as the console feature is unsupported in virsh when using a remote connection,
it should spit out a proper error message.

best regards,
Hari

This request was evaluated by Red Hat Product Management for inclusion in a Red
Hat Enterprise Linux maintenance release.  Product Management has requested
further review of this request by Red Hat Engineering, for potential
inclusion in a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Update release for currently deployed
products.  This request is not yet committed for inclusion in an Update
release.

Should be fixed in 5.4, current test with libvirt-0.6.2-1.el5 show it is fixed:

[root@test ~]# virsh --connect xen+ssh://root@test2/
Welcome to virsh, the virtualization interactive terminal.

Type:  'help' for help with commands
       'quit' to quit

virsh # console test2
error: Cannot connect to a remote console device

virsh # 

Daniel

An advisory has been issued which should help the problem
described in this bug report. This report is therefore being
closed with a resolution of ERRATA. For more information
on therefore solution and/or where to find the updated files,
please follow the link below. You may reopen this bug report
if the solution does not work for you.

http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHEA-2009-1269.html