Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-01-14
THE aLooMIEsT YEAR or REsELLIoN

From the Richmond Eraninsr Of December 81
To-day closes the goomest year Of our struggle No
sangnine hope of Intervention buoys up the spirits Of the
Confederate public at the end Of 1861 No brilliant
victory like that of Fredekbug encourages us to look
forward 10 speedy and successful o the war
the last week Of 1862 Meade ha. been foled AMI
Lengsteet has had partial Tenns s-ee but
Meass advsnce hardly meant n aud Beanes
Station poor set of to the loss Of the gallant men who
fell in the murderous assault Knoxville Another dsr
ing Yankee raid has been carried with comparative
impunity TO the invaders, and tmorous capitalists nav
well pause before they nbbe at eligible investments in
real estate situated far in the interior That interior has
been fesrfuy narrowed by the Federal march through
Tennessee a6d owing TO the deficiencies OF our cavalry
service, Lncons sguadrons Of horse threaten be AZ
universal terror, p-Tvasive nuisance his squad
of ennbosis months since. The Coniede-
racy has been cut in twain along the line Of the Msssp
p and enrinies steadily pushing forward their
plans tor bisectng the eastern moiey No wonder them
that the annual advent OF the reign of mud hailed by all
cssses with y o rolief.
Meanwhile the financial chaos is becomirg wilder and
wilder Hoarder. keep more resolute gra-p than
necesares If life Non ~ oducers who same
time spr cUl it0rs suffering and What
peence has become poverty poverty has be-
mechanical occupation is profitable than the most -
eectual probes The most accomplished scholars in
the deracy would be glad to barter their services
for food aud rnment and in the complete upturning of
have black hearts black skos The cry Of scarcity
sounds through the land raised by the producers their
greed for g-n ecboed by the ia their pre-
matnre dead OF starvation aud nakedness We all in
the dark aud lrss towards 10 the dark We
d. not know what areand can tell
whether shall have pouad OF beef to eat At the
end OF 1864 square inch Of leather to patch the last
shoe in the CoDfooeracy. U1reasonog confidence hiss
been succeed by depression AS unreasonng aud the
Yankees congratusDg themselves the result which
they hawk about "a the beginning OF the end"
Ihs Incompetence aud untahiulness Of Government Of
cias had much ~ do with the present state az
affairs but the responsibility doee not end therehe guilt
does not there alone Every who has suffered
himself be tainted WITH speculation has done something
njuro the credit Of Confederate secartes every
who has withheld any necessary of life has dooe his worst
to run the country every one, woman, who has
yielded to the solicitations OF vanity appetite and refus
cd TO submit 10 any pryhton however slight which an
expenditure however great could prevent has contbut
ed to the gem raj demon azaton Ii may be said that
with the present plethora OF paper money such virtue
as we demand is not to be expected OF any people made
up &C merely human beings But some such virtue is ne
cessy for aoy people whose duty . has become to wsge
sach contest ours aud Il the virtue not spontaneous
be engraed by the painful process through which
| we are now passing We cannot 60 through tn. fiery
furnscs without the smell of hre on our garments We
can no avoid the loss OF property thaa we can the
shedding Of blood There IL no family IN the Conederacy
that has not TO mourn fall OF member or come
connection and there family in the Con ederacy
obicb ought expect to escape scathess estate The
attempt as useless most cases, IL is igneble in all
We all have heavy score to pay of aud we know It,
Tn may depress but enemies need not be jaban
t our depression tor determined 10 meet our a-
bht,es Whatever number Of meo, OF whatever amount
of money shall bs really wanting will be Forthcoming.
Whatever economy the Htratenug OF msy
require shall learn to exercise We could ouy wish
that Congress not in such fevensh mood Wise
cool decided, prompt action would put in good cond
"n os the spring campaign OF lS64 and the close Of
year would furnish agreeable retrospect than tn.
m,ratris Of bunders which now consign to th
dead past.