Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1862-01-02

THVRspAY Morning, January 2, 1852.
BOAnotber 3ear' with all its changes, has
passed away-auri We yesterday entered upon the
year Of our Lord, 1862 The history of the past
year has indeed been very remarkable Unlike
all others known to the people Of this once
glorious country, it has been fraught with the
most exciting events. Civil war, (heard Of by
our people, but never cxperienced) has, with all
its horrors, harrassed and shaken the land
home circles broken, and many hearts made to
bleed on account Of the current events of the
past year. -..,..
Early in the spring Of 1861, the belching can
non shook the fair soil of the United States and
opened the campaign of civil war. The guns
Of Charleston and Sumter pointed each at the
other until the wound, already bleeding, became
incurable, and the breach, already widened to
its greatest endurabIe capacity, was widened
beyond remedy. The two sections of our once
happy land were arrayed against each other in
that hostile manner that nothing save blood
could adjust the difference The olive branch
was buried and the Ratchet dug up, that the
children of Columbia might Undue their hands
in the blood of their brothers. That blood has
been spilled the sacred soil of America has
been sprinkled in the sacrifice with fratricidal
blood and yet the storm Of passion and anger
RACES and will not be appeased. So passed
1861, and now we enter upon 1862. How, oh,
how shall it end?
1t wonld seem as though no filter occasion
could offer, to review the past, in order that we
learn lesson for the future, but in sooth the
picture of the past is so blackened by misfor-
tunes to our once happy land and so red with
the blood of her sons that we shudder at the
prospect.
We may ask, however, what are the prospects
for adjustment of this ruinous quarrel in the
present year, The past is spent and with it
much life and incredible sums of money, but,
to our vision, no further have we progressed than
at first The South has told us she never will
yield, and the great North fully aroused, as we
are informed by the newspapers, has sworn to
conquer Immense and. almost innumerable
armies have been called into the field and ample
preparation for the contest has been made. The
falling of the leaves we were promised should
witness the fall of the South. The leaves have
fallen and yet our grand army is in statu quo.
Christmas we were further promised "should be
celebrated by our brave troops in Richmond,
Savannah and New Orleans" Christmas has
come and gone and the, voice of our troops have
not been heard by the sons Of man in those
cities. In fact, we find ourselves no nearer, in
our limited judgment, to the promised goal than
months agone.
We had thought that these promises might be
fulfilled when VIC read the flourish of trumpets
made by newspapers over the grand review at
-1u4fess. - Cfs,ss ftu:its. wg---.A--uzorzrcu
that "our troops were perfect, accurate, and
conducted themselves as veterans" We were
further informed that "the slow pace of General
Scott was to be made up by the quick march of
the youug and energetic Mcclellan, and that
now the road to Richmond would be opened"
but, alas, for the calculations of men!
There must surely be screw loose somewhere,
and we would fain learn where. II, with all the
preparations we have made; if, with all the trea-
sure we have expended il, with all the enor-
nous fortunes made by contractors; if, with all
the army we have at command, we are to do
nothing; if we are simply to maintain this i'm
mense army for the protection of the Capital at
Washington, why not adopt less expensive
mode and preserve and protect the people from
the enormous taxation which must result from
all this. Could not the combined wisdom OF
the country suggest less expensive and equally
certain mode? Or if the mere defence of the
Capital be cot the object, why not make an on
ward move and let Us have peace again at as
early day as possible? What can be the reason
Of all this delaying and yet hanging on? The
history Of the past year shows us one grand
stand still so far as crushing tire rebellion" is
concerned and only progress on the part of those
who are fleeing the Government and the people
at an alarming rate. We are tired of this, the
people are tired. We want to move onward or
we want to know the whys-and-wher
We are for peace. speedy peace, and we
sincerely hope the new year will usher in new
state of things, so that we find a speedy peace,
either by the sword or the pen.
:: ->~>----- $50.
Our BRIDeE.-At its last meeting, we believe.
petition signed by all the citizens Of the village
and as many of the county as had opportunity,
was presented to the County Commissioners,
praying for some means to be adopted for the
remedy of the terrible condition in which our
run and bridge finds itself this winter. Should
there come hard freeze it would be next to
impossible to reach the county town from any
portion of the first and much of the third dis
trict, except by encroachng upon private pro-
perty to a considerable extent We never knew
the condition of things at this crossing to be
worse, ond surely if the county has an interest
in any bridge or crossing it is this. The County
Commissioners will meet AGAIN On nayf Tuesday