The Portland daily press., 1864-05-16

During the past three years the eyes of the
whole civilized world have been fastened upon
us. Our struggle for the life of our nation
and the perpetuity of our republican institu-
lions presents spectacle that astonishes the
world. Never before has the sun shone upon
such battles. and the end is not yet. Aristo-
Gratis of other nations look on and tremble,
while the democratic element OF all countries
is auickened and encouraged. We are not
fighting for osr country alone, nor for this
generation. but for all countries and for all
times. These terrible conflicts have a wider
range. and reach across the centuries. Every
drop of blood the soil Of Virginia has drank
up Is a redeemng drop, and its effects will be
felt through all coming time.
The aristocrats have no sympathy with bat
ties fought Tor Liberty, for Freedom, for HUI
manity. But we can assure them that all their
hopes of division Of this great country are
but as the spiders web. Oar armies of Free
men are still marching on" conquering and
TO conquer. The great Captain whom God
has appointed viii lead them to victory and
triumph over every foe. Our battles for the
last ten days have thrown the battles of the
old world quite into the shade. Such fighting
for SO many successive days the world has
seldom witnessed. The telegraph wires have
been constantly trembling with the news of
victory upon victory, which the public have
devoured as fast as the lightning could bring
1t. Soon the monarchs of Europe will hear
the sound Our readers have kept themselves
well posted up with the details which the tel
egraph has furnished, and they can judge, as
well as we can, what the final results will be.
We have great confidence in Gen. Grant
and his army. He is not vain man, who
thinks more of his own glory than he does Of
the salvation of his country. That he has
fought and won several battles we have no
reason to doubt. We believe Lees army is
terribly cut up and demoralized. Grant will
give him no rest, for he Is determined to fight
1t out son this line" Many thousands OF
prisoners have already been taken and many
guns captured, which Lee cannot afford to
lose at this juncture of affairs. From the best
and most reliable accounts the telegraph has
sent US we infer that Lees army is In de-
moralized condition. The inference is a rea-
sonable one. The army that is constantly
whipped and compelled to retreat from several
battle-ields in rapid succession is in a bad
condition to fight, and its courage must ooze
out, Its ranks become disorganized, and its
strength degenerate into weakness more and
more at every successive defeat.
he Iao 4I,ox
Lee as retreating towards GordonsvilIe. And
1t would seem from this fact that Richmond is
not his objective point; for, If he intended to
defend the Capital Of the Confederacy, he
would take the nearest and most direct route,
and leave Gordonsville far TO bis right.
II he has found Gran! and his brave boys
more than a match for him, as we firmly be-
lieye he has, he will not coop himself up in
Richmond, but seek wider field for his OPP
erations, where he could not be SO easily
starved into a surrender, as he might be at the
Headquarters Of Traitors. Lee is not desti-
tute of military tact and talent, and if he
should fall back on Richmond he might fear
that he would not be able 10 fight another
day. What there is left of his army he Is more
anxious to save than to protect Richmond.
He rather save his army and lose Richmond
than attempt TO save that city and lose his
army In fact, in such an attempt, he would
be quite sure not to keep the possession Of
either. We may be mistaken, but our belief
is, he will not fall back on Richmond. He will
seek place of greater safety, il that can be
found, In any one of the Gulf States.
1t may be that good Providence is so or
dering our affairs that Gen. Butler is the APP
pointed one to take the rebel Capital and put
it into decent trim. II such be the win of
Heaven, our loyal people would not only
cheerfully bow to that will, but loudly rejoice
in their obedience, however much the copper
heads might groan and tear,,out their hair.
In the present state of affairs we are in
clined to the opinion that Lee would not deem
the loss OF Richmond SO great a disaster to the
rebel cause as the loss Of Atlanta, Ga. Our
Western army seems to be moving towards
that important centre of the Confederacy.
Our forces are now at Dalton, which is distant
some seventy miles from Atlanta, and no
doubt Lee turns his eyes anxiously in that d.
rection. We indulge the hope that this adroit
General will not escape the power of Grant
and his army. If Lee should escape and seek
other fields nearer the centre of the traitor
States, 1t might, and probably would, prolong
the war, and he might live to fight another
day.
Surveying the whole ground, and looking
at the present aspects of this war, waged for
human bondage, we are strongly inclined to
the opinion that 1t is on its last legs. Break
up aud destroy the military power OF the Con-
federacy, and curses deep and strong upon
JEFF Davis & Co. would be uttered all over the
South by lips now sealed up by fear of inn
prisonment and death. "Long lice Robis-
pierrei was once the cry of Frenehmen, when
that tyrant had power. but when he lost it the
same lips called down curses upon hin. So
twill be with JEFF Davis. May God speed
the day.
General Conference OF nj. f. Church.
n H. At . a 4