Year: 1862

I


Ii appears that considerable panic already
/ prevails At some points on our sea-coast In an
! ucipstion Of attacks By the enemy. It is re-
4 ported that In Savannah many of the people are
acting on the foolish and ioregons conclusion
shat their city Is TO be captured and are selling
their real estate at prices which amount 30 sscri-
ices, snd other property preparatory to efecting
| their removal 10 safer quarters.


In every community there are panic-mskers,
who are SO By an infrmity Of constitution.
There are others whose AVarice is more easily
alarmed than their eo1srdice, and in whom the
most violent form of the disease is manifested in
| the region Of the pocket. The cure for both
classes IS to be fOUld in the superior sentiments
OF the honest and brave who are but seldom
minoritJ in any Southern community.


II the people of any Of our sesports threatened
by the enemy desired to iusure their SAL, they
could not effect It better than by tmid and IN
sessonable provisions which anticipate calamity.
There can be no true spirit of resistance IN such
cases, and the alarmed community falls an easy
prey 70 the enemy. The first condition 70 sue
ces5tUI resistance 70 an enemy is the fixed de-
termination not to surrender. Such a determin-
alton gives confidence in the result il is fruitful
OF active and vigorous preparations, and if it
tails below success at least saves its honor.


There is lesson for the whole country in the
recOhections Of the siege of this city. At one





as had never before been in the history Of this
war, and such as might have found a eOnsum-
nation in the easy fall of our capital, If ths
people OF Virginia had not aroused themselves,
spoken courage 70 the Confederate authority,
and restored ths public fortitude. The Confeds-
rate States authorities had nigh despairsd Ct the
safety Of Richmond ! they added to the public
alarm by preparing TO remove the public ar
chiVes they ran off their wives and children
nj fha 81,
reason to believe that Richmond was to become
the prey Of the enemy, and the catastrophe was
awaited with lively alarm OF with dull and mel
anehOly expectation


In this condition Of the public mind q new
appeal was made 70 il. When it was aseertsined
that the Monitor, Galsna and AristOok were
about to head for this city the legislature Of Vir
ginia passed resolutions calling upon the Cen
federste authority to defend i TO the last ex-
tremity, and to make choice OF its destruction
rather than that Of surrender 20 the enemy The
resolutions were responded to in meetings of
citizens. The magical sff5cts of this spirit will
long be remembered in Richmond. The Con-
federate authorities were stimulated By this
brave lesson inert and speculative patriotism
was aroused to eXertiOn mutual inspiration Of
courage and devotion passed from heart to heart
| through the community, and with the restOTs-
ton Of public confidence came, Of course, Wig





up, guns were planted on Drewry's Bluff, and a
laundering defiance given to the Yankee gun
boats which had anchored within few miles Of
cur city. It Is not improbable that the scale Of
the war was turned at this point. The capital
was not only saved, but new animation given
to our struggle, the effects Of which were for
long time visible, by the sudden infusion Of
spirit which came from the brave resolution Of
the people Of Virginia to see Richmsnd in
flames, rather than in the hands of the enemy
lis q resolution of this sort which is the best
protection Of sesports and cities against cap
tnre by the enemy. Panics are as frequently
the causes as she precursors of calamity. The
determination TO resist the enemy to she last ex-
tremity is the only sure source Of the confidence
with which we may challenge, as brave men,
the fortunes Of war. If the people Of any Of
our Southern cities have taken counsel Of their
fears and instead Of showing a resolution to re-
sist the enemy to the point Of selfdsvotion, are
making preparations for the exit Of their persons
and property then farewell 20 the hopes Of sue
| cessful resistance. Il is only when the people
of the South have resolved to die in the ashes of
their cities rather than surrender them, that we
may expect victories like those Of Richmond and
VieEsbuTg