The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-05


den sought admission into g society y in
Richmond? Indeed. the officers Of the
army here have. uniformly taken the
other course they have stood aloof, pre-
ferring not to embarrass the few people
in this city who are in earnest in their
professions in favor of the restoration of
Union and peace. To be tabooed by the
ladies of Richmond may be source OF
fearful privation and inconvenience to
gentlemen who know nothing of the eX-
periences of war, but to the soldier 1t is
a small matter. The men who endured
the hardships of the four-year'sstruggle,
the outdoore life, the exposure to the
storms of winter, the weary march in all
seasons, the bivouack in the swamp and
| in the burning sun, the scarcity of ra-
tions, and somtimes no rations at all
and finally the conflict and the cannon's
awful roar, are not likely to be moved
much by the simperings of those who en-
Joy the exclusive privileges of the gorge
Gus halls of Richmond. To our notion,
it lie a little vulgar to discuss such ques-
tions. tits dragging before the public
temper, which, if it has any body at all,
only illustrates the temporary hatred of
which the world knows enough. The
ladies of Richmond and the ladies of the
South it is unnecessary,to state, entertain
for those of their countrymen who won
the prize, very strong feeling of dis
like. Yet, it seems to US, that those very
ladies can have but small respect for
those gentlemen who are now giving
voice to their rage, but who, when they
could, refused to aid in keeping off the
advancing warriors, who succeeded in
capturing the naughty city, and raising
over it, once again, the flag of Washing
ton, George Mason and Patrick Henry.
But no one in Richmond will take the
trouble to bring this matter to the notice
of the fair sex and as we have no special
interest in bringing about change in
their present mood, we do not care to
. dwell upon it further than to say, that
there is not the least ill-feeling among
+, the army officers in Richmond toward
those ladies who have exercised their
: clear right of closing their doors against
whom they please. The trumpeters
who proclaim to the contrary, know
little of the character and dignity of
Terry and Turner, of Smith aud Davis,
and the other gentlemen who are sacri-
ficing the comforts Of genial homes in
the cause of their country. Surely, ii
; will be responded, that those officers are
not needed in Richmond; but Governor
Peirpoint and President johnson are
now of another way of thinking. Five
months ago it would have been difficult
to maintain the affirmative of this ques.
ton but the press of Richmond has,
within that time, demonstrated the ne
cessity of an armed force in Virginia.
Pity that it is so. Pity that the
good feeling that attended the surrender
"a feeling as universal as it was pro.
found-and which was inspired by the
generous terms of Grant and the mag.
, unanimous rejoicings of the whole ma
, ton; pity, we say, that those feelings
and those hopes, have now given away
to hate and passion. But we shall not
dwell upon this sorrow which we men
ton only to depIore. We had for pur.
pose to deny the truth Of the unsupport-
ed intimation, that the United States
officers here are in the least inconven.
fenced or incensed by the resolve of the
ladies to exclude them, in advance,
i, from their social halls. Indeed, the of
ficers take this view of it,-when the
matter is brought before them by the
papers,-no one can blame these ladies
their sorrow is too pale and fresh; and
it is natural in them-though unnatural
and unmanly in those who risked moth
ng-to mourn over the soldiers fallen,
in what to the conception OF the moth
ers, the sisters, and the sweethearts,
was patriotic cause. No MAN. quarrels
with them for this; though all men may
have contempt for the class who insist
upon probing the wounds which sooner
or later must heal, or death follows.
The story Of the resignation of Gov.
Peirpoint is one of those "alarums''
which politicians love to resort to. Tits
true, no doubt, that he would resign
upon the condition that the President
would then appoint him Provisional
Governor of Virginia, which, of course,
would be only making bad matter
worse. Gov. Peirpoint has, by his
course, rendered himself obnoxious to all
parties. When he came to Richmond
he discarded his Alexandria and Nor
folk and Portsmouth friends, and gave
the cold shoulder to the few men In the
Capitol who had claimed to be Union
lists because Mr.. Davis had incarcerated
them in Castle Thunder. He then took
up with new friends, who have now
turned his favorites out of office, and
given their places to ex-Confederate SOL
diers. This has provoked Mr.. Peirpoint,
and hence the story. of his resignation.
But there is nothing in it. 1t is q
"ghost story" TO tell the truth, the
Governor aloneseems to be the only per-
son afraid of his own spectre. He isjust
| now irving to soCthc the legislature and