Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-20
THE DAILY SPY.


Word of Encouragement.
The unfortunate effect of the Fredericks
burg disaster upon the sentiment OF Europe
is apparent in the tone Of foreign correspond
ence and the foreign press. Our enemies are
elated; our friends are dscouraged; and both
expect us in the near future to abandon our
attempt to suppress the rebellion. The Lon
don Times, as usual, breaches a homily on
the madness and barbarity of the north and
Napoleon, grimly jesting with our ambassa-
dor, says 81 hope in the course of another
gear to have better news from your country"
By one, however, who remembers the sor-
row and encouragement which the same in
telligence produced in the north, a month
ago, these expressions of foreign opinion are
seen to be but the echo of our own immediate
Judgment upon that sad affair. Our present
dissatisfaction with what seems to be an ina
bility on the part of Europeans to understand
our character and resources, is promising
sign. ut shows how far the first feeling of
dependency has given way to the sentiment
of hope. Success has been delayed. But,
though for the moment shaken by the unex-
pected blow, we awake to the consciousness
that our strength has not been seriously i'm
paired. We have to mourn new calamities at
Vicksburg, at Galveston, and on the Cumber-
land river; yet we are reminded by the issue
of the fight at Murfreesboro, of what we had
almost forgotten, victory is possible to
the Union arms.
The repulse at Fredericksburg brought
nearer home to the contemplation of every
northerner the possibility of ultimate failure,
OF peace on the basis of secession. Webegan
to inquire again what terms would express
that solution of our dificultics-what the south
would demand and what the north could
grant. We re-eXamined our maps, and tried
to trace upon them practical boundary line
If in some sections mountain ranges seemed
to afford convenient landmarks, in others vast
plains stretched out for hundreds of miles, re-
fusing to be divided; and everywhere were
the bands of mighty rivers, whichcould not be
broken. We thought of the naughty exulta-
ton, of the sensitive shame, that must forever
embitter our intcrcourse-of the jealousy and
enmity which, through all the future, but a
spark would suffice to kindle-of the disap-
~pointment of those reasonable hopes which
humanity has hung upon our fate.
The obvious impossibility of comfortable
settlement under the condition of recognizing
southern confederacy, strengthened our
failing determination not to permit the birth
ofsuch a monstrous spawn of our instititu-
tlons. Seeing that we can not yield, we are
reshaping the thought that we aciH not yield.
As out of half-despair sprang irresolution, so
out of resolution springs hope. 1t has been
Mr.. Lincoln's singular good fortune that amid
the disheartening failures of the year just now
closed, his integrity has not been impeached.
The spine of the administration, so to speak,
if not strong, is healthy. reorganization of
the cabinet so as to restore confidence, and
consequently union to the people; the promo
ton of loyal and successful military officers
to the places of those WHO have failed and
evidence that all in authority are resolved
and able to learn from disaster, would soon
forge for us a glttering triumph out of dis.
graceful defeat.
Notwithstanding our prodigious outlay of
men and money, our resources are not seri-
ously impaired. An exhibition of energy and
persistence on the part of the government,
adequate to the occasion, would at once re-
store its credit and the assurance that their
services would be made available and not
squandered, would rally, if need be, another
halfmillion of men to the national standard
1t is not privations and wounds and death that
the soldier fears; it is death and wounds and
privations for nothing.
We have not arrived at that point where, as
once in old Rome, not to despair of the COM
monwealth is to be accounted the highest yir-
tue; but we are in circumstances of such peril
that the croakings of the Respondent are not
less painful than the wiles of the traitorous.
Let us accept the struggle in its present as
pect bravely, manfuly. Let us have some
faith in truth, in the people, in time, in God
We can put the rebellion down if we think
we can.