Semi-weekly news., 1865-05-04

test 80 long as there was single
ray of hope. He would say to our
people as Ruth said of old. that "your
people are my people. their God my
God"
We had on this side of the river
a larger Amy than Gen. Lee ever
commanded in any of the great bat
ties in which he had covered himself
and the country with glory. 1t was
as large as the French army at Wat
erleo. On this side of the river, too,
we have a vast territory, and but few
navigable waters of any extent,
hence the enemy would labor under
the disadvantage of fighting distant
from their base of supplies. We. too,
have the negro to aid us in the fight,
and we were we'll convinced that the
negro we'll drilled and disciplined
would make reasonably good SOL
der. Not equal to the white man in
the South. but fully equal to the
great bulk of the troops making up
the armies of the States. The ne
gro. too, would fight more bravely
for the South than for the North, as
this war has abundantly proven
The objection was urged that the
measure was unconstitutional; he did
not believe in this argument, bit if it
We're true he would still favor its
adoption. as this was no time to site
kle about the constitution. The eio-
quent and distinguished gentlemen
concluded by urging the people to
continue true to their colors aud the
cause would be triumphant beyond
the possibility of failure.
After all the week kneed and faint
hearted men mostly spectators and
traders who were anxious to save
their wealth by negotiation, but the
soldiers and true men Of she country
would save the country from the dis
grace and ruin Of subjugation.
Brig. Gen. Hawthorn of Ark, was
next introduced. This geutlcman's 3
speech was eloquent and filed with
patiotic fire. L, had the ring of the
true metal. but we have neither time
nor the space to do more than allude
to it. He spoke of the struggles of
other countries. of Rome. Holland,
Prussia, and of our own revolutiona-
~ war. He proved, from many his
torical examples that we were not
even strained at present; that 40 far
from being in hopeless condition,
we were strong and powerful, and
would most assuredly bring the war
to a triumphant close.
He showed the number of men in
the field in this department, and the
number that could yet be put in, and
would be put in if necessary. After
ALL" said he, nobody is hurt"
He knew we'll where the shoe
pinched; it was the Spectators and
the weak that raised the cry for ne
gotiation. 4 grea, many, too, thought
the cause hopeless when the enemy
took possession of the place Of their
residence. A friend of his thought
the cause hopless because Pine Bluff
had been taken by the enemy. H"
speaking jocularly, never thought
the cause in bad way until Camden.
Ark. his residence, was taken.
Col. Musser Of Missouri, was next
introduced. His speech was short,
but eminently elegant, clear, and pa
triotic He spoke ofthe folly of des-
pondency; said the army never dss-
pond. and many Of them havelo all,
especially Missourians. He saw be-
fore him men who had lost all, and
been in a hundred battles. aud still
they were not respondent. and had
not the least thought of giving up
the contest. He eloquensly appealed
to the people-not the soldiers, "for."
said he, "the soldiers need no ap-
peals to urge them to duty-to stand
firm and all would be we'll. The
cause OF independence would be tri-
umphant,y sustained.
The next speaker was Col. Flour
noy of Texaa, and we would have
been glad if every man in the Con
federacy could have heard it. 1t