be attended
with ssr.;ias resnis. While the loss Of Rich
nond would prove great disaster TO Us, and
Hhile Il mieht for time inspint cur foe and
ssrvs % pro.ract the war, it would by no means
Be fatal to our cause. Oar greatest loss in such
An event would be Of = moral character, though
our msterial loss would necessarily be great.
Richmond is not the Confederscy, and though
we do not anticipate its fall, we should never
think of desponding even should such an event
happen rs.
TIE sest Of government wss more thAR once
captured BY the British during our frst revolu-
tion, and the Congress forced to take refuge at
points further in the interior of the country.
We have no right to expec. an immunity from
Hks necessity IN the present war. The enemy
are Just now sadly in need Of the moral weight
which the capture of Richmond would give
them, and win no doubt combine all their
- - -. III tbo;- .-,o-,-;aa "a shs
accomplishment Of this end GRANT has gone
20 work as though be intended to make a three
OF four weeks job Of it, EBd as If be was
5essTmined by the force Of overwhelming
nunberI, and BY bis sbilisy TO throw q
hesvy column of fresh troops in the field
evegy morning, to break down Gen LEE By the
mere process Of exhaustion. Whether be viii
ssek to effect his purpose in shis way, remains
70 be seen. L is presumed Gen. LEE has 8
force sufficient to enable him to rest his men
frem day to day, snd by this means btfis the
plans of ths willy Ysnkee commander. RUp 10
our last accounts, at the present writing, be hsd
been eminently successful in IepslIing the sd-
vance Of the foe, and, judging from the tenor
Of his dispatches, be was in no apprehension Of
3 tgrn Of fortune. Bat the fortunes Of war are
fskls, snd the capture Of Richmond, though not
anticipated, is not out of the range of possibih-
ties. While We may hope for the best, it is the
part of both prudence snd wisdom to be pre-
pared for the worst
It's in this spirit We write. While We should
most unquesionAbly regard it As 8 gres! disas-
ter. We Degerihelss feel that the ConledsTaey
can lose Richmond and g still live" The sd
vaatlges We have gained, and viii yet gain
elsewhere, will in great measure, compensate
for the loss, should it bsfall us. So, looking st
fhe question from this, its most gloomy point
Of view, We can see no reason either to despair
or dsspOnd. The loss Of Richmond to-dey
would not fail with 50 heavy weight upon the
country as did the fall of Fort D,nelson two
yesrs ago. TIE people were not then prepared
for disasters of the kind, bat they have since
become used to them, and are prepared to bear
with Patisnes Gad resignation the heavy loads
which The fortunes of war, at the will Of an sll
wise Providence, whose ways are inscTulabls
sud pas. finding out, may lay upon them. They
hsve learned how to submit to, bat not how to
dsspsiT, under calamity.
With these views We are not prepared to con-
eur IN The opinion entertained By many that We
are in the last crisis Of the war in the event of
cur discontinue At Richmond That It is the
concluding struggle Of any magnitude in the
event Of The defeat of the enemy, We are pre-
pared TO admit. Bat the opposing powers oe.
e1Py different positions in this great contest
For the ensmy 70 fail in the pending battle, is
30 precipitate revolution and anarchy among
the people st home, while on our part the peo-
pie would only be knit the more firmly together
IN ease Of defeat Encouraged by the sdvsn- !
sages gained over the enemy elsewhere and in. |
spired By ihs conviction that our ultimate suc-
cess Is not only certain but necessity, they
would rally to their standards the more reso-
intsly, and prepare for smother sad still feTeer
conflict. . Richmond is not Paris to the Con. |
federscy thRt the whole country should sueeuns
st Its fall, and while We do Hot contemplate
such an event, We nevertheless intend to be |
prepared for it, and to govern ourselves accord
ingly. Lst what misfortune may befan us
either at Richmond CT Dalton, we shall still |
continue to push forward in the struggle with
the stout hearts motto Of nil despsTGnSu1a.
PERsOEAL-Cspt 7. h Francis, of Com.
psny A, 4sh Tennessee regiment, who was
wounded sad taken prisoner at Murfrsesboro,