Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-10-20
Spirit of the Rebel Press,

IHe PETERSBURG tVa.) express taxes more
solemn view of the situation, or utters its
opinions more candidly than the Richmond
journals. 1t enjoins the Importance of prayer
in the following earnest style:
eff there ever was a time for solemn, ear
nest prayer it is now. We stand in the midst
of dangers the dire extent of which, in case
of adversely, can scarcely be conceived. A
hostile army, mighty in numbers and fierce
and bitter in hatred against MS is almost at
the very doors of our capital and our own
homes, maneuvring and endeavoring, by fair
means and by foul, to snatch away the pre-
cious heritage of our birthright and reduce
us to the most abject slavery. This is no
| time, therefore, for people to gather on the
street corners and boast what we will do, or
proudly predict what will be done, and CEN
sure this officer and that brigade of troops.
But instead of vain glory and the spirit of
pride and bOastfulnesS OF which we have so
large degree, we should exercise the spirit
of prayer, and daily in the church and in the
closet, and around the family hearth, we
should beseech God to give US the victory to
inspire our gallant defenders with divine
valor, and so guide our leaders that their
wisdom may not be at fault. With nation
in prayer for this blessing, it would be speed
lily vouchsafed. Let our daily prayer meet
ings, therefore, be always largely attended,
and in public and private let all unite their
prayers for the safety and welfare of our be-
loved country"
The ErpresS seems to forget that anat;On IS
in prayer for the blessing of victory over the
Infamous rebellion, and Gen. GRANT may, in
the language of the Earl Of Richmond, offer
up his applications for conquest when con-
fronting a treacherous enemy, Zone raised in
blood, and one in blood establishes"
Thou whose captain I account myself,
Look my forces with gracious eye;
Put in their hands Thy bruising irons of wrath,
That they may crush down with heavy fall
The usurpin < helmets of our adversaries
Make us Thy ministers of chastisement,
That we may praise Thee in Thy victory!
The Richmond papers attempt to make us
think that the people of that city are like the
man who "enjoyed bad health" and are
| highly pleased with their condition. The En-
a,ni'eer in a sentence evidently interrupted by
| the thunder Of GRANTS cannon and left I'M
finished, says:
off those highly excited official circles of
Washington and delighted newspaper readers
of New York and Boston, could but see the
tranquil serenity Of these empowered streets
| at this day-how peacefully our people 60
about their daily business; how quietly they
buy and sell, or even marry or are given in
marriage, as in the day when Noah entered
into the Ark"
The comparison of the people of the rebel
city to the ungodly scoffers at Noah just be-
fore the deluge, is eminently suggestive. The
same paper of the 9th says:
"The citizens, if we may Judge by their
quiet indifference, did not believe one word
of it. They begin, 10 doubt even the existence of
Grants army. Let Grant prove it. Here is
Richmond waiting to be taken built evident
ly to be taken; predestined to be TAKEN rob-
bed, and burned, according to very high au-
thorities." r..-
Let them possess their souls in patience
Gen. Grant will remove this sad skepticism in
due season.
The following from the Richmond Sentinel,
of the 9th, exhibits anything but cheerful
spirit: ~s...-. ......
The report sent by Butler to New York
and brought back by the Times, that the
Mayor of Richmond had been thrown into
Castle Thunder, for proposing to surrender
the city, was started here about week ago,
and had considerable run among the III
lai1aoas old bags, aChose husbands have gone ove
to the Yankees, and left them to be supported
by public and private charity; but never ex-
tended beyond that class till one of them
carried it to Beast Butler We wish devout-
ly that they would all go over to the Beast in
body. 1t would be a very great relief to
the treasury, and enable US to attend better
to the wants of INDECENT families of our sol
diers. They might tell the Beast whatever
they pleased.
CIVIL Watson arayea against Father
The Cincinnati Gazette ives a touching in
stance of the affective separation of family
relations by this unnatural war Brothers,
and even parents, it says, are found in the
ranks of the hostile armies One of the most
touching cases of this kind is that of son
of the Confederate President JEFFERSON
DAVIS, who is serving in the National cause
on the gunboat Carondelet fighting to crush
the rebellion which his father is leader Of
The DAVIS Junior is the son of ELIZA, late
slave to the pstriarchal DAVIS. An officer of
the army at Ficksburg who had heard of. the
fact, verified it from ELIAS lips. How
sharper than serpent's tooth must be the
grief Of that parent whom unrelenting fate
compels to take sides against his own son in
a war for freedom.