The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-23
Monday Morning, Jan. 2S, 1866.
From the Richmond Esamiser. n 3
JEFF Davis Carrying the Oonfederacy to
Perdition

JEFF Davis Carrying the Oonfederacy to
Perdition.
Men are asking one another, is there no
remedy? lsita fatal necessity that we should
sit still, with folded hands, and see the affairs
OF the confederacy going from bad to worse,
by reason OF one constant system OF peryerse
passion and obstinacy, Of which we can all
trace the course in the past and foresee the
miserable ending? Ii the Confederate Con-
gress cannot or viii not constitutionally inter-
pose to stop US on this sloping descent to per-
dition, or il any remonstrance, action or reso-
luton OF that Congress is sure to be "consti-
tutionally and conLemptuously" bafied, and
snubbed by veto--What then Have we en-
closed ourselves in the iron circle OF necessity,
out OF which egress is none? Have we put our
selves into an inexorable piece of machinery,
wound up to go for six years certain; and,
the spring once touched, are we bound to
revolye in 1t like blind mice, though we know
it is whirling us to the devil? Men, we say,
are asking themselves these questions, and
especially the question, is there no remedy?
Yes; there is one remedy Conventions OF the
several states; and to begin with Convention
OF Virginia, here In Richmond. All men say
that genera-in- chief is needed, but when the
law Is proposed it is assumed that Congress
has not the power to make it, Well Con
Vention has full powers. The Constitution is
interposed. Well, Conventions make Consti-
tutions. Let US have a Conventions Con-
vention OF full powers--the Convention of Vir-
ginia is first Of all. The Legislature of Vir-
ginia is In session-iet it call Convention OF
the State. We know why most persons, both
in Virginia and elsewhere, have been reluc-
tant hitherto to say the word tits because the
recommendations for calling Conventions
which have been lately made in two states Of
tie Confederacy, were supposed to contem-
plate, or seemed to contemplate, a breach of
faith and base abandonment of allies In the
very crisis and agony Of war for our common
Independence; therefore such suggestions
were very properly rebuked, both in Georgia
and North Carolina; and, in the latter State
the present Governor was carried triumphant.
ly into office expressly as the opponent and
denouncer of a State convention for any such
purpose. But State conventions are our high
est political tribunals, the most potent ex-
preston of that sovereign independence which
we are now banded together to assert. If
some have invoked convention, but In vain,
60 O1er an a0ject submission to the enemy, it q
does not follow that conventions themselves
are condemned. They may be invoked for
good as we'll as for evil-to make successful
war as well as disgraceful peace And what
is now proposed is that Virginia and the other
Confederate States foI thwith meet in separate
State conventions-to be followed by con-
vention of delegates from them alI-in order
to consider the past and present conduct of
the war, and to recommend some measures to
the central agency (which is the creature OF
the States) with a view to its speedy and tri-
umphant success. Of course this proceeds
upon the assumption that there is very gem
eral discomfort with the present adminstra-
tion of military affairs, and distrust and unea-
siness about the result, if the present manage
ment is continued. adoa 25HfE g5 (
For the assumption that such afeeling exists
there are but too good grounds. 1t is In the
air; it is in the eyes and voices OF men: it
goes with them to church; it attends them to
the market; lonely pickets feel it around them
at night, and black care mounts behind the
horseman. Neither ia it a superstition and
baseless halucination. This people is rational,
logical, consequent; and while persistent ef-
fort and indomitable conflict and defiance
come natural to it, yetit requires to feel that
it is not befooled. God knows the people of
Virginia have shrunk from no peril, or sacri-
fee or hardship; neither will they shrink
but they need to be assured in their own
hearts that when they march, they are going
some where; that when they suffer they can
see their way TO the reward; that when they
make sacrifices there is not somebody making
a sacrifice of them. 1t has been with an
anxious wish to see the beat side Of every
thing, that our people have watched the prog
ress of events thus far; but they have met
with some rude shocks. Perhaps the last per-
formance, relieving Gen. Johnston, putting
Hood in his place, and then announcing in
public speech that Hood and his army were
going to make tour, and that Sherman had
carte blanche in Georgia. and now continuing
to hold Hood in his place, and continuing to
keep Johnston out OF his place, in the teeth
of reason and experience, was the rudest
shock of all. They had not believed Mr.. Da-
Wis, with all his errors, SO utterly weak and
marrow as this. 1t was misfortune to the
Coniederacy. as is long since evident, that its
first President was, or thought himself to be
military man. Ii he had been some worthy
planter, who never was either at West Point
or Mexico, and had no special qualification
save manly, straight forward Southern spir-
IL, then he would never have thought himself
competent to plan distant campaigns and in
terfere with Generals in the field; he would
then have been well pleased to repose the
entire military control in the hands of some
one great Captain. whom the unanimous voice
ol the army and the country would soon have
designated to him. But Mr.. Davis unluckily
studied at West Point, still more unfortunately
in Mexico, he one day formed his regiment of
two hundred aud dftY Mississippi volunteers
into the shape of a v, and received charge
of Mexicans a la fourchette. All the learned
newspaper chroniclers OF the Mexican bust
ness extolled beyond the skies that fatal
Jourchetle; by reason of that tiresome four
chette the Colonel conceived himself indeed
military genius. We feel its evil effects to
this day, and II we are to perish, the verdict
of posterity will be, "Ded of a "" For the
horns OF this V are not like the horns of a
dilemma, one of which you can always choose
to be impaled upon; but be cores us with
both horns, like bull is
Eowever this may be, there is real dan
ger. not so much that the military resources
of the country, but what is more important,
the military spirit Of the country, may be
wasted, the proud resolve'to go all lengths in
resistance to an infamous ingasion-that spir-
it which would have borne us and our cause
triumphantiy through to glorious end, with
ordinary sagacity and energy in the conduct
Of affairs, may grow weary, weary; only stu
pidity or sycophancy would deny it-and in
order that the evil may be remedied, II needs
that some one boldly point it out, aud indi-
cate the cause of it, and the remedy. In one
word, then, we are not afraid of being con-
querec by the enemy, so much as of being de-
1eated by Mr.. Davis. He despisss all war
niDgs, and constitutionally snubs Congress,
The press of the country-and we have good
reason to know that the army backs the press
calls upon him with an almost unanimCns
vote to take his hands of, and let Gen. Lee be
generalssimo of the forces ;--he is wholly
deaf to such an outcry; calls 1t ''clamor."
AT lacf then LET MS try what a convention