Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-12
pETERREp PROCEEDINGS.

On presenting memorial oftho Mayor and Coun-
Gil Of the town of Fredericksburg, Mr.. DEAR
NETTE said
4 cannot permit Mr., Speaker this memorial to
pass uuuutced To the committee.
iithC circumstances Which induced the citizens OF
Fredericksburg present this memorial were known
TO tue House, there would be nQ opposition 10 what
is 81 reasonably asked by the memeriaGsts.
II there any portion OF the former prosperity
Of Fredericksburg leil- enOuglI OF its former busy
trade and commerce, from which the few citizens
left could obtain tie accessories "a e-i know that
the patriotic and lroQd people there would sooner
live on half raIonS and pay Sou tax in kind than pre-
sent this memorial
ask the attcnton of the Iiousc TO General R. l..
lees pepogt Of ihs battle ofthc 18th December 1852
al Fredericksburg IN which reference is made to the
graceful prlmptitude with which the citizens Of that
town sacrificed thei6all to the cause OF their coun-
try. He says:
':IIistory presents 20 instance of people exhi-
biting puTer and more mSeltSh patriotism, or "a
higher spirit of fortitude and courage, tLan was
eviHced by the citizens of Fredericksburg. They
chcerfully incurred great hardship and priv atoms
and surrendered. their homes and property 10 de-
srncton rather than yield them to the hands Of the
enemies OF their country
The few mgitives who returned TO their homes,
found nothing but the ruin, dcs6lation aud death
the battle Held aud that theft only riches consisted
ia X, h, tci; gll 10 the cause OF their country.
FredeIickSbuI has been the field OF two of tie
ldtllCS or the wal, victories TO our
apnes whist the blood from Chancelorsviile vii
dcrless SpOtsylyauia Court House. as stated in the
memorial flowed through her streets. Twice has
this devoted town been bombardet with more than
l5J guns lFiee ha, 1t been sacked by the enemy
who have been as often driven out I've Confederate
artillery.
Nelson, Of Revolutionary mem0;, won renown
hy pointing his guns at his dwelling when it was &C
eupled by the enemy at NOrE Fown. When the army
Ut +UInside was driven hack'ron the repeated and
desperate assaults on Maye's Till, and the nights
around Frederick. burg, they sought shelter in tie
town. The FToderic6s burg Artillery, nearly all of
whom were horn and reared i'll this ancient borough
Saut their missiles 0 destruction evenisto their own
hOes atili occupied hy those nearest aud dearest
linen. in order 10 lIriYe. ont the enemy.
England has erected monuments a, Waterloo III
COMMUNICATION OF the deeds Uf her fallen sons and
the gratitude thus displayed j. the brightest Jewel
that ever sparklcd the brow OF r0yaky. Eycti
now France the plains al Italy, is erecting shafts
Of marble Ia the memory at her heroes Who fell at
Suitrinu aud Magenta, and Abraham Lincoln is en-
Gagged III beauttymg the graves of his hirclngs who
were slain at Gettysburg surely then, the C0nied-
crate Congress cannot now send a tax gathcIeT Ia
the tinic cSgluT0us fields of Fredericksburg Chan
cellorsyIlle, the Wilderness and SpoSy lvania Court
iiod>p. .
There is nothing LETT in tha4 wide wilderness of
battle fields but desolaion, and all thh remains of
Fredericksburg is deserted homes, broken columns
aud Crumhling walls. fredericksburg situated at
the head OF tidc-Water, on the ilappabamock before
the war the abode of peace, plenty aud refine
ment Having developed water power almost IN
Ieqdaled in the South, her cnterprNing citizens were
reapng golden harvest from the products Of Tie
mighty machinery employed The valley OF that
beautiful river, The loyrlIe>t that the sun ever
smiled upon paid annual tribute 20 her thrift and
her enterprise. Thevaliey isSill there hut its Glc
has disappeared beneath the iron hoof of war and
re waters of the river they flow to the sea- muir
mus requiem TO ouT anShIoadea dead who sleep
upon its banks.
When grim yisaged var has smoothed his wrnklcd
front, when peace shall once more return to ON
bleeding country, many mother from the far dis
tant South will 20 there TO seek the grave of her
hero boy. Whilst / have the honor to represent
these glorious battle fields said Mr.. d., every repre-
sentative on this floor has constituents there.
Virginia claims them not, They were purchased
by ali the STATES VI this IGntderacy-fron no COM
mon treasury, but with libations Of their richest
blood, and COnseCrated an inheritance for their
generations forever Let them then, be Mecca to
Us ALL and let their cemented blood render perpetual
cur bond Of confederation.
In conclusion, cir, Del ANNETTE said Sir, l tell
you that time nor distance can never ehace the
bright eugence of the glories which our arms there
united, achieved.
g Ages, Sir, NAV roll on the finger of decay may
write in dissolyng characters the doom OF States
aud Empires but the aures of their fame will live
fresh in eternal Spring, and exempt from mutabilty
and decay