The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-02
asirhnroltd nispatth.
- MARCH 9, 1871.
TauRsDAY.....''''''''
-.,,,,,,.;ne and Growing.

II
Murmuring and Growing.
~. Turopean telegra ans are replete with
An If the murmuIs and surly threats
If the French populace. The Red kepuo-
leans. too, are uttering, as ever, the'f IN, IN.
practicable suggestions and lmp0ss n,e
All these are abort''e; h"'
neon,e act naturally-the Red Eepupno'n
- syer d,abolicslly. These Reds never eau
ach,eve any good. but will ever invoke upon
ths,r country misery and ruin. ihes are
.nrsa IN France, and it will be proVioea.
rio, blessing that relieves that unfortunate
, W.. U sror, their vicious Vaccinations.
But how well the people Of TINS sou. t.sa
country can appreciate the feelings 0, '' y,
naon}e Of France! Do not the ci'.Zens "
p,chmond remember the passage OF SAh"
rvs army through their city, ana VIVA.
$3.50, aosolate. and inconsolahle time that
was9 The doors and the blinds OIL the resi-
dancss were shut, and the inhaoitants-sa'e
the Door. crazy negroes-were smut up
n their houses sad and bereaved. The ne
groes, poor souls, were distracted Win the
scenes Of martial display and force before
them. and gave themselves up to the grand
paradise of African conception, the Mill.
tary triumph, the tinsel and the g'ltter OF
uniforms and arms, the bleating OF horns,
and roll of drums. These were the delu-
sive sights and sounds that inducted thei'
into their new lie, in which by degrees
thew have been led to- find that all Is not
gold that glitters, and all is not paradise
that brightly promises liberty. They hao
supposed that freedom meant freedom rom
labor. which they had vainly imagined was
only reouired of slaves. With this delu-
sion they followed the hordes of SHERMAN,
and they have had leisure to lind That
though the delusion did not disappear as
RAPIDLY as the legions Of SHERMAN, 1t has
"a completely departed from their clouded
visions and intelleets.
But the whites-the responsible part OF
society-were at that time disconsoiate anu
withdrawn In sorrow to their family affairs.
They felt the sharp sting OF defeat and the
triumph of the adversary as he defled
through their streets. They poured out
sheir priefs to one another. And so are tue
French now doing in Paris and elsewhere
where the Germans are in force and holding
their positions until the terms of peace are
finally settled and part Of the indemnity
paid. So we hear daily about the muir
murs and the sullen submission OF the
French. But if all amounts to nothing
like resistance, nor can it at present pro-
woke further hoStiities. France is con-
uuered, and so must rest for the present.
The treaty will be accomplished, peace Sc
cured, the kingdom slightly nipped OIL on
the border, and the indemnity paid. All
this must be done. and France, If she re-
venges anything, will have to wait for years
before she has the power or the opportu-
nifty to do so.
But after all, the French are better Oh
than we were. We were conquered ike
they, and 50 the Federal armies, rs do those
of Prussia through the streets OF Paris,
filed through our deserted streets. Yet
the Prussians will not only 60 away, but
they will not be succeeded by the hordes OF
adventurers-the worst population Of the
districts from which they came-to ill the
public offices, hector and domineer over the
people, and eat out their substance. That
is humiliation and irritation which the
French will not know, to their great adj
vantage over US. Alas! how large part
Of the southern people learned to prefer by
far the Federal armies to the abomlnable
cormorants that followed those armies, ana
who preyed upon US like rayening wolves
1t would be a useful thing to the French
people to recur to the history Of our sui
ferings. 1t would make them much more
contented with their lot, and strengthen
their resolution in the great work OF re-
storing their country to its former pros
perity and its position rs the head OF the
civilization of the world we inhabit.
With us, we had and have no escape
from the relations we bear to the Govern
ment which rules us. 1t is not only our
policy, but our duty, to make the best OF
our situation, and to make the Government
we live under the best we can. Yet it is
lesson which ought to strike deep into the
hearts Of the men who rule the public al
fairs of this country that the condition Of
the southern States after the war was made
infinitely worse than that of France after
the war with Prussia, which is just
ended. 1t was made so for us, too, by mis-
guided policy Of the Federal Government.
That policy placed upon Us set of leeches
and vampires more horrible than SHER-
MANS bummers or SHERIDAN's torches. 1t
was. q policy cruel in the last degree, and
altogether blind. 1t was intended to pro-
long the existence Of the war party, while
it was really fraught with the seeds Of the
downfall of that party. Its cruelty and in
justice was like the blood Of the martyrs,
which cried aloud for redress. 1t was more
than the nation could sustain, because all
people were not office holders, and nothing
short Of the greed and selishness of Office
holders could sustain such injustice; none
but ottice.holders could regard it with any
thing less than adherence.
But this cruelty was peculiarly abomina-
bic In view of the character of the people
on whom it was visited. The southern
people are the frankest in the world. Their
word is as good as their bond. They sur
rendered earnestly and honestly. Their
idea of the surrender was that they returned
to citizenship under the Federal Govern
ment, and no people on earth better under.
stood that relation. They could from that
day be trusted in all things as citizens, and
had they been SO treated-regarded as
equals in the republic land equality is in
dispensable to republicanism)-all woult
have been well. and the nation would ere
this have been harmonious and prosperou;
To-