Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-08
The state of teeiIng i'm the south
The Disposition Never To surrender
the CONTEST for sndepcndcnc-Wha hat
Southern Clergyman writes
From the Nashville Dispatch.

The following letter was recently received by
a gentleman in this State. lt comes from dis
tnguished clergyman OF Virginia, who was a
strenuous Union man" up To Lncoln's Procla-
nation Hing out $4,000 men TO coerce the
South. The writer is no politician. but earnestly
devoted TO his profession and the sentiments he
expresses are important and interesting as show
ins the present state o: public opinion in the
South:
| have just returned from visit TO our army
in Northern Virginia, where found wonderful
presence OF religious interest. and. am persuad-
Ell, of "A genuine work oil Gods Spirit In the
2d corps once the Iamented Jack sons. the corps
chaplain told me there were fifty sermons
preached every evening the weather permitted
to immense congregations usually, and amidst
melting seriousness. This great work is done
partly bv chaplans aud partly by missionaries
from the churches at home, who usually most
distinguished pastors. The reported conversions
counted by thousands, and have il from
the highest source that the discipline and stead-
ness OF the army are vastly improved since last
year. The tyrant viii fnd that these penitent,
believing. rejoicing soldiers, will be terrible ad
versareS To meet in battle. citing. : they are.
in the holy cause OF their country. their homes
and their affairs
| tn NIX the state of feeling among all of our
respect IDLE people is this, In June, the repul>e
before Charleston. the state OF Lees army. the
hope hat he would be able TO do something eff
iective in Pennsylvania or Maryland had
couraged the more Sanguine OF u to believe. and
all of Us 10 hope That the radical party OF the
United States would speedily become hopeless
and tired CT the war; and that the day IF peace
therefore beginning tn dawn The capture
of Ncksburg. the rcpulse at Gettysburg. the
persevering resumption OF the siege of Charleston.
have convinced Us that this hope dashed;
that is. that an early peace cannot be
pected and that must return To those expec
tatons which we had entertained previously, dur
ing all of 1862 Those expectations were. that
the population and resources of the United States
beng 50 much greater, We should have To win
our way to independence by long and suffering
defensive warfare. patient endurance and hard
fighting under disadvantages The events of the
early summer of 1863 had encouraged US to it,-
ter ourselves with more happy aui speedy sue
cess Ii was painful and bitter give up the
/ fIttering hope and return 10 embaTce the old
prospect of the long continuance of trials. and
that prospect daTkened still more The feelings
of all OF Us were dashed by this and of some. dis
conraged for time But the people nervng
+ themselves again to their tlsk hey feel that
after The fall of New O, lens ihey had all made
up their minds to the necessity OF a stubborn, pa
tient, determined. defensive war. with al its 81 =
/ ierngs; that this spirit bore them through lS62,
and laid the foundation for splendid partial til
umphs; that they must recur 10 il again. reuq-
/ uI>hIng this more pleasing hope OF speedy peace
! through happy offensive operations; and that this
/ spirit will bear them through the remainder OF
/ lc03 add 1864 ~ il did through 1862 aud win
the prize in the end All sensible men feel that
submission il impossible; that the intensely wick
! cd aud malignant spirit harbOrcd by the Black
Republican party, and more aud more manifested
i leaves them NJ alter native whatever but To fight
+ IL out to the bitter emf Lincoln eiectually cures
all ~eak-kneed "Reconstructionisis ami Su0mis-
siOnists ol their Temporary fits OF desDOndeLcy
+ by his sen.e.ess and devi.ish barbarities. The
( Confederate Government would have good lie al
10 lear from a United States Administration that
would adopt truly mignanimous policy; waive
+ the insulting nonsense about oar beng rebel"
ant TRAITORS recognize The lact That we we're
ltcemen uuder Constitution. II ehtng Tor rights
really endangered; offer some sensible guarantee
1T those rights for the future, renauish the
monstr, " proposal Tor confscaton aud offer a
general amnesty
But the security of our leaders IS in the mad
ness aud wick e,incss of the Washington Govern
ment They'are too much possessed OF the devil
10 tempt any 81 our faint. hearted ones With such
+ hopes. they shut hem up 10 the alternative OF
fighting the end. or else accepting loss OF
rights, property and honor, tina; even dog would
spafn the latter. We thank them for il; they
recruit our armies perQe,Gsily from the oppressed
districts. The Inore they invade. persecnte AMI
IakA-t. TIE more lnilf->tlt lo oAt ,eia4cI-
submission 10 be 1t the United States choose 10
continue this war they may crowd u down. pos
sbly. good deal by superior numbers: 5us the
Issue viii be yrsc sels ike the var OF ls16 Our
people. think. have he, er doubted the justice
OF fuaiority oi the Democratic party OF the
F.. North We have gwen them credit for a
willingness 10 accord our rights But We
regard the course Of the bulk Of that party as
suicidal. and. IN one point of view, more IN
consistent and wicked dian tlat OF the Feler-
alisls and Back Republicans Had the North
ern Democracy saii AZ the beginning, These
Southern States may De misguided 10 the ex-
tent their rights ate Threatened bus our Consli-
tuition makes them the Judges not u.s. OF that.
and of their deruier remedy; aud II they choose
to 60. We cannot rghteously keep them by
farce: bad they only risen ina their strength. aud
while condenning perhaps the South. still said:
there shall he no coer-ion. irgns. North