Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-04

NO country III tQe WORM S'N Z -. l
heavy losses or endured IS hard Ia!e,
Eitb NOR -beroisu or fortitude. The
levscuation of Richmond would % tns
abandonment of Vrginia-IoFeverT anu
without any rational hope Of return. u
il possible that such desertion conid De
contemplated after the events OF this war;
Even If the get were not suicidal IN poncS,
could the ConfederaCy now consent TO CAST
awav this worn and devastated but SIM
lnoTerful commonwealth Is an old shOe
that could be put to no further use'
Aside from thesdisgrace that Wouio a.
taeh TO such iugratitude, the oontedetscy
could not afford to pot General Grant mo |
possession of Richmond, depot and base, |
FSo ToiIssI from the sea, and il the midst |
of Southern Virginia, yet with water car
rage 70 the door; and relinquish its last
hold upon the last If the border States.
II couId not expect to continue the strug-
Ole with any hope Of success, after ahan-
douing States whence its most numerous
recruits are obtained, q soil on which its
arms have been uniformly victorious, and
withdrawing TO States where defeat has
constantly attended them.
The abandonment of Virginia would be
equivalent 70 executing quit claim deed
to all the Border States, together with
Tennessee and North Carolina. Two lines
of railway radiate from here Into the most
popnIouS and influential districts of this
latter Stste, subjecting its best portions 70
the control Of cry considerable military
power having its base at Richmond. Is
the ConFsderacy's wealth inipopulAtloh aud
territory uoW so great that it can afford 70
make avoluntary donation of all this ter
ritory, restricting its Jurisdiction to the Gulf
Stated, and South Carolina already over
l1un ss' y
If Richmond be held but smother six
months, the fate Of the Gonfederacy will
have been fSVorably decided. The people,
will cling to the cause as long as the seat.
of Government is secure. Recent misfor-
tunes will have awakened foreign powers to
the danger which would result to them.
selves from the, restoration of the. Union
and pacifcation of this continent, now
possessing trained soldiery more nQmer-
Gus and Formidable than any army in Eu-
rope! So long as Richmond aud Virginia
are ours, the very reverses which havs been
sustained will nerve our people to renewed
exertion, and beguile the enemy into q false
confidence. The war cannot be carried on,
much longer against us if we prove but true
to ourselves; and the single test of successl
Twill be our determination aud ability to
'hold Richmond. UtHer cities may fall, the
rest of the Confederacy may succumb bot
the cause still remains cafe SO long as
Richmond and Virginia are held
1 We nave now before Richmond the best
army which the Confederacy has ever pos.
sessed, impreguably posted, accustomed to
Victory and success. An it's triumphs have
Ebeen won in the defense of the Confederate
capitol. 1t has continued through every
trial to make good that defense, and Is
honored throughout the Confederacy and
-, e..
hibited in the Successful effort. We have
not the slightest belief or expectation that
thoughtless friends or enemies will ever be
4 grstitied by the sight of such a national
suicide as the evacuation of Richmond will
be; while that noble army exists In any
part; but with the hope ofputtiDg an end
to the talk of the idle and snort sighted on
this matter, we throw out these hints as
to the consequences of the act of which
they speak 30 lightly sa' y 37zi
1s--. az F.qaralrr4.
sE7ERE Oh THE coAFEDEKATE CoNGREss-
a LITTLE oAUsTIo APPLIED TO TIE iwBAk.
KNEED. SO
Congress seems anxious to adjourn. By
their Constitution it is not denied that they
have the legal right to flee their posts, and
to seek relief from their fears in their dis
tant homes. So has General Lee the legal
right to surrender his army in the morning
and to prove traitor to his past glory and
his country's trust. The moral right of
Congress to desert their duty is denied up.
on the same principle that would sustain
an impeachment by that very Congress if
the President should abandon tine capital,
aud hunt safety for his person in the. noun
taius of the West or in the swsmps
the South. There are instances in history
of men being hanged OF shot for great
moral crimes which they had legal right
to commit. -
The division of the powers and functions
OF the Government into legislative, exc.
cntive and judicial departments, was.from
motives of economy in the accomplishment
OF the ends OF organized society. Their
names or duties do not indicate any degree
or Limitation of responsibility. Neither
the virtue of loyalty nor the obligation Of
duty Is lessened because the public labor
is divided. He who fees from supposed or
real danger, whether he be ragged vetar.
an in the trench, exposed to moral shell
and shot, or the well clad represen tative,
intrusted with the life and honor of the
State is deserter.
During the last four weeks wild appreI
heusions of danger have disturbed the
minds Of the timid- The shifting of the
seat of 9 campaign always calls attention
to the new interests that become exposed
to attack before the means of successful
resistance are obtained The first iuclina.
ton OF the mind is to be absorbed BY the
danger, after to gatheriand examine the
relief. While the roads that connected a.
large portion of Congress with their homes
were still open, both houses were full, and
the sublime spectacle was presented of all
classes, interests aud powers of the nation
remaining bravely at their post and true
to their country. The enemy has lately
4 thrown his forces across the lines of every
Ioongressional retreat to the West and
South, aud since that time, Senator'S and
4 Representatives have, one by one. fed the
Capitol. leaving the halls Of the Leeisle-
ture rapidly diminishing to a number be-
How quorum. 10 sf = f,.T5.5-t- - -