The New York herald., 1865-03-02
Congress Entrcatcd % s1Return and e&st
Their Fate with the Army.
General Lee Urges Their RSfSarn
as Necessary to the Resto-
ration - coincidence.

Particulars Of q. Capture Of Ccneshls Crook
and Kelley,
&C., g., &c.
Richme~a the Southern CRsadel.
AN ARGUMENT AGAINST THE ABANDONMENT OF THE
REBEL CAPITAL.
IFrsm thcJNichmond Examiner, Rsb. a.
In the extraordinary message which Mr. Davis re-
gently addressctot Congress he declared that if the
campaign against Richmond had resulted in success
instead of failure ,f had been compelled to evacuate
Richmond as wdli Atlanta the confedsracy would have
remained erect and defiant ever Nothing could
have changed the purpose Of it's government in
the nd"mitabc valor of It's troops IN the unquencha
BILE spirit OF Its people The baed and disappointed foe
would In nave scanned the reports ef your proceed
ings at legislative seat fer any indication
that progress had been made in his gigantic
task of oc4qunring free pecpie. There are
vital points, the preservation OF which the con-
tnued Of the confederacy depends There is
military OF the enemy which can accomplish
its destruction Not the fall of Richmond, nor Whining
ton Charleston, Savannah, Mobile nor OF all
combined aect the issue Of the present contest "
extravagant propositions Mr. Benjamin Afterwards took
mp the theme the rostrum and spoke of evacu
ating this city with equal ppancy lnoonsiderate per
and newspapers, observe with pain, repeat the
IDEAS they positively desired the country to
be taught that the abandonment OF this vital position
Id not only be OF injury 70 the confedeacy but OF
Let not this fatal error be harbored till takes root in
s loss al respec, and authority towards the Coincide
rate government, the dias0rofioS Of the army and Ae
ssndonme"s &c q s .Ass @ az sndsS%ss % Sr. Cor
iregsIor csnea, in which passion would have
70 do than purpose; which would have no other
Immediately persisting in It. Tie hope Of establishing
emf dedcy and securing It's recognition among nations
country, the instinct Of every man and woman in the
land contradcts the idea that any possibility Of an n
dependent South would remain after is capital was
abandon d. Its government set adrn and It's army with
drawn into the solitades OF the interior
II is idle TO pretend that Richmond is Of more i'm
porancc than Say yanHah Atlanta fobiie or Norfolk and
that fall would fatal the confederacy Ifit
had been vital point, why has so much effort been
expended for It's reduction and ts deencei Il has been
the great objective point OF the enemy through four sue
scssve campaigns The conedcracy has spared no pains
or rton no cost OF blood or treasure good Its
defence Il Is the capital OF the last Of he border
States commanding the entire portion OF Virginia easi of
the Aeghanos and the most division OF North
Carolina II Is situate hundred and forty miles from
the sea- large ships unoad drom its wharves The
occupation Of Richmond in strong force by the enemy
Virginia and render all Norh Carolina untenabe;
and, once gained by a power having command Of the
water tcoud never under any contingency, ber,oovcred
Each contestant in the war has made Richmond the
central object Of all its plans and all It's exertons II
has become the symbol Of tho confederacy Its loss
would be material me cause and in moral point
Of view absolutely deiTscpe, crushing the heart and
sang,ishng the las, hope Of the country Our armies
pbect Of offence. Our military policy would be totally
~ sea- should be without hope an object; with
su civil military organization; without treasury or
. commissariat without the means Of keeping alive
Wholesome and active public sentiment; without any Of
Me appliances for support ng cause depending upon
popular faith and enthusiasm; without e emb<rS or the
6nsb of ndtCrdiiy.
The withdrawal OF the army from Richmond into the
inter would The Of or pi0n as greatly
70 reduce our military strength As the army would
fwindIe In numbers, II would move more and more
rapidly Westward and fore reaching the banks Of the
Mississippi would have deonerated in dy guard
for (eD officials From the hour Of giving up the seat
Of government our cause would sink into nero rebel
accord to the rights Of begerents while the
enemy would be free 70 treat officers and soldiers s
traitors and criminals; 70 that every "rcbelp would
light thenceforward with a halter about his neck
Virginia, though slow 10 come into the confederacy,
oas been throughout the contest its main stay and sup
port IL has borne the brunt Of every campaign II has
suffered the rayages OF more severely than all the
other states together Every county in the State has
have been utterly desolatcd It's suiTerngs have not
only been beyond description but continuous and
s%ss For Ia as
bloodicst conflicts OF modern tmes No country In the
world sustained as heavy losses endured az bard
Of Richmond would be the abandonment Of Virginia.
torever-and without any rational hope Of n return.
plated sf,ss the events Of this wary Even II the
act not suicidal in policy could the confedcracy
now consent 10 cast away this worn and devastated but
st powerful commonwealth as old shoe, thai could
be put to further usef
Asyc from tho disgrace that would attach 10 such in
gratitude the conedeacy could not afford 10 put General
Grant into possession N Richmond-a depot and base
indrcd and forty miles from the end IN the midst
Of Southern Virginia, yet with water carriage 10 the
doorand thus relnqnish Its last bold upon the last Of the
Border States II could not expect 20 continue the srug
gle with hope Of success sitter abandoning States
whence s recruits obtained, soil
On which It's have been uniformly victorious, and
Withdrawing 70 states where defeat has constantly a.
tended thoul The abandonment of Virginia would be
equivalent 70 executing quit claim deed 70 all The Bor
der states, together With Tennessee and North Caro-
lima Two Hines ~ railway radiate from here into
fre most populous and influential districts OF this
latter STATE suhisc,ing ia best portions 70 the con
srol OF any considerable military power having Us
base Richmond Il the conederacys wealth In popu-
iatiop md territory now 80 great that II an0d %
make voluntary donation OF all this territory, restrict
Ing Jurisdiction 70 the Gulf States and South Carolpa
n R,shmond BE- held but another six months the ss,e
Of the ccnfedsmey wni have bsen favorsoly decided
government 10 rcare. Rsoens misfmtunes VII have
awakened foreign Powers " The danger which would
a ssu 1870 % - az G eorsss o~ pocns
trained sodiey more numerous And formidable than amy
army in Earope 80 long - RscAsond and Virginia are
srs The very ,svsss which have Ossn s sse hs
enemy into false conAdcnce The csnnot DO carried
On mncb longer against us n We prove hut true to
termination and ability 70 hold Rchmoel Other cities
ay fall the rest OF the concdcracy may succumb, bus
shc cause AN remains safe long ~ Rshnond and
We have nov before Richmond the best svuy which
che confcdeFary has possessed pveenaby ported
ecustomed 70 victory and success. All tts tnumphs
have been won In the defence of the Confederate pial
IL has continued through every trial make good NAL
defence, and is bonorcd throughout the conracy and
the world for the prowess which has exhibited 10 tho
succcsyf Il effort We have not tho Elgtest belief or
expectation that shooshcss friends eager spem ca