Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-12-08

at franklin twenty miles from NASHVILLE snd A01Ae
with heavy less. We cannot see, however no" tnl'
can be econced with the other dispatches saying tnat
subsequent to the supposed retreat ne was so neai
Nashville that the rattle Of musketry was hearo IN INT
streets Of that city.
Rpt indeed we ought not to complain of the meagre
r contradictory character of our Northern advice
from HOOD. They at least full as our Souther'
adyices from SHERMAN. The newspaper men are ser
tainy the most devoted and self sacr ing Of patriots
Voluntarily or invoIunary, they have been eubssting
for weeks past without any pabulum, to their manifest
loss. They have no news They can tell nothing
about SHERMAN or any other man. Their main inter
est is suspended and with it their sale is necessarily
diminished, for who to buy papers that have nc
news?
The PRESSURE is daily becoming more and more
severe on the newspapers. Such ls the state OF the
nails that the soldiers In camp take few papers
and can hardly get the few that they try to take.
The homo community is diminished by many causes
and at the same time the area from which can be
gathered is rapidly contracted by raids and retlcenc
1t will soon he contra5and to publish the state OF
tie weather. Verify, sufarngs as intolerabe 1t
is hard sculng under the best of circumstances it
is the very deuce now. Nothing but perseverance,
good luck, frugal habits and a clear conscience can
carry US through the winter
So we have cur own private wrongs to avenge on
Mr. SHERMAN. he has done US much harm, and the
gooper s hash is settled the better ne will be pleased
He is bad Dan under any circumstances particular
~ SO under the present. The position of things is
omaous. Tie very seasons are out of joint. At IL
a. NJ. Dec 9Th, the thermometer is at 70. 1t will be
rs in the course Ct the day.
owe WILL PAY for this weather before Christmas"
said fllnd TO yesterday 1t is indeed seldom thRt
escape muddy and unpleasant weather about Christ
mas, or New Year, al the farthest.
But ineed many human lives have already paid for
this weather by The protraction If campaign, the
boodiest n the book Of tine. There probably never
was weather in November and December so suitable
for carrying the very humane operation of mutual
destruction. Nothing stops operations at Richmond
SHERMAN's movements are not impeded by the season
in Georgia the campaign in Tennessee and Kentucky
seems to t1ke fresh start. Surely GRANT has had
every chance to try the effect OF his fayorite system Of
attrition-of wearing out the Confederate armies by
constant collision with the superior numerical force OF
the United States. From May 10 December the stern
wrese OF death has gone on and not once has the iron
strain of the sturdy athletic been relaxed or their ma
tua hold released for the briefest breathing SPELL
Will there really be any such thing close of this
campaign? Any intermssion of the deadly struggle,
any dropping of the curtain upon The of car
mage?
PROBABLY there is no chapter in warfare meaner or
more dsgraceul than that contributed by the conduct
of the United States in the case of the Confederate
cruiser Florida treaCherousy surprised and captured
while quietly enjoying the supposed sancty of a
trail port. That was bad enough but the final was
worse.
Feeling assured that tie powers Of Europe, at least
the maritime powers Of Western Europe, would not
quietly wink at such violation of International rights
even although weak power like Brazil was the victim
and that rs q consequence restitution and apology
might become necessary and unavoidable the first of
these evaded by rendering its actual execution impo
sibe. The Florida, lying in Hampton Roads, was &C.
cidenaUy run into by an army steamer and sunk. We
think that if The Wachuset cannot restore the Flor
ida she should give herself up in her stead.