Washington telegraph., 1864-01-06


has been either the calm resignation of old
sorrows chastened by time, or the severe aflic-
ton of new ones. In very many households
..the iron has entered the soul, and the ..deep
waters have gone over them" But there i
patience and resignation, and for the hearts
that humbly ''cry unto the Lor'l from the
depths" there il consolation and hope. IT j.
a cruel and a wicked war. But the blood is
upon the heads of our enemies who have
hardened their hearts and will not let u 70 In
peace He who holds all nations in the hollow
of his hand has said, Vengeance is mine. |
will repay" Let US be trustful and patient.
awaiting his time:
| Let us be thankful also, for we have been
miracuously preserved. The battle has not
been 20 the strong. The earth turns again in
her orbit, and into her new cycle Though the
immensity Of space, bears yet upon her bosom
our newborn government-over-run in a Dor
| ton of its territory, but complete in all its
parts We retain President Cabinet.
Congress judicial officers, civil government
| ali the constituents of perfect nation The
wicked have not been allowed to prevail
against u.s. Unfriended and unknown, save
for purposes of evil and oppression, we are a
nation Millions have been da shed against MS
and our feet stand firm The finger Of Proyi
dence is there. We may see il dimly vet: bn,
if we reach forth with a true, honest and de-
yout spirit, we may touch Gods right hand
| in the darkness" Else why is it, that unac-
customed TO self support, without arms or
muniments of war, and stiivd by a blockaaa
rom all foreign aids, we have preserved our
vitality? Our children have not cried for
bread. Our armies have grown with each sue
ceeding year. The elements of power have
gathered around US. Host after host of in
yading enemies have been scattered and dis
persed, to give place to new hordes coming
again like the lOcusts of Egypt, TO ie scattered
in their turn. We have remained firm, com
pact and unsubdued. Our army to-day is no
less efficient than il has ever been. Has il
been wholly Of ourselves, think you, that our
hearts have been strengthened, our energies
aroused, our hands uph Id against the mighty
of the earth, And if, Of another and higher
power, is il that may be onquered, and fail
at last! Do not believe il, yo1 of little faith!
Let Us only bear ourselves worthily of our mis-
sion, and leave the rest to Him who rules the
destiny of nations.
Again the days increa G. The sun with each
diurnal revolution rides higher and more
proudly in the South. Th. ''time OF The sing
ing of birds draws nigh. May we not accept
the omen? May these not be allowed to pre-
figure to Us the increase Of our armies and re-
sources-the culminating glories of our Con-
feteracy rising higher and higher, until il be-
comes ;, as we know il will, '.ihe beauty and the
glory Of nations, and the advent of the soft
spring-time Of peace, after this dark winter Of
the war?
For our hope OF this, let US survey the whole
period from the beginning. This u the more
necessary now. a. we have just been suffering
from the depression which succeeds the inha-
ton of false and absurd rumors- We had
iatterel ourselves that had gained
much, that our disappointment takes in our
mind the hues Of positive loss We have thus
ina glued ourselves falling, when ia truth
have only not SCARED at all too fondly
hoped. Let forget that we ever allowed
ourselves 70 believe that Grants army M Chat
tanooCa had been routed and driven TO Nash
vile, that Burnside had been captured, and
that all East Tennessee was delivered 10 our
hands We have heretofore been obliged to
give up other dreams of Christopher Sly, such
a. phantom fleets and the like Of that, and
have gained much good sense and sounder
wisdom of action from the loss.
Three years have passed away since the Sc
cession Of South Carolina sealed the death war
rant of a Union which had forsaken its pur-
poses, and worthy 70 die. Ii was not sup
posed that the North would put forth it, power
to compel her and the other States Of the
South to "A forced submission. 1t is well that
il was not. The boldest heart might have
shrunk appalled, from the contest.
But her power lras put forth. Beginning
small at first, but rising with fierce and dew
ilish energy to the very desperation of mad
ness. 1t found us without government. with
out arms and with all our wealth collected ia
the cities Of the North. Without navy, and
without friend. Who woud have supposed
that we could have stood year without being
scattered and routed, with our capitals in the
hands of the enemy. We would not then, per-
haps. have expected 70 be conquered, but
might reasonably have feared that our govern
ment would be disorganized, and its aiberents
driven TO the Businesses Of the mountains and
swamps, there to maintain the war. The
world expected that. The enemy were conf
dent of much more. They expected 70 over
wnelm Us in three months.
But sitter three long years Of mortal war,
embttered by all the rancor of fanatical hate,
how do stand? Ii j. even stated in
the beginning. With perfect government,
powerful armies with all the heart Of our ter
ritories still in our hands, and with people
united and determined. We have met the
shocks and have not fallen. Save Tennessee,
they have only penetrated the borders of any
States which were in our hands at the begin
ming of the contest, and even hold those which
we never had. such A. Missouri and Kentucky,
by the most Uncertain tenure. Every town
must be garrisoned, or they slip from their
grasp. They only batter at our portals along
the coast, and make no progress into the inte-
rior. Our capital is safe, and our army holds
them at bay in the East and the Middle States,
- N