The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-01

Prussia waa dsiined ofisIaen, and svsn
boys, by conscription !; Was frequently
ovssrun and desolated by the enemy, and
even its capital (Berlin) captured; and,
withal oppressed with heavy taxation.
Yet Frederick triumphed, and lived to
SEQ his country independent and more
prosperous than ever. Surely We, who
are fighting under no such disadvantages,
who have been subjected TO no such dis
asters and trials, need not fail unless we
are inferior in spirits patriotism and en-
durance to those benighted and ootland-
ish Germans!
Remember" exclaims DR.. Minnege-
rode, In note to his admirable sermon,
J" how Athens gafe up her city for the
salvation Of Greece; transported her
women and childEens 70 Aegina and Troe.
zene, and ssns her men to man the
wooden walls which the Oracle had
pronounced their safety, and in which
they gained the battle Of Salamis Re-
member the siege of Tyre and Sidon and
other cities, and their heroic defence
the like of which this war has not yet
seen the retreat Of the French from
Moscow, the crossing Of the Berezine,
the rear guard under Ney, whose heroic
endurance yet stands unriyalled !" The
invasion of Hannibal reduced Rome to
straits similar to those which form our
present crisis. The campaigns Of 21s,
217, and 216, with the defeats on the
Trebia, the Lake Trasimene, and the
crushing blow at Cannm, where her lc-
gions were all but annihilated, the defec-
ton Of all Southern Italy. and the dread
Of Hannibal ante portas" had reduced
her to the last extremities. In that ter
rible battle forty thousand Romans (at
the lowest calculation) had fallen, and
three thousand horse, involving the death
of some of the wealthicst and most dis
tinguished citizens, with one consul, both
the pro-consuls, both the quaestors,
twcnty-one out Of forty>eight tribunes,
and not less than eighty senators, among
the slain. History does not record any
defeat. more complete, and very few more
murderous. 1t was at such moment
that Hannibal sought to open ncgotia-
tons, and Rome refused to entertain
them; sent Marcellus to command the
fugitives and stragglers whom Varro was
trying to rally; ordered new levies,
bought up slaves from their masters (who
waited for payment till the treasury
was replenisheO to serve as light
troops; enrolled even debtors and
prisoners in the Roman legions.-
Contractors supplied stores, agreeing to
wait for payment till the end of the
war; the fortunes Of minors and widows,
which were in the hands of guardians
and trustees, were advanced to the State,
to be repaid at future time; the Senate
met to deliberate, and the Consul, Loe-
vinus, proposed that the Great Council
should sit in example of patriotic devo-
ton. Let us, said he, contribute al
our treasure for the service Of the State.
Let rs reserve, Of gold, only our rings,
the bullae worn by our sons and for the
Of our wives and daughters,
one ounce apiece; Of silver, the trappings
Of our horses, the family saltcellar, and
! small vessel for the service Of the gods;
Of copper, five thousand pounds, for the
necessity Of each family" This propo-
sal was carried BY acclamation, and the
noble example followed emulously by all
the people. So eager was the throng
which pressed to the treasury that the
clerks were unable to make full re~
yistry Of tho names This patriotic loan
saved the State; and it was even more
in the spirit which it called
forth than for tho actual relief which it
Afforded to the treasury
When G. Terentius Varra had, by his
and bad generalship. lostthe
Iatal battle Of Canpe and brought the
Republic to The verge Of ruin, after he
had dslivsred The fasitives hs hed rallied
i Ysnusia and 0asilinum into fhe hands
Il h;a s,,cce.eeax ksrnse1f - ant IL Hnana