The national Republican., 1862-05-02
EFFECT UPOR THE SOUTH OF THE
FALL OF NEW ORLEANB.


The fall Of New Orleans is the nrst event
which has shaken the confidence Of the seces-
sionists, in this city and Baltimore, In the final
success Of the attempt 70 sstablish the Southern
Coufsdsracy. They have held out under all
reverses, until this last and GROWING one; and
even now have not given up hope altogether.
This is not remarkable, whom We take into
account how much the Judgments Of men are
influenced BY their wishes. II Is not strange
that those who have sympatSizsd with rebellion
should have hoped for its success, when 30 many
loyal men have had serious mirglvinss as to The
possibility Of subduing il, and when the course
Of events has been such as to produce the geo.
sral impression among the comparatively dis
interested spectators Of this struggle from the
other aide Of the Atlantic, that the restoration
Of the old limits Of the United States was an
impossibility.
If some loyal men in the loyal States have
been despondent, and If European opinion has
been against the probability Of success In the
efcrt to restore the Uuion by arms, II was nat.
ursl that the disloyal should have persisted iu
clinging to the hope that the cause 70 which
their psssions were committed would triumph
at last
II this was true Of the isloyal In the States
still under the national authority. II must have
been still more true Of the disloyal in the Sc
ceded region, where 30 little IL correctly known
Of the resources and determination Of the ma
ton, where the national victories have beer
beiittled In Importance or represented as de
feats, and where the press, the telegraph, aut
all means Of informing the community, are il
the hands Of the cabsl whose fate depends upot
keeping up the courage and spirits Of the re
bellion.
Judging In this way, from what We know o.
the views OF the secessionists in this District
and 10 Maryland, we believe that, until The fall
of New Orleans, ne idea Of The possibility Of ul
innate failure had MOI, for one n,omsu ,een enls.>
,aired by the re6sis Of the South.
Undoubtedly they had already perceived, be.
fore the loss Of New Orleans, that they were
engaged in no holiday contest, that tremendou.
sacrifces bad been submitted to, and that still
greater ones would be necessary. But LOOKING
TO tue vast extent Of their territory, the COM
paratvrly limited inrosds made into II. and
their own practical uranimity, and with the
opinion which they entertained that the nation
would, tefore long, be financially uusble to
continue the effective prosecution Of the war
1t is as certain that they were confident oi
achieving an ultimate independesce. a. il 10
that they preferred any possible fate to that Of
an enforced political connection with tboss
they have hated, for a generation, with q hate
notiqualled by any national animosity between
civilized and Christian people.
This confidence is now for the first time
shaken by the terrible blow dealt upon th, q
at New Orleans. They have no LONGER The
hope Of 6ghtipg it cu, In The cotton States in
the event Of al adverse fortune IN the borde,
States. Ii is the c,mmercial and military kew
OF thScotton region itself, which is first lost "a
them, and to lose the border States is to los.
everything.
We shall soon know tha extent Of the eflet
ut the South Of this first and decisive shock ia
the confidence Of the rebels. That IL will bt
great cannot be doubted.