The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-04

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ton.
SATURDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 1, 1865.
An eloquent Divine remarked, in late
sermon, that "no generous mind desires
a victim"
No one will doubt the truth of this
observation. But the misfortune is, that
generous minds are not as plentiful as
Confederate notes. They are not even as
abundantasgold. Agood many rcspecta-
bic limitations may be found, but the
hard times has, in most cases, worn off
even the gliding. Here and there, there
is Roman-a real Roman Of the times of
the Rcpublic-one who actually lives on
corn bread and water,-which even
Roman, for good and sufficient reasons,
never attempted, and, on that spare
diet, keeps up most blooming and ro-
bust patriotism. These Roman spirits
would be willing to live in like manner
till the end Of time rather than be up to
the eyes in flcshpots at the price of sub,
jugation. We know some such persons,
never heard Of in public places, and not
desiring to be heard of-only asking to
be free of Yankees. But for one Roman
of the Republic, there are, in general,
nine Romans of the Empire. For one
honest soul, that really practices self
denial, there are nine that devote them
selves to descriptions Of that excellent
virtue. There never was so large a
proportion of preachers to people. Nine
well-fed and we'll clothed orators, holding
forth upon the glory of starving and be-
ing starved, and one man, who composes
the congregation and believes all that he
hears, and practices the same. The one
man will have his reward, but, most
assuredly, not in this world.
We should like to believe that there
are many unselish, generous minds
who do not desire to victinize anybody,
whether an OK or President But that
the Scriptural account of human nature,
as read by the light of the war, is life
ike portrait which nobody can mistake.
A good many of the most intelligent
and virtuous of mankind turn out, upon
close handling, to be deceitful and despe-
rately wicked. In particular, the pro-
pensity for having victim is as univer-
sal as humanity. Whether the object
be hare or a deer, or any kind of do
mestic game; whether it be a member
Of the family, the community. q the
nation; having victim is an appetite
which has no bounds, except the ability
Of the victim to resist and retaliate. It
is that which makes the war upon the
South 50 exhilarating to Black Republi-
cans; +; they can strike and we cannot
strike back. 1t is that also which is our
own consolation. If We cannot strike
back at them, we can pummel each
other, and thereby relieve our natural
indignation.
The great use and advantage of an
Executive in times Of war is to have
somebody to blame and abuse. The
Earl of Chatham was the only man that
ever escaped this all but universal fate o1
Presidents and Premiers. It is true, he
was just the most self.willed, arbitrary
and overbearing man that ever lived,
and was so absolutely determined to
have the control of measures, of which
he had the sole responsibility, that he
compelled the first Lord of the Admi
ralty to sign naval orders issued by tht
Premier-while the writing was covered
over from his eyes. England, grumbling
growing England-theD, for the firs'
time and for the last time, presented thu
astonishing picture Of q nation support
ing, without murmur, widely-extendet
and costly war, and people, hitherto
torn with conflicting parties, so united
in the service Of the Commonwealth
that the voice Of faction had ceased il
tho land, and any discordent whisper
/ was heard M more-n Bart then q m