Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-02-06
Change of Rebel Views.

As we draw near the end of this, the third year
of the war is interesting to mark the impression
which the Government makes on the minds of the
rebels i,s compared with that under which they
began the war President Lincolns first procla.
nation calling for troops was read ut Montgomery,
then the rebel capital, amid bursts of laughter;
and it is well known that the civil qualifications of
the new Administration, Us well rs the fighting
capacity of the Northern people, were viewed
generally N the South with the utmost contempt.
There was % large section ut the North, also, who
believed that craftsmanship went out OF W ash
ington with the seeding Congressman, and who
particularly affected to be humliiIted IT the con
trast which they said was presented between such
a chief magistrate ~ Abraham Lincoln aad the
accomplished jefferson Davis.
But time and trial, in the case of the Puritans
in the great English contest, have changed all this.
We do not deny that the Southern leaders have
shown some striking qualities, but that they do
not rear like those eyucV on the Federal side. we
have ample testimony from the rebels themselves.
There is now not u syllable Of thc Did boastins
about one SOu;hcruer being match IL war for
four or tive NnrthrruCrs. On the contrary, the
leading object in the strategy of the rebels Is III.
ways to bring against superior numbers, and
unless they 10 Ii, az get into some strongly
fortified position, they invariably decline hshiiGE
With this revolution OF Southern notions comes
an enhanced respect for Northern men, Us is cri-
ltnrcd in the almost entire disappearance Of that
ridiculous and childish iaSn.rucr of conduct with
which the men, women and children of Outhcrn
cities were accustomed. in the early stages OF the
war. to greet che presence of our soldiers. Ms to
gencrllship. while the rebels have in Lee Il con
fr,Scdly able commander they have none that can
hgl,in To show such \ triumphant career us Gtn.
Grant
Time has been still less favorable to the rcbtl
clains Of superior craftsmanship uud civil SaEnci'
~ Their chief historian thus far plainly admits
that the rTisiS has not Developed SHglc Southern
statesman OF first rate caparity In the depart
m.ut of finance the record Of CARING incompetent
cy Is written in an enormously deprecated currcn-
CIV, starvation prices and acknowledged bankrupt
cv The leading rebel organs confess that Mr..
Memminger and Mr.. Hunter make IL wrctchcd hg-
ure compared with the mastery success which
has attended Mr.. ChaSe's management of the na-
tional finances. The results are equally decisive
in the field of diplomacy. The rebels began win
the most sanguine calculations of enlisting all
Europe in their favor and their first successes in
getting their belligerency acknowledged ana IN
turning England into q rebel ship-yard, were too
well calculated to sustain their boasts But since
then they have been steadily falling behind in the
estimate of foreign nations, until the position OF
the latter bids fair to be entirely acceptable
to the Federal Government. so plain has this be-
come TO the rebel perception, that Jet. DAVIS
dweilS the foreign aspect in his last message
in the most lrgubriouS terms, anu the Richmond
Hhig go far as TO advise "a judicious resort to
the almost inmitGbe system of Yankee diploma
cyl"
We refer TO this phase of progress, because it is
manifest that, whatever may be our material sue
cesses and advance over the area of rebellion,
it il the Impression which we make on the minds
of the Southern people that determines our real
success in overthrOwing the rebellion When
contempt gives way torespect, rs now appears to
be the case then hatred and hostility are in the
way Of yielding TO esteem and amity, and the
Union promises to be restored, indeed