Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-21

date, for the New York Times, is out in last
Fridays issue with quite along, able and
in some respects, curious article. He de-
votes one part of his resume to the ration
ale of the recent elections, showing what
they indicate, not only to ourselves in the
loyal States and to the world beyond the
sea, but to the rebels themselves His re-
marks on this head are very interesting,
and we accordingly reproduce them below
and ask the attention of our readers to
their careful perusal:
THE RELATIONS OF NORTHERN SENTIMENT AND
SOUTHERN HOPES.
In the contemplation of the outward eye,
the rebellion to-day remains just where it
was a month ago: the status is seemingly
unchanged; the insurgents still show
bold offensive front; the Confederacy is
still as Davis prOcIsims it, "erect and
defiant" Yet to the eye of the mind, and
in the estimate of the deeper forces at
work, has no change passed over the
situation? Surely he would be but a
superficial observer that would say nay.
Consider for q moment what is war.
War is an antithesis of material and
moral forces, each with each. This an
tRgonism proceeds for certain indetermi-
nate period, more or less prolonged, &C.
cording to the resources and energies of
the combatants. But there comes at length
a time when the con test is seen by the one
side or the other to be hopeless; and the
party which first realizes this, yields
Civil wars and rebellions form no excep-
ton to this rule; for history demonstrates
that nine out of every ten rebelliOns have
failed. Now, the degree of hopefulness or
hopelessness in the issue of any contest, is
brought home to each belligerent by the
estimate of the results of the war, and of
the resources and spirit exhibited by his
antagonist. The condition of the temper
of the enemy must, therefore, always be
the foremost object of interest; for wars
are not decided by the extinction of popu-
lations, but by the achievement of results
which shake the mind of the antagonist,
and make him willing to succumb. So
profoundly true is that maxim of Napoleon,
that in war "the moral is three parts, the
physical but one."
1t is very certain that jeff Davis and his
Confederates have, throughout the war,
watched with an intense interest and s0r
Iicitude the mood of mind of the people of
the loyal States. They have been buoyed
up or depressed according to its varied
manifestations. Indeed it would not be
too much to say that they have, through
out, based their expectations of success
mainly on the discussions of the North.
The Democratic reaction of 1852 gave the
rebellion two years lease of life, and, by
holding out the prospect of triumph of
the Northern submissionists, inspired q
continual stay and susteuauce to the rebel
hopes. Indeed, SO closely did they sssim
| ilate their own prospects with the triumph
of the Opposition, that they actually en-
tered as a party into the contest. A month
or more before the Presidential election
we saw the rebel leaders initiate cam
paign designed simply as a reinforcement to
The strength Of the Chicago candidate So
saw the rebels, at the very time
when their exhausted condition, in
men and material ought to have
prompted the greatest prudence, sud
/ denly abandon their consistent mill
tary policy of acting on the defensive, and
lavish their stinted resources in q reckless
initiative along the whole line. Nor were
we left in any doubt as to the motive that
prompted this course of action. On this
point we are fully advised, not only by the
statements of the Southern press, but by
the frank avoval of the highest secession
ist authority. Just about the time when
Il buO A0b0A aAGALSo h0L0 Al hUJlOu1 JGus
Davis, In speech delivered at Augusta,
openly proclaimed that they must "help
the peace party at the North to elect their
candidate" The same frankness was dis
played by the Richmond press. Said the
Enquirer day or two after the Peusyl-
vania election:
"Hvents must take place between now and
the Presidential election which will greatly
affect the result. Pennsylvania may have
| gone for the Republicans on last Tuesday bv
an overwhelming majority, and vets disas-
ter to the Federal armies in Georgia and
| Virginia, would change the aspect ofaffairs
in the United States SO completely as to
utterly defeat Lincoln.
Should the present situa-
tion in Georgia become more critical, and
greater disasters befall Shermsn than those
reported already in Richmond; should
Sheridan be withdrawn from the Valley by
the necessities of Grant; should Grant as
sault and be repulsed at Riohmond-Rny
aud ell of these disasters are possible-the
result of the Presidential election would
place Mcclellan in the White House."
Now, what the reelection of Mr.. Lin
coin has demonstrated to the rebels is,
that the North is irreversi6ly committed to the
tOGr. 1t has swept away the last vestige
Of hope of breaking down or backing out
on our part. This conviction, the effect of
which already appears in the tone of the
Southern press, Notwithstanding the crafty
stimulation of satisfaction by some of them,
will be driven home and clinched by the
present attitude of the some. time OPPOSE
ton party. The rebels have been admon.
ished that if they succeed in their design |
of breaking up the Union, It will be by |
nHArComin0 Tha amnhat,calIv ayorassa5 i