Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-07-27
GogcfelS aadtertiset,
From Mc Ca;edgo Tines.
. Disastrous Failure.

The long entertained notisn Of reducing
the Coniederates to submission by starvation
has latterly been most eiiectually exploded.
The evidence S people arriving from TIE
South, and of those vino have penetrated the
Confederacy during the operations OF the
present campaign, is unanimous to the elect
that plenty per7ades every department OF the
rebelious States.
1t has also been thou,ht BY many that with
financial ruin, would come the SUBMISSION VI
the States in rebellion. In reaching tnlS con
clusion, people were quiercd rather by their
hopes than their judgments; Tor IN arrlvingat
such result, they ignored all the teachings
of history. The arms OF France were veto
Sous against combined Europe at time
when her currency was worth only the two
hundrcdth part OF its nominal value; and, at
about the same time, % American colonies
were waging successful war against Great
Britain, with currency that ives practically
worthless So of the Confederacy. IT is
some time since the currency OF. the South
reached depreciation that approximates very
close to absolute worthlcssness. And yet the
rebel armies fight as well, are as well ied'
we'll clothed and we'll armed as in the days
when Confederate shinplasteT was worth its
foce in gold.
1t has also been thought that'tho constant
attrition Of the rebel armies through the pro-
cess of demorallzation from defeat and the
length of the conflict, and the apparent,
hopelessness of their cause, would be IN tue
end to so reduce them that their elective
force would become no longer available ior'1
successful defense. In addition to this it has
been believed by many that the uerciless
CONSUMPTION would soon exhaust the tghung
material of the South, so that, in alittlo while,
through sheer weakness, the rebellion would
be compelled to cease its efforts.
This idea, like all the others, has been
proved to have been false. The rebel armies
are no where denoralzed; on the contSpry,
they are everywhere unit in their resistance.
to the North, and, in addition, present at ey
erY point strength as numerically ereat,ln
spite of continued and enormous losses, as
that with Which they iare opposed us at any
tim. during the war.
Thus it will be seen that the three main
causes upon which the Administration or /
its adherents have rolled for assistance IN t"c
suppression of the rebellion, viz: starvation,
financial ruin, and demorat;ou, have all
failed to render the Union cause the slightest
assistance. With ample supplies, with arm.es
that are unit in their resistance. the South
opposes us every where to-day with Is much
determination and are net one rood nearTr the
sutiura.ion of the rebellion than we were
QUE year or two years ago. We have eaptur-
ed a lew forts and other stronghoids: but we
hcve not conquered the people we DO not
hold the country iser have we suppressed to
any extent the spirit oil the rebellion.
Ia saving these thnss, we do not wish to
saw that the rebellion cannot be put down: :
!.t. we do meaa 10 say t.at the parties now
s,lcmpti.g tbs task are utterly unable to
r!!!;;.yt. 50; they lave undertaken. They have
sps::. some .wo thousand million dollars; have
i.uiiged the nation into practical bankruptcy:
have had an arsaed force oi nearly or quite
two million men; have sacrificed q'iarter
million Of lives, and i:.capacitated an equal
numter Of men from their duties as citizens;
have demora;zed the whole conntry.--and
vet, DESPITE al these tremendous sacrifices,
have accomplished scarcely anything towards
,Le salingation OF the rebellion.