Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-01-04
From the New York Independent.
THE NATIONS CHRISTMAS HOPES.
BY HORACE eREELEY .

nr HORaos GREELEY.
A full year has rolled around since the
Nation was irst confronted by the hagrant
disluyalty and grave perils of secession
The first quarter of that year was sqnan.
dered in doing nothing; our National rulers
either openly conniving at and promoting
the operations of she traitors or tamely
succumbing to them, and in pitiable i'm
potence permitting those operations to pro-
ceed as though the Republic had no stami-
ma and its Government were a fog. bauk to
be dissipated by the first sun or whisked
away by any lively breeze. Then followed
season Of hcsitating, qualified preparation
implying lack of serious conviction that
the traitors were in earnest, and ground
work Of belief that they would disband
their armies and return TO loyalty in defer
ence 10 arguments, protest alons, and re-
monstrances, without waiting to be over
come in battle From this dream, the Ma
tion was rudely awakened by the disgrace
ful fight at Bull Run, and compelled to
commence in earnest, and with adequate
conception Of its magnitude, the work of
preparation for the mighty struggle forced
upon it. This preparation is now nearly
complete, and force Of half million
of Unionists is about TO be launched from
various points upon the delenses Of Slave
holding Treason AS we wait in solemn
earnestness but in reverent trust the shock
of the opposing hosts, let US camly, con-
siderately note the grounds of our convic
tion that the ultimate result must be favor
able--that the National integrity and au-
thority are to be vindicated and restored
by the events of 1862. These grounds are
briefly as follows;
i I. The danger Of surprise is past. The
Federal Metropolis, which was to have
been captured in May, remains unvisited
4 by Q hostile shot and in no serious danger
of changing masters, at the close of De
cember, 1t might have been seized in
April; il could have been successfully as.
sanlted in Jnly Henceforth, its safety is
almost If not quite beyond contingency.
IT, We must have reached the bottom
of our disasters by imminent ireachery. The
forts, armories, aud arsenals, are now held
by loyal and true men. We may be worst
ed in battle; but we shall no more see regi-
meut after regiment basely surrendered to
the rebels by Confederate traitors who cot
the bread aud wear the uniform of the Ma
tion. 1t must be that the traitors in re.
sponsible, influential positions have been
nearly or qnite weeded out Of the National
service. What ships, what ports remain
to Us, are held by men who will not betray
their trust.
III. The Nation at length is armed, or
very nearly so, The treason of Floyd and
his confederates in the Cabinet of Mr. Bu-
chanan had nearly stripped the loyal states
of arms when the cannon of Sumpter peal
ed the tocsin of war. We had neither
field artillery, nor small arms, nor camp
equipage, nor munitions at all adequate or
suitable for the contest so suddenly forced
upon us. We now have all these, with the
ft men to put them to use Henceforth,
whatever reVerses we may encounter will
have some other cause than our lack of
arms. II not now nearly ready for the
strife, we never shall be.
". We have measured and tested The
strength of our adrerSaries. They have
had the advantage Of most extraordinary
and unexpected triumph. The prestige of
success, the moral advantage of menac.
ing attitude, have been theirs for months
They have been expecting aud preparing
10 seize Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri,
aud advance into the free states; bnt they
have never been able to cross the Slave
line in any force The tidings Of Bull Run
grossly magnifying the extent of the re-
bel triumph, called to their camps every
one disposed to fight for their cause. They
enlisted expecting to be revelliDg in the
plunder of Philadelphia and New York be-
fore this time; they 6nd themselves still
shiVering behind their breast-works around
aud in trout of Manassas, awaiting
and expecting sn attack from Gen. Nc.
Clellen, no longer even meditating an as
sault on his lines. The morale of the Of
fensive is lost to them.
/ V. The Nation has gained ground in the
confidence aud cooperation of the Border
States Maryland, by a great majority
on the side OF the Union. Kentucky, by
tho results of two popular elections and the
action Of her Legislature, has done likewise.
Missouri is two,thirds held by the Uniousts
to-day, and her legitimate government is
strongly for the Union. We are more
likely to regain Tennessee than tolose Ken.
tucky. The signal triumph at Port Royal
establishing Union force solidly in the
heart Of rebellious South Carolina, is felt aG
a stunning blow throughout JEFF. Dayis's
dominons. At Fort Pickens, the UnioI
dag has been nobly upheld The new pc
! sition Of our forces at Ship Island
threatens the whole Gulf coast O
/ Louisiana and Alabama. Western Vir
ginia is silently relinquished by the traitors
} after months Of desperate efforts 70 snbju
, gate IL. And though the gallant uprising
s Of tho Unionists Of East Tennessee hai