The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-17
t-asDAY MORNING. JANUARY l., 1865

The Revolutionary Congress-or. ra-
ther, the several congresses Of '7G-
mast have been rare body Of men,
They had been produced by the times
uron which their lot had been cast, and
they were up to the times. They suf-
fcred no catastrophe however disastrous !;
10 danger, however imminent; no emer-
goucy, however pressing; no crisis, how
ever imminent to Cypress them, or to
~we;Yc them, for one moment, from the
clear line of duty. Far from partaking
Of these mcmentary fits Of despcndency
which somotimes, very naturally, fell
Ike shower bath upon the enthusiasm
Of the people, or that far more dangerous
apathy, which was frequently the sue
cassor to violent and long continued exer-
ton, they were always present to cheer,
TO exhort, to stimulate, by every appli-
aucc within the reach Of strong common
sease and unabated courage. Driven,
occasionally, from one place Of session
10 another, they never lost their equa-
nimity, and never, for an instant, gave
wav to doubt. There was no occasion to
which they were not equal, no high re-
solve to the level Of which they were not
capable Of rising. They understood
thoroughly the circumstances in which
thcy Were placed. Revolutionary men
in Il revolutionary era, they felt
and understood their position; and,
iaying aside the insane common
place Of every day, peaceful life, they
adopted the bold spirit ard high action
proper to the day. They had, fortu-
nately, never been politicians after the
fashion of the days which have just
passed under the old Union They had
never been taught that party victory
i, tile highest achievement of statesman
Slip, and that craftsmanship consists in
obtaining victory at the polls. They
were tnc creatures of the Revolution, as
the sal2mander is the creature of fire.
They were generated in that atmos-
phele-they imbibed it from their politi-
cal infaucy-they lived in it as their
natural element-no change that it
brought, how startling soever it might
appear to ordinary minds, could shake
their constancy. They had pledged to
ono another "their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred honor" that they would
carry that thing. through; and when they
had once made their pledge, they pro-
ceedcd to redeem it.
"onld to Heaven the Congress Of the
Confederate States had inherited but a
ssportlon Of the. spirit of these grand old
patriots. Bat we look for it in vain
0dr armies have suffered disaster and
aeiea'. A mighty host is encompassed
within few miles Of the city-the thun-
"e: ol hl5 batteries shakes the walls OF
The capitol He does not hesitate to pro-
ei&lm that 1t is his intention to enslavc,
u 10 e4tirpate, the whole race, Of which
VIC are part and parcel. Our Congress
Is ID session. Bills Of the most urgent
necessity are before it-bills vital to our
constitution and our country-bills upon
''e Passage Of which depend our status
% ''sencn or slaves, probably for centu-
''sS 10 come. We are in the eighth week
u TIE session. The enemy is prose-
''l''iis his enterprises throughout the
winter. lie allows our armies no rest,
'Ay Or night; and yet not one single
sEp has been taken by our legislators
''F the renovation Of our armies, for the
''hei'oration Of our currency; for the
restoration Of confidence to Oar people,
l9f any object whatever that can haye
ne resnoiest bearing upon our dslsncc
against the vengeance Of our implAcable
enemies. They spend their time in talk