Spirit of the army.
We continue the publication of the patriotic resolutions of our soldiers in the army: At a meeting of Captain W. S. Griffin's company (A), Eighteenth Virginia battalion artillery, held in the trenches on Chaffin's farm, on Monday, the 20th instant, Private Joseph R. Briggs was called to the chair, and Private Richard S. Boykin appointed secretary. On motion, the Chairman appointed Lieutenant W. H. Stephenson, Sergeant James M. Gardner, Corporal J. H. Drake, Privates Charles F. Pretlow and J. T. Halcomb, to draft a preamble and resolutions for the adoption of the meeting. During the absence of the committee the meeting was addressed by Captain W. S. Griffin and Lieutenants S. W. Cobb and K. R. Griffin in eloquent and appropriate speeches. The committee, after a short absence, reported the following preamble and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted: "Whereas, the country demands the concerted and vigorous support of every loyal Confederate to sweep from its consecrated soil the ruthless invader who is seeking to destroy our institutions, to deprive us of the claims of freemen, and wrest from us the right of self- government; and whereas, the Old Dominion (of which we are children) has sacrificed many of her noble sons to defend her ancient pride and honor, to obliterate disgrace from the annals of her future history; therefore "Resolved, That we renew our fidelity to our country and its cause, and pledge ourselves to perform cheerfully all the duties of a soldier that points to the welfare of our country. "Resolved, That our confidence in the ultimate success of our arms has been renewed in view of the appointment of our much beloved chieftain, R. E. Lee, to the supreme command of the armies of the Confederate States; that we will give to him our hearty support in prosecuting this war to an honorable end. "Resolved, That we have unlimited confidence in the wisdom and patriotism of our representatives in Congress and the Virginia Legislature, and we earnestly solicit them (if, in their judgment, the crisis demands it,) to tender to our beloved President the slaves of Virginia to aid in driving from our soil the nefarious invader who now pollutes it. "Resolved, That we will willingly sacrifice our lives on the altar of liberty rather than suffer the desecration of those consecrated spots sacred to the memory of the honored slain; that we will accept of no peace that does not look to the glory, honor and independence of the South. "Resolved, That we implore the ladies (and such men as are incapable of bearing arms) to identify their interest with that of their country and aid in sending delinquents to the field; that those who croak, or countenance the skulker and deserter, are enemies to our cause, and unworthy of freedom. "Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to our representatives in Congress and the Virginia Legislature, and a copy to the Richmond papers for publication.
Camp Texas Brigade, February 20, 1865.
At a meeting of the Texas brigade, to inquire into the expediency of arming a portion of our negro population, Lieutenant J. B. Boyd, of the Fourth Texas regiment, was called to the chair, and Captain J. T. McLaurin was appointed secretary.
A committee of one from each regiment of the brigade was appointed to draft resolutions, to wit: Messrs. T. D. Williams, Fourth Texas (chairman); B. S. Fitzgerald, Fifth Texas; J. T. Longino, First Texas; and Lieutenant Thomas P. Brewer, Third Arkansas regiment.
The committee, through their chairman, reported the following:
"Whereas, the condition of our country, at the present time, in consequence of reverses and late disasters, while it does not justify a feeling of despondency or shake our confidence in our ultimate success, creates the imperative necessity for a prompt development of all our resources; and whereas, in the opinion of our wisest generals and statesmen, we have a powerful element of strength hitherto not brought to bear upon our enemy in this great struggle; therefore
"Resolved, That the great peril of the country, and the extreme emergency, should prompt all friends of the cause to lay aside all prejudice and accept the necessity of arming such a portion of our negro population as may be deemed necessary by our able Commander-in-Chief; for in the negro we recognize a great, but hitherto dormant, power, which we believe to be available and necessary for the furtherance of our ultimate object — independence and separate nationality.
"Resolved, That negro philanthropy, as practiced by the Yankee, is but a hideous and fiendish mockery; that method of ameliorating his condition, their policy and treatment of the negro, but tends to lower and degrade him in the scale of humanity; that the Southern master, who takes care of his slave in his hoary old age, nurses him in sickness and cares for him in his helplessness, is the true philanthropist, and not the almighty-dollar Yankee, who turns him away to die, as best he may, when his services are no longer valuable.--Therefore we earnestly urge the immediate use of this lever of strength, as we regard it humane and morally justifiable.
"Resolved, That Congress has not, during the present session, acted with that promptness and decision which the great emergency of the times demands, and we now ask them that upon this question they bring to bear all their energies and talent, and that it be disposed of as early as practicable.
"Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded immediately to our Representatives in Congress, from the States of Texas and Arkansas, and to the daily papers in Richmond."
During the meeting, entertaining speeches were made by Captain W. A. Bidell and Messrs. R. W. O'Connor, W. H. Burges and B. S. Fitzgerald. 