Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-02

ton, the ballot box will speak in louder tones
against the party in power than it did in October
last. At no time in tie history of the country
was. there so great a revolution going on in
the public mind. and it will increase in
power until there is not a vestige of Re-
publicansm left in the administration of
the Government. politicians have not started
it, or helped it." The people, in the change
which is taking place, are far ahead of the poll
tcians Go into private households and in the
farmers homes all over the State-anobg the
people who are not seeking for political influences
and who have no wish for public position-and
there will be heard the most bitter denunciations
of the policy and measures of the Administra-
ton They know and feel that grinding burdens
are being placed upon them, not "to sustain the
Union. but to give mere partisans the political
control of the Government.
To show that our estimate of the present atti-
tude of the army is correct, we reproduce two
extracts from correspondents, one showing the
condition of the Army of the Potomac and the
other of the army at Memphis:
CONDITION OF GEN. BURNsIDE's ARMY VIEWED FROM
AN ABOLITION STANDPOINT.
Correspondence of the Anti-slavery standard.I
WAsHINeToN, Jan. l2
The condition of the army which is under the
command of Gen. Burnside is said not to be all
that one could wish. Reports have come up con
tinually from this army since the battle OF Fred
ericksburg that 1t was in a state of discomfort,
if not OF insubordnation The men are to an
alarming extent discouraged and anxious to so
home. They are stupefed with continual re
verses. know that it is the habit of Generals
and Senators to say that our army is in good
condtiOn-that the troops are painting for bat
tie, and so forth; but such statements are entirely
false The Army of the Potomac is CAPABLE of
great deeds, and believe will soon win impor
tant victories over the enemy. but it Is nevertle-
less in dangerous state of discentent this very
day. There are reasons for it. toe, which are
plain to the least obServant of men. In the first
place, the men are not paid. Small as is the sum
due the men who risk their lives in battle, it is
not paid to them when it is due, so that at this
moment the majority OF our troops have not been
paid their wages for six months.
The other day sick or wounded soldier in one
of our hospitals sent letter he had just received
from his wife to member of Congress. The
letter stated that the woman who wrote it and
her children were suffering for want of food and
fuel, and she asked pittance from her husband
portion of his wages. At that time the Gov
ernment in debt to the soldier to the amount
of over sixty dollars, not one cent of which could
be obtained This lack of money of itself will
destroy army IN time, not so much from want
of money as from the overwhelming sense of in
Justice which demOralizes the soldier.
l have been led to write upon this subject from
the numerous reports that have been made to me
by trustworthy persons who have made personal
observations in army. 1t seems sometimes
as if the President and the Administration were
slumbering upon the brink of fearful precipiee,
and that nothing. will arouse them TO ii compre-
henSion of their situation. Our second great
army is melting away like snow i'm April. We
shall wake up soon TO find that it is gone. ask
my Republican friends in the West, "Can you
raise more troops by volunieering?' and they re-
ply, "Not a man" As for the draft. they say,
"The West will not endure it." This Admins
tratiOn should fully comprehend the dangers
ahead, and then do the best it can to overcome
them
CONDITION OF THE ARMY AT MEMPHIS.
correspondent, soldier, writing from Mem
phis under date oc the 18TH. says:
1t is now nearly seven months since we have
received pay from the Government Almost all
of the enlisted men, as we'll as the officers, have
families depending upon them for support How
do these men feel when they know that those de-
pending OH them-those of all others who are
near nd dear on earth-are suffering; nay, some
of them in the aims house-all this TOR the want
OF that which they have fought AMI bled for
Add to this that the weather is extremely cold
with six or eight inches of snow on the ground
whilst one third os the men are barefoOted four
ffths are without stockings, and many are with
out shirts or under clothing of any kind We
have been accused of jay hawking" The fact
is admitted; but men on half ratiOns. and there
fore haif starved, and hal, clad, with not a cent
in their pockets cannot be expected to observe to
a nicety the laws of society or even those of war
fare. The maxim that necessity knows no law''
proves true in this Ii the Government
would pay promptly, we could buy what we are
compelled To "Jayhawk."
The men are dissatisfied, for flesh and blood
cannot stand such treatment. All are desirous
larly when they see "contrabands" (excuse the
rican descent" getting full rations, whilst they
1.-THE soldiers of the Union) regale themselves on
a cracker a day. The I09th regiment from your
State did stack aims. fear others may soon
follow their example. The officers are almost
disheartened, and, if their designations would be
accepted one half of them would resign before "a
month.
Perhaps my story will not be believed by those
who read the Tribune, and accept all IT'S state
ments for facts. But let those who doubt its
truth converse with the men who have been here
and seer for themselves, with discharged soldiers,
consult the private letters of those in the field
and they will find my statements corroborated.
Indeed, have given the bright side of the pic
ture.