Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-12-07
The Prospects Ahead.

United States, and peering into the vista
OF tuturity SO far as we can, either North
or South, East or West, we do not see
one single ray of the glorious beams OF
peace breaking through in any quarter
Everything portends long, dark, cruel,
and bloody war A war that must exist
until the South is e1terminated, and the
North annililated. Sherman's success can
amount to nothing more than reaching the
board, and saving his army if he can
do that. And this we consi der bril-
liant exploit if he can do it under the cir
cumstances. But it has no other result
in crushing the rebellion, more than des-
troying some of their private property as
he passed through. He may destroy their
Railroads and burn their crops and private
dwellings, and lay the country waste as
he passes through, but he must leave the
country IN their possession, and resolute
people can in short time repair the one
and produce the other, and leave matters
pretty much as they wers when he started.
Nor does the prospect in Tennessee seem
much more fiattering, our troops at last
accounts were in Nashville, and on the
defensive; but whether victorious or re-
pulsed, it makes little difference to the
termination of the war We may look
for victories and repulses, they amount to
! nothing. So long as two armies are con-
tending against each other, composed of
such men as they are, we may look for
victory or a repulse according to numbers
and advantage. But that will not end
the war. At present appearances this
war as it seems to be cartied on on both
sides, may last for thirty years. Except
the hand of Providence interferes, or some
unforeseen event occurs, we see nothing to
prevent. Let US take view of the pro-
gramme Of the North, and the programme
OF the South, and see at what time it could
end. The North says no compromise
with traitors with arms in their hands, let
them lay down their arms, abolish slavery
and submit, and we will receive them into
the Union under new Constitution which
we will make for them, if not we will ex-
terminate them, and give their land to our
soldiers and the negroes. These are the
alternatives offered to the South by the
North, and they will ncvor be accepted
The South says on their side, we want to
govern ourselves in our own way. we
want no masters, we would sooner die
than lose the privilege Of governing our
selves. We have fought those enemies 10
our country and race successfully for four
years, and their army is now in n worse
condition than ours, our mel are willing
to fight for their country, their property,
and their lives, and fight on until the in
vader Is driven from the soil, whereas.
their men must be dragged into the army
under file of soldiers, and in chains. ex-
cept those who are on the look out for
plunder. 1t is our province to fight these
vandals while we live, and after our death
leave it as a legacy to our children to fight
them. And if we were reduced to the
condition TO seek for masters. we would
seek for one of more magnanimity than
the Yankee. But our condition is getting
better, and theirs is getting worse, and
they may fight as long as they please, we
will meet them at all points. There was
time when compromise might have
been made, and many of our people would
have preferred the old Union, but that
time is gone, and forever
Under these circumstances we see no
chance for speedy termination of this
war, indeed, it may last out the present
generation. Over a million and a half of
The Northern people protested against this
programme of the war by their votes, but
their voice was drowned by the money |
and power OF the government 1t is there
fore their duty to submit, and let MIR. |
Lincoln carry the matter out according to |
his own plan. Wherever there is a large
standing army to vote, 1t is a pretty sure |
thing that their COMMANDMENTS Chief will |
get the majority of them. We might as
well expect that the French soldiers would |
vote against Louis Napoleon, or the Mexi-
can soldiers against Maximilian. as the
American soldiers to vote against Abra-