Year: 1865

He has only to take calm and 1ntelhgen'
survey of the situation of affairs new pre-
sented to be convinced of the utter nope
lessness of further organized resistance tc
the national authority. He has only 70
dlvest his mind of the bugbear of suDluga-
ton to reconcile himself to the restora-
ton OF that authority. He has only to
remember that the flag of the Union Is
the banner which he proudly recognized
previous to the war as the beautiful
symbol of the nations glory and power to
rean1mate his attachment to that symbol
The scheme of a Southern Confederacy was
presented to the public mind with such an
array OF sophistry and chicanery, and with
such constant appeals to popular prejudices
and passions, that it is not surprising the
people of Virginia, who are generally too
easily deceived by politicians and place
hunters, should have been captivated by the
Utopian views of their leaders, and blinded
to their true interests by the trickery of
Southern tlre-eaters but surely they must
be disenchanted by this time, and are en-


abled once more, we hope. to take rational
view OF the questions affecting their welfare
Thousands we know are; and while we can
not but have certain respect for the linger-
ing hdelity Of sinking cause, which doubt
less exists to some extent in this commu
nifty, we almost pity the man who will
longer allow an emotional sentiment to en-
slave his judgment What, though precious
lives have been lost in the effort to establish
the Confederacy, have not lives equally
precious to others been lost in the attempt
now happily successful to maintain the in
tegTity OF the Union, the great palladium of
our liberties? But it is with the future, not
the past, we now have to deal. We say,
then, that the dispassionate conclusion of
every rejecting man must be not only that
the Contederacy is practically defunct, but
that his pursuit of happiness and prosperity
will be best promoted by the~failure of that
visionary scheme and the restoration to him
of the rights and privileges which
he heretofore enjoyed. This is the
plain proposition which only those
who are perversely blind will fail
to perceive, and being so, the people of Rich
mOnd, even the adherents of the Davis con-
Germ, if any are left should welcome the re-
establishment of the National authority; but
whatever his sentiments on this point, every
man in the city will very soon have to de-
termine his course. He will have to take
his position as a loyal citizen of the United
States, Virginia forming a component part
thereof, or must, if he will, cling to his
idols outside Of the Union lines. The legis-
lation of Congress and the amnesty procla-
nations of the President do not admit of anV
middle ground.


If we are correctly informed, it would no
doubt be agreeable to some who were
dragged into the Confederacy against their
judgment and consent, to be relieved of the
formal renewal of their allegiance to the
Federal Government, until the official Motif
cation OF the extinction of the rebellion in
Virginia, a ConsummatiOn which will not
be postponed many days. We are informed
Of the existence of such desire by CON-
munication from an intelligent and respect
able citizen; but we advise him and all
others similarly interested to waive any
scruples they may have as to the time or
manner of re-securing the rights and privi-
leges Of American citizens, and oongratu-
last afforded them for entering again upon
the enjoyment of those rights Of which they
have been so long deprived.