Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-01

r,ask The question to-day Is not whether ynn snail
own slaves hat whether you shall yourselves Oe
shves. With such an issue, II the Prcspec.
4 mes more gloomy lac would say-strike on--strike
eHer. ,,.t..ro
vervtbing that is dear TO US and to pOsterity y at
stake. is Il not worth the best energies 81 all TO
make q renewed and vigorous effort TO saVethe
empire
The great principle Of this contest is-.-haye we
right to change or alter our political condition at
otr will This being the question, we cannot aban-
don il il we would.
Whcnwe sent tho commissioners, who have just
returned from Old Point Comfort, these three dis
tinguished gentlemen net the Federal authorities
m good faith and were told by Lincoln we have set
tied your rights OF property, and are ready 10 re-
ceiye yOur submission.
Iranv are base enough to desire peace on such
terms. let them 60 to the enemy. Shall we moi
rather tell him. as we tell our people TO-DAY, on
With the revolution.
We have q vast country, extending through
every variety Of soil It is too 10 De hela =!
anv hostile power. He may FRI over II, despoil II,
bot be can hold no part Oft the people ere lrpe
h.-ond tho reach OF his rifles. He may steal ne
,ss a,5 rob women of their household comforts,
5ut farther than that he cannot go. After sweep
a. over our State, which be Mr. IT, though'
might have been prevented, the enemy diu ho'
ryeu hold the graves OF ms dead
Our rad management aad bad legislation are the
yye,t dangers that beset Us. Men are outraged al
most a.. Ssseh where the enemy has not been, as
,rb.,s he mas been. The great cause OF desertlon
ind discomfort are the oppressive snd uneonsttu-
nonaI exactions OF the government,
When IA war commenced II was worth a pre-
MUM to 90 into the ranks. Everywhere every BODY
sauied 10 90 Many were rejected. Those VINO
gent allowed TO 60 UpdeT men OF tneir enolce,
and these men stepped FROM the esss IN tirgias aud
swept tile veterans Of the United States army le-
tore them.
not seen an adult volunteer, and the MAR had. grad
ually subsidized. lie vas gratlhed to see from the
crowd before him (many OF whom are IN the ser
vceh aud from the returns OF tue late election tha
al the people are not dead yet.
The Constitution gves1he power TO command the
last arm and the last dollar 10 sustain the public
iefenc1 and there Is no excuse Tor the plundering
schemes adopted-iorcing the people to hide then
supplies 10 h epirom being robbed OF them.
There is plenty of money. lle observlI that a
small mistke of S4O0, 900, 900 had Just been dls
covered and vet the common soldiers had not been
paid in a wear and II a soldier wants corn he musl
''presS it, No army IN the world can be preserved
under such management Hungry men Will become
d,moralzed. This IS your cOuntry--your cause
nd YOU must look TO the cause OF the evils that be-
yet rs and remedy them. We must begin Ut the
velv root OF the evil and apply the true remedy
a. was aware thar this Is delicate ground A bad
captain make. bed company, and the same rule
applies to those In high places, u they sFe neom-
tent OF dervlict of with their heads-so much for
buckingham ,-....s .l.e.
He would initiate the great Athenian orator, and
say not one word that not in behalf OF his coun
try. lie had no personal feelings IN cause Ia
yolyiug the destiny Of the country.
The great mistake had been in making mere una
chimes OF our soldiers for this principle the enc
ny has more machines than we have. Its the high
"a irdls and the mvincible proves of people who
iee an individual inteFe in the cause, that makes
an army invincible.
TIE conscript system has worked out. We have
tried it three years aud 1t sLoJld be changed. fop
cannot expect man 80 or 40 years OF age to be
dragged out of his home by STRIPPING, who has got
a stripe on, by virtue Of rich father, and be put
in the barracks, with lousy yagabOhds, and then
dragged OFT 10 camp OF instructiOnto be mustered
IN. Ii degrades and embitters man who has true
manness ia him. b. thrust thus into the service.
Our currency i gone We have refused TO learn
from the history of the past and to Shun the i'm
practicable folcs Of others. But the failure of the
currency does not destroy our means OF defence
We issue $500 900, 600, and il VIC waste it, IL didn't
cost much, and We have still got the country, and
are as strong as we were the day Sumter fell.
Some one here made some disturbance, and a
yOce said-.sput him OUT Oh nc, said the speak.
er. with one of his impressive smiles, put no man
lut for expressing his opinions in free country
lie had himself said so many things that people
Ntn Ike, that he was very tOerent OF the sayings
OF others.
With all abuses, We are stronger to-day than We
we're at first. We could not then arm fifty thou
aud, aud mad not thirty cannon. Now We have
about - thousand on our rolls and weapons 10 arm
them.
We have resources enough 10 whip forty Yankee
nations if coui call back the spirit Of our de-
parted heroes. We must properly regard the lib
orty OF the citizen aud the right of property. We
aust dispense with the petty posts which are estab-
!,shcd everywhere, and thus increase our armies.
They are here in Warrenton, Washington, every
where, with crowd Of able-bOdied men, helping
enrolling officers and w-drlvers-doiDg little but
distress the wives OF those IN the field eating OUT
their substance or robbing them.
The eiu1en OF England feels that his domicil Is
,ecute aud sacred. Give this security to property
here. Let every man feel that be - not to be rob
bed under the various preteXts for seizure, and
they will hght tor their country TO the death.
lie was sure that GeoTgianS and TenDesseeans,
aud kentuckians aud LOnisaniaus, aud all other
true patriots, though they have lost ALL and whose
homes are occupied by the enemy, will join in the
sentimeDt-On With the revolution.
Nj. ToOmbS closed aHid the cheers of the audi
ence after speaking about IS min utes. Generals
smith aud Williams, who were on the stand, were
allied for but did not respond.