The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-04-25
One Year Ago.

Yes, just ono year ago thi, morning, the
rebellion, in the towering height Of its mad
ness, opened its hostile cannon against the
republic, and having compelled the surrender
Of Fort Sumter. in the elation OF its first via
tory rushed to seire the capital Of the nation.
Ths traitors thought to find in divided
North, through old political alliances, an
easy path to the dismemberment OF tho I'M
ion, and the ruin Of the North, and the con-
struction Of splendid and powerful South.
ern Confedeacy. That brilliant dream burst
like bubble in the air. The blow woke the
nation from its letbargy, and rallied the peo-
ple of the North as one man in the defence
Of the Government and the flag. Other
equally fatal delusions which conspired to
urge ON the traitors to their desperate crime,
and to which they have clung almost up to
the present time, have also been exploded
The expectation Of foreign sympathy has
been blasted. The self.glorifying yalor Of
traitor arms, boasting superiority over men
OF the North, has been abased and put to
open shame in every fair field, and even when
screened behind entrcnchments.
ID is true. for space the rebellion ran be-
fore the wind. Ii had been in training for
months. and had got good start, and the
opening engagements were calculated to give
the rebels much OF encouragement and hope.
Big Bethel, Bull Run and Balls Bluff were
great days in the calendar OF rebeldom. Bat
how soon has all that been changed, and
those disasters schooled the army of the Un-
ion to discipline and prudence The rebel
lion, like the rising moon, was biggest at the
start. Its first were its best days. With the
lapse Of time it has seen its fondest hopes de-
cay, its resources vanishing, and the tide OF
war setting in hard against its strongholds.
A large portion OF its coast, with its chief
seaports, is held in the grasp Of Union arms,
and the rest are threatened. Kentucky has
been entirely cleared Of the rebels; none but
q few guerilla bands are left in Missouri
Tennessee is clear except one small foothold
at Cumberland Gap, and Memphis and yicin-
ity on the Mississippi. The stars and stripes
float also on the soil of Virginia, North Car
olina. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. Mis-
sissippi and Arkansas. Since the new year
came the Union army has swept down on the
foe in one uninterrupted stream OF success,
and the armies are now face to face in the
Southwest and in the peninsula OF York
town.
In formal message to the rebel Congress
JEFF Davis was Obliged to confess that they
had attempted more than they could bold
A, the first, confident of seizing the national
capital and carrying conquest into the North,
they are not now half 50 confident in being
able TO hold their own capital, and they
would undoubtedly consider II bargain If
allowed the Gulf States. The Southern Con-
federacy Is crest-hllen, and the pride of its
chi,alry brought low. They took counsel OF
mad ambition and imperious passion, engcn-
dered by long rule in the affairs OF the ma
ton. and are now reaping the reward OF their
folly, exhibiting before the world conspic-
uous demonstration that with States no less
than with individuals, the way OF the trans
gressor is hard.-Bangor Daily Ere,g Times,
l2ih.