The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-01-02
EMPORIA, KANSAS.


briefly at the past, and look with prophetic
vision to the future. On looking about us
we find that cruel war is still going on in
the heart Of our country, and though thou
sands have gone to their last homes-the
grave-in the contest, and mourning hangs
like funereal pail over the whole land, and
there is little prospect of peace coming 10
our afflicted people and nation for q time
yet. Our condition as a nation compared
with that of twelve mouths ago is truly en-
couraging, both financially and in civil
point of view. The resources. of the nation
are being and have been developed, and we
are beginning to see what we can do and
carry on war at the same time. One
would suppose that having such war on
our hands, one on a grander scale than any
recorded in history, the interests Of agri-
culture would suffer, yet such has not been
the case; a wider territory has been cult
waited and a larger harvest garnered than in
previous years. The report of the Com
missioner of Agriculture shows the increase
of 1868 over that of 1862, in the following
articles: wheat q, O72, 739 bushels, oats
1887, III bushels, corn and hay falls a lit
tie short on account of drought in certain
corn-growing localities, tobacco 40. 655,3
pounds, wool 1881, O43 pounds. This
wonderful fact of history-a young repub-
lie carrying on a gigantic war on its own
territory and coasts, and at the same time
not only feeding itself and foreign nations.
but furnishing vast quantities of raw mate
rial for commerce and foreign nations,
proves that we are essentially an agricultu-
raj people, that three years of war have not
as yet seriously disturbed but rather in
creased the industrial pursuits, and that the
withdrawal of agricultural labor and the
loss Of life by disease and battle, have been
more than compensated by machinery and
maturing youth at home. and by the in
creased influx of immigration from abroad.
This, then is the condition in which we find
our agricultural interests nations only
hope-at the beginning of 1864. One year
ago the Mississippi was blockaded by rebel
cannon from New Orleans TO Memphis, but
little of Tennessee or Alabama were held by
Union troops, and the foothold gained in
other places was of little Importance. What
a contrast with the present! How now is
the Father of Waters, Sc long closed from
commerce and its beneficial results? Il has
been opened to the commerce of the world,
and that too by the strong arm of Union
soldiers, led by the heroic and noble Gene
raj Grant. Vicksburg, the citidel of trea-
son, the Sebastopol of the South, was the
first point to attract his attention. This
vanquished and the day is won for the Mis-
sissippi. Many plans, 10 doubt, entered
the mind of the General. He tries one, il
fails; another, it fails; third, and the rear
of Vicksburg is gained, a battle fought,
victory won, and the great western army
beleagures the doomed city, regular siege
is laid to it, in time the city falls, and with
it many bright hopes of Southern Indepen
dence. and Grant becomes the General of
the West. The victory of Vicksburg only
renders that of Port Hudson more certain
That city is already invested by the brave
Banks from below, the news from above
strikesterror to the rebel breasts, they sicks
en- and ingloriously surrender, and the Mis-
sissippi is opened and the rebellion hewed
In twain. Here is progress, here is advance
ment in the Union cause. During this
time what was going on in the East? how
about the boosted Army of the Potomac?
There is an endeavor made to get to Rich
mond, the bloody battle of Fredericksburg
is fought and lost; then long silence, with
such dispatches as these; "All quiet along
the 'front.'" 1.-THE Army of the Potomac IS
in the best of spirits and condition." then
Hooker tries to get to Richmond, and leads
the army into the hard fought field Of Chan
eeilorsville, only to defeat the enemy and
retire with the loss of twelve thousand men,
Soon Lee shifts the game and tries hit at
Washington through Pennsyh ania. He is
checkmated by Meade on the ''histOric
field'' of Gettysburg. and glory for once
crowns the Army of the Potomac; the foe
is defeated and retires with little molestation
to the south side of The Potomac, when it
takes its way back to Its old stamping
ground beyond the Rapidan, followed at a
safe distance by the victorious and spirited
Army of the Potomac. We cannot see
what the army in Virginia has done for the
country in the last year. 1t is composed OF
as good fighting material as any in the field,
and had it been farther from Washington