Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-22
rlrr cnNsrrrurIoN-srATE RIGaTs
RICHMOND WING.
wednesday Morning. March sa. 1865.
rTAE meh.nre ID so man,s lnteEest aad EesPon:


l. sibiuty Ia the pending war may be aseertained
by rejecting that this is not, like ordinary wars
contest between governments, TO settle some queS-
ton Of dynasty, of succession, Of boundary, oil IN
demnity OF auy controversy that might arise be-
tween established nationaltes-but that 1t IS war
upon race, in which the liberty, the property and
the life Of each individual at stake In such or
binary wars "a we have referred 10, It Is the pre-
roga-;ye Of rulers TO say not only who shall take
par in them, but when and on what conditions they
cha. terminate When they satisfied, the people,
whether citizens subjects, 1cquiesce- But in our
case, the war being vaged not more against the
government than the oommunity-against the peo-
Die collectively and Northumberland the all OF
each separate man being involved, the citizen does
not discharge his full duty by awaiting and simply
obeying the orders and the calls OF the government
Il is true that yse have entrusted 10 certain at
thorites the manage ment and the direction Of the
wsr but only that the individual contributions and
exertioas Of each, in resisting kiS enemy, may be
made more eftectual by being combined and Weld
ed with a common design. What each man may do,
bevnni the mere demands Of the authorities upon
him, is As much duty as 10 respond TO those de-
mands-since the enemy is the foe OF each individ-
uaman. and Is doing all he for each individual
mans destruction.
Taking this view ofthe war the correctness (which
cSunot be denied We conceive that 1t is very made
SuaSe appreciation OF the interest each has in
the issue and Of the reciprocal obhgstion OF each
20 each never give way, for any to say, has
been said Of late by from whose trumpet a less
uncertain ,ound should have come Il have always
held tina, 7ys Ought to maintain the struggle fer
independence so long there is hope Of success.
.. The Gsneral-in-Chiei and the President OF the
Confederate States, as tine highest military au-
tborities, are best able To understand our re-
- sources and prospects. Whilst they have hope
e in the contest il seems 10 me that We should do
=, all III our power to strengthen their hands, Is
that all. Is it only that we "0Ugh' 70 maintain
The struggle, not that We MUST! And only while
a. there is hope OF success '' Why, what hope is
there without success; and why not Gght on, even
IN desperation after hope should have failed! -
ould il be better hope having failed 10 yield and
become slaves, OF tall sword IN hand fighting for
freedom Is there no echo, IN our day, Of those
words Of ue,ar-dying hope, Oh neyer-doubting
age, that stirred the souls OF fathers in their
day Of traI--'Give me liberty OF give me death ."
Can hope ever die in high and valiant hearts when
the issue go success or slavery Or ii the hope OF
minds. BE- followed by. the hope of martyrdom in
the cause and would not that hope still urge the
conflict IN the last hours Of its session, the House
OF Representatives was thrilled by the words, trem-
ulous with age aud earnestness, of gray.
haired patriot from Tennessee, who declared that
Tor himself HI, delegation aud his State the issue
perfectly comprehended, and deliberately accepted
was independence or afHihuatioa. In those words
I
RECONSIDERATION which, it it were shared by
all our public men, would stamp the assurance OF
our success With the seal OF Fate. To such ma
lures i, does not s'sssa thlt they ''s5o,f' do all
in their power 10 strengthen the hands Of others
so hong as those others "haye hope" but, instead
there ia the ever-present, al-couSun.ing, omuipo-
teutpurpo7e 10 tight il out to victory or death, as
their own light, Involving all that is dear to them
and regardless Of what the General-in- Chief or the
Presideu, NAV think OF sour resources and pros
poets" Such mea onlS the nit champions Of so
grand and uomentous cause as that which in
wolves the fate OF whole race as noble as this
Southern race has shown Itself 10 be. Alas that
there should be any, looked to as leaders in it, who
cannot eNllt themselves TO this high ground.
Consulting military authorities and looking to
s'resourccs' as a question in military science, it
might vel have been doubted whether the struggle
IL which =e are engaged should ever be uu-
drrtaEen. Military science Is. in The main, the
science Of mathematics Il deals with material
forces and II teaches that two bodiS, coming in COL
h.ion ihe lighter and the'weaker must give way to
the heavier aud the stronger. One cfour most dis
tiugulshed Generals, in treatise on the Art OF
.. War" commences By saying 1.-THE whole Sci
ence OF War may be briefly defined as the art OF
placing in the right position, the right time
mass Of troops greater than your enemy there
f.oppose 70 you." That is, the whole science OF
war consists in being stronger than your adversary.
Tested then by the science with which our "high-
est military authorities" most familiar, the
Southern States, being far below those OF the
North IN meu ard resources for war, should never
have engaged them. As military problem, to he
decided by the teachings al books aud schools, there
is notelng when military men may decide that
thsts IS ~ ground for hope. To the military
critic il may seem that We not only inevitably
doomed, but That We are now whipped If so, we
regulate military authority in the matter and we
should repadiate it, with our whole mind, soul and
strength even though the illustrious aud yenerated
Generasin-C Chief should give the weight OF his
great name 10 the opinion We should still counsel
apeopls, who, knowing nothing OF the axioms and
principles Of war as an art, would know. never
theIesS that they had means and muscle and man
hood reueining-that they had homes to defend
ffca. destruction, wives and sisters. and mothers
rom pollution, children from lives Of wretchedness
fiegrl iation and slavery-we should still counsel
such people 70 resist, TO the last man who could
raise an ann, had il strength enough only to take
his own Hct, aat thus extinguish the race.
A. a military question, We may &c whip
ped, may be so already. Who knows ?
We Jp not pretend TO knowledge of
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