Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-08-18

HOW Rebels Eeei.
The editor Of the Memphis Bulletin has
seen and ccnversed with number Of in
diyiduais representing nearly all the Sc
cessiOn States, He details their sayings,
as a sample Of which We briefly extract
as follows: /
aseyeral Of those with whom we con-
versed had been engaged in the military
service Of the Confederacy for more than
two years, thus proving how sanguine
we're their hopes of establishing the lnde-
pendence Of the Confederate States. But
recent events have dissipated those hopes |
like mists before the morning sun.
q One Of the gentlemen with whom We
conversed was from Georgia, and had been |
one Of the first to take up arms in behalf |
Of what he deemed the sosred rights Of the |
South. He now frankly acknowledges |
that he acted more from impulse than |
from mature iudpment. He acknowledges
that he was mistaken in another import
ant particulsr-that was, he had under
estimated the character and feelings Of the
people Of the North, while he had over
estimated the proWess and abilities Of the
people Of the South. When the question
Of secession was brought prominently be-
fore the people, on the election Of Mr..
Lincoln as President as President Of the
United States, a current Of excitement
swept over the the country with irresistl-
BILE force carrying everything before it.
"To the lingering veneration for the old
Government the gentleman attributes the
general feeling for restoration, which is
gaining so rapidly among the people of
the seeded States. Nor is this all. They
(the people Of the South) have measured
their strength with the power Of this Gov
ernment, and have found themselves want
ing in SO many things essential to success
against great Power, that many persons,
who, twelve months ago, reprobated the
idea Of restoration with most bitter indig-
nation, are now ready and waiting for
some proposals from the Government look
ing to a restoration Of the Union, as being
the best and only way Of aleviating the
distress of the people.
In the opinion Of our informant the time
for deluding the people by boastful claims
of rebel victories is past. They have seen
stronghold after stronghold yield to the
proWess Of Federal arms, until they are
perfectly disheartened. So long as Vicks-
burg held out there was hope, for they re-
garded it as impregnable, but when the
news Of It's fall became known, the people
at once gave up all hope Of final success.
Nor was this feeling confined alone to the
citizens. 1t was shared by the armies Of
of the Confederacy. The veterans who
had fought the advancing Unionists
at Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Stone
River, and had seen all their efforts prove
to be vain, at once became disheartened
when thew learned that the last stronghold
that united the East and West, like its pre-
decessors on the banks of the Mississippi
had Welded TO the irresistible force oil
Union arms.
9These events, continued our informer
have brought the people, both citizens and
soldiers, to reflect calmly upon the preseD
aspect of our political affairs. Patriotic
men, who were the most ardent supporters
of the Southern cause began to see the ter
rible error into which they had fallen, anC
are now willing to acknowledge that error
as he has done, and are now willing to d.
all that yet remains in their power to cor
rect the political mistake which they &C
knowledge to have made. 1t is useless u
disguise the fact that the people of tht
South ere earnestly anxious that the Uni
ted States should make some proposals o
peace, on the basis of restoration Of tbs
Union. Nor will they be guided by thu
opinions, views or feelings of those wit
have led them astray. The newspapers dC
not represent the sentiments of the masses
of the South. On the contrary, they (th'
newspapers) are ignored and their senti
ments cursed by large proportion of thu
people. Our informant has travelled
through Alabama, Georgia and Western
North Carolina, and has come to the delib
crate conclusion that the people are ripe
for q restoration Of the Union on anything
like an honorable basis.
The army is wearied and worn. The
men are disheartened and deserting by
scores. The conscription laws are inefect-
i've where there is not force to enforce
their provisions. The people are tired Ou
with the contest They feel that they have
been mistaken in their views, and the bes
thing they can make Of a bad undertaking
: is to return to their allegiance and duty
and thus relieve their country, as far a
Z possible, from the terrible oalamities un
der which she is at present suffering"