Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-12-29
A Flaming Rebel EDITORIAL.

From the Richmond tva) Dnily Examiner Dec al
The news from Tennessee is bad The
situation is bad; but it is far from being
irremediablo. The army in Tennessee has
been terribly misused, and has suffered awful
injury but it is not lost, aud may be
restored to full efficiency by the same hand
which redeemed it after Missionary Ridge.
But to change the fortune of the country,
the Executive and the Legislature must
change their character, and abandon the |
road to ruin hitherto Systematically pursued |
by both.
The opening of this campaign found our
two best men in real command, and in the
! two principal positions-Lee iu Virginia,
Johnston in Georgia. The military condi-
ton of this country was never so prosperous
as it was at midsummer for these two men
had so done their work that it was then
morally certain that the last supreme effort
of the enemy was going to fail, and had it
failed it is impossible to doubt that this year
would have been the last of the war. The
unexpected and inconsequent freak OF the
Executive and the removal of Johnston,
permitted in silence by the country, has
produced fruits such as inconscquent folly
and subserviency ever produced before
Although great evils might have been and
were apprehended at the time, the results
have SO much surpassed expectations that
they assumed the appearance Of a Judgment.
But let the past CO. The best remedy for
present evil is simply to stop the causes
which have caused them.
Let the Executive cease to Interfere with
. the armies; send Johnston to the wreck of
that army which he surrendered to Hood in
such magnificent condition; give him car.
blanche to do what he thinks proper for its
,, salvation, and for the defense ofthe country
! aud guarantee that neither his commission
: nor his plans will he any more meddled with;
, give to Beauregard complete discretion ot
! action on the coast leave to Lee his whole
. army and full powers in Virginia-anC
= prosperity will return, good fortune will
: again befall the Army Of the South, and tn,
, great dangers which now menace the Con
: federacy will vanish like the clouds of the las
! rain. But good sense, modesty and justice
- =, will never actuate the Executive while
:. Congress abdicates its functions and puhli
y opinion its rights. Nations will suffer jus
: punishment whenever they entrust power t.
q puny hands, puff up the ccnceit an,
- encourage the passions OF their rulers b
II fulsomc fattery or silent submission. W
u" have done So
: The follies Of he Government are mani
= fest to all, but if any one who pays their cost
=, proposes.opposi.ion, or even II remonstrance
:, :, the amis ole majority cry Hush oh, hush
>, hush! We cannot get rid Of him, and b
a a will do thus and so all tho more if he
), ~ opposed. Don't say anything. We nus
j. have concord-unanimity--a and there mus
i be no opposition to Government-theref
10 the only voice which is heard at all, is tn
~ voice Of flatterers-the voice of those VIII
~ have nait,r " head nor heart, neither know
= ledge or principle. Hence the Executive
4 encouraged to pursue its fancies; an
Io although every military misfortune OF th
~ - country is palpably and coniessedy due
~ the personal interference Of MIR. Davis, Il
~, Legislature continues at each session to
- his subservient tool and to furnish new
to centives TO preversity, new means OF nj
w w chief.
nc 1t wllno be sufficient for the Executi
,a' to have lucid intervals. Congress and 4
,nnii Sothern public must change their attitud
w. W. adopt more distinct and manly tone, dc
e., with their own affairs with more resolutio
Wy keep the Executive in the path Of duty, al
IaS curb it with peremptory hand whenitint,
-" feres with things bevond its capacity.
.ni Great adversely has fallen upon us; but t
uu POWER of the Southern States is not broke
y" their resources are enormous; and on no 81
IN IN is the breach rreparable OF all extern
,p'' danger, there is not one which cannot
'P successfully met. But a greater danger
nus within-folly, vested with license and Aatte
-. to.encouragc folly. No calamity which 1
M Mn'' happened is in itself ruinous; but what "
eear ruin us is this-that the Government sho,
ms 20 on to do, and continue to do, the idonti
eaI acts which have made calamity by t
'na r necessary sequence Of cause and OBJECT.
I vi Tho more harmony and take more concoI
'nu aud the more self abnc9ation, we do evil
'Wet' W under such circumstances, the more rapic
re- our progress to destruction,
ing Sh;~ sb ali be aitared. with TINT detcrmi
est F;,,i = f,,y ~ means % oom,al ,
iuSS change.