The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-12-19
The Failing Hopes Of the Rebel.

The claim OF the rebels for recognition as
an independent nation has been clamorous-
ly and constantly urged on grounds which
it is worth while to notice in their full
strength. 1t will be found, upon examina-
ton. that ali which is valid in them has
been gradua falling those who depend
ed on it, and nothing legitimate is now
left for confidence Of our enemies to rest
upon.
In the beginning Of the struggle it was
confidently urged that the conquest of so
vast and difficult Il country was itself i'm
possible. The rebels dweit cOmpiacently
upon the almost boundless area of the
Confederacy, much Of which was yet an
untamed wilderness and upon the end
less bayous and streams, which every
where rendered it an unfit theater for mill
| itary operations. Sometimes traitor of
more than ordinary malignity would re-
call significantly the pestilential character
of the climate; and gloat over the pros.
pect that Yellow Jack would, through
Gods mercy, in a single summer, avenge
the South Of any enemies who might try
the hazard Of an occupancy.
But when the matter came to the test OF
experiment, these obstacles, though seri-
GUS, proved not insurmountable. The
vastness OF Northern resources and prep
aration were not inadequate to the vast
ness OF the enterprise she had undertaken.
The most extended railway system in the
world concentrated the myrads of the
North upon the whole frontier of the Con-
federacy. They pressed upon Richmond.
they occupied West Virginia; they con-
quered Kentucky and Tennessee; they re-
claimed Missouri. The far Northwest
swept down the Mississippi; the CONNER.
cial metropolis organized expedition after
expedition upon the Southern coast. Maine
and Michigan beleaguered Charleston and
}. Savannah Massachusetts and New York
I,,rl lol har ynt,- -
More than half of the original area of the
! rebellion has yielded to our arms and is
locked in an iron grasp in which every
struggle does but increase the exhaustion
of the helpless communities which main
) tain it, and demonstrate the helplessnes!
) Of the protracted strife. Even the feye1
: fails the rebellion and New Orleans under
the rigorous police of Butler is as salubri
GUS through the summer heats as North
ern city. 1t begins to be plain that ther'
r is nothing in the vastness of the work Il
! be done which surpasses either the resour
ces, the determination, or the endurance 0
! the North.
The next ground for the alleged impossi
g bility of subjugation was the pretended
: unanimity of the people of the South. 4
:, people so determined and so united coul'
: never be conquered, we were told; and al
;. observer who was resolved to forget tha
;, one half the population of the Confederac.
!, consisted OF slaves whose every nope atL'
i, PRAYER was for the success of the invading
e armies, might deem the assertion proba
s BILE. But as events drew on their conse
s uuences, it became obvious that the fou
r millions would not allow themselves to b
D forgotten by either their friends or thei
9 oppressors: and now fifty thousand sol
J. diers-than whom the rebel armies contain
d none better-proclaim the fallacy OF al
: such hopes as rest on denial OF the fac
If that negroes are men.
It It is Interesting to observe how fatal sla
d very was, in some instances, to the caus
l. of the master in our original Revolution
e Marshall, in his Life of Washington, attri
q butes the easy conquest OF the State G
l. Georgia to the agency Of slave. The en-
IS envy approached from the sea. and tn
e American commander, drew up his arm
s below Savannah, for the defence OF tn
II CITY. His left rested on the river, whic
IS secured it against flank attack; Will
J. along his front and far to his right stretch
n ed swamp which he believed to be i'm
) passable. In this formidable position b
Is awaited the British attack with the bes
v hone of repelling it. The British comman
der. however, while accommodating for a
" approach, sfell in,'' says the historian
.eI .twith negro, who informed him of pr
Is yate path leading through the swan
le round the right Of the American lines, int
> their rear OF this he at once ayaile
Il himself. and amusing the American ger
l. eral in front, sent force round which fe
>e ut once upon his rear; the front attack wa
D simultaneously made with artillery, an