your suggestions. This will be
recognized by our Government, sooner or later, I cannot doubt. On
reaching home I hope to shake you by the hand once more.

Sincerely your friend,

REVERDY JOHNSON.

* * * * *

_Discussions in Congress Showing the Critical Nature of the
Situation._

IN THE HOUSE, _January 7, 1862_.

Mr. KELLEY: I think the condition of this Capital to-day invites war.
It is environed within a narrow circle of two hundred thousand men in
arms, and yet, sir, that short river which leads to the Capital of a
great and proud country, thus defended and encircled by patriot
troops, is so thoroughly blockaded by rebels that the Government,
though its army has not an adequate supply of forage, cannot bring
upon it a peck of oats to feed a hungry horse. * * * Call it what you
may, it is a sight at which men may well wonder. We have six hundred
thousand men in the field. We have spent I know not how many millions
of dollars, and what have we done? What one evidence of determined war
or military skill have we exhibited to foreign nations, or to our own
people? * * * We have been engaged in war for seven months. * * *
England does respect power. * * * Let her hear the shouts of a
victorious army, and England and the powers of the continent will
pause with bated breath. Sir, it was said yesterday the last days had
come. My heart has felt the last day of our dear country was rapidly
approaching. Before we have reached victory we have reached
bankruptcy. We are to-day flooding the country with an irredeemable
currency. In ninety days, with the patriotism of the people paralyzed
by the inaction of our great army, the funded debt of the country will
depreciate with a rapidity that will startle us. In ninety days more
the nations of the world will, I fear, be justified in saying to us,
"You have no more right to shut up the cotton fields of the world by a
vain and fruitless effort to reconquer the territory now in rebellion
than China or Japan has to wall themselves in", and in the eyes of
international law, in the eyes of the world, and, I fear, in the eyes
of impartial history, they will be justified in breaking our blockade
and giving to the rebels means and munitions of war. * * * But, sir,
in less than ninety days, to come back to the point of time, we shall
be advancing in the month of A