Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-12-31
The Closing Year.

In military view, the year now closing
has been one of positive and substantial
gains. The control of the Mississippi river,
and the recovery of East Tennessee, are the
two great achievements of the year. If there
have been fewer brilliant victories at the east
there has been no want of useful service and
satisfactory results. For the rebel authori-
ties have been kept upon the rack of expecta-
ton, and compelled to bear the burden of a
war establishment very far beyond their
strength. The consequence is, that, without
suffering grent defeats-Gettysburg excepted
there has been constant draft upon the re-
sources of the rebellion, more exhausting and
fatal than a score of ordinary defeats. The
political gains have followed fast in the path
of military success. The border states have
undergone a reformation beyond the hopes of
the most sangune. The original, uncompro-
missing, unconditional supporters of the gov
eminent control the states of Delaware, Ma
ryland and Missouri; and Kentucky-the
most reluctant and untrustworthy of the bor-
der states-is slowly but surely coming into
line with the rest. While in Tennessee, Ar
kansas, Texas Louisiana, Florida, and North
Carolina, there are the germs of reorganiza-
ton, which promise to restore those commu-
mites to their old places in the Union, without
slavery, before the close of another year. In
respect to the opinions of mankind, the
changes have been no less remarkable and
encouraging. The rebellion las lost ground
in the estimation of every government and
people of Europe, whose opinions are worth
taking into account. There is not a court or
council in Europe, ftom St. James to St. Pc
ter's, where the ambassadors of the rebellion
can find aspark of support or justification. 1t
was not SO year ago, when the busy agents
of the rebel government planned great
schemes OF trade and piracy abroad, encour-
aged by the covert sympathy of the "great
powers" In every respect the government
has made constant, almost uninterrupted pro-
gress. In every respect the rebellion has
sustained constant, almost uninterrupted
failure. Under these circumstances, it
would seem that the government need ask
for nothing which the people whom it has so
well served would not gladly give. The war
is so far advanced, and the policy of the gov
eminent so strongly justified and assured,
that the sun will sooner set in the east, than
failure happen to either. If the government
had the disposition to take any backward
step-thank Heaven it has not If it were
insane enough to leavethe future to take care
OF ITSELF at moment when splendid des-
TIMES are within its grasp, there is not brave
man in the country who would not protest
against such untimely weakness and folly.
But the government is doing nothing of the
kind. Fully conscious of its responsibilities,
and resolute to meet them, it appeals to the
people of tile country now to aid it in crown.
ing its great work with speedy and triumph
ant success. Those who serve it now are not
engaging in doubtful struggle, or enlisting
for forlorn hope. They are helping gov.
ernment strong enough to help them with no
stinted hand-that does help every person who
lives under il to honest, manly, and independ-