The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-31


spirits = explain the marvel we
mighthsSe remained sksl tin our
dying day, but certain phenomena have
been exhibited Of late IN Virgins which
coavincs us that there are things in
heaven and earth not dresmt Of in our
philosophy.
We may as well premise g precise
statement of the facts which have
wrought this change Of sentiment by
reference to the impossibility which has,
tiFiately, existed Of providing IN ade~
quate supply of provisions for. the army
and the people. There has been great
privation here-we need not deny it,
and even the noble army Of General
Lee-thst army which has 50 lo,,g stood
as wall Of fire between our homes and
the enemy-was in danger Of suffering.
In these straits, earnest appeals were
made, from time to time, for gifts Of pro-
visions to support the army and TO keep
the poor from starvation: Agood many
farmers in the interior responded nobly
to these calls, and a good many more
were equally ready to respond, but had
barely sufficient to support their own
families. No one could doubt the corr
rectness of the assertion, for, in some
cases, when they were asked to sell,
they declared that they had nothing;
and even Confederate money could not
create provisions. The poor would have
to stare and the soldiers to suffer-
Their hearts ached to think of it; but
they had nothing, and must look in
helpless anguish upon the dismal scene.
Well, thus much promised, we come to
the supernatural part of the subject.
A party of Yankee spiritualists, under
the direction of that famous wizard,
Sheridan, left the mountains of Virginia
a few weeks ago, and, in the course of
tho travels, exhibited series ofwonders
never surpassed in the days of witch
craft. They made few. raps with their
electrical knuckles at the farm-houses
they visited, where previously there was
nothing that could, by possibility, be
given away or sold, and potatoes, bags Of
meal, barrels of -four, and endless hams
of bacon, game to the light of day. This
was no mere illusion of the senses, but
solid and savory reality, which would
have gladdened the souls of many hun
ery citizen of Richmond and many a
worn. out soldier in the trenches. She
} ridan boasts, in his account Of these
} miraculous transactions, that he caused
} provisions enough to appear in this way
J to "feed Lees army for three months.
, 1t is ridiculous to suppose that thes'
, provisions existed before his arrival, ant
. had been ingeniously concealed from
: public observation. There was no mo
tive for any such deception, and it is re
? pugnant to the patriotism Of those VIII
+ were subject to these manipulations; wh
G were, no doubt, as much astonished a
E anybody at the apparition Of object
whose existence they were in profoun
ignorance of till the tappings and raj
0 pings of Sheridan's spiritualists com
s PEELED their manifestation.
y We can only regret that our own cor
e missaries and other agents for obtains
q provisions do not possess this supern
r tural power. 1t is to be hoped tn
v General Lee will establish . school
le spiritualish in the army, and have
Of disciples thoroughly trained in the my
n teries Of that productive art. We Fl
1t perfectly satisfied that there are 60
ke many districts yet in the country, whe
er there is now, positively, nothing that COZ
th be made to yield abundance Of food
man and beast, if We only knew how
do it.
ne The selfdeception of human nature
Is one of the most charming provisions