Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1864-02-09

3UGSDAn ENhNiNWssss....... FEB, ., 1905
0nssr ns1ley. -
TA~ osssas Of The ADMINISTRATORS just
BOW presents q queer medley for the
SyGdy o. the people, and he who seeks IN
the columns of the leading Republican
,edsssls . satisfactory diagnosis Of "the
will find himself sadly puzzled
f6 know what to make OF It. Ever since
Mr.. Lincoln issued bis amnesty Procla
nation, two months ago, their columns
have been freighted with assurances that
the rebellion was going to pieces that
the rebel soldiers were DESERVING by
scores, and coming within our lines to
take the oath and receive full pardon il
that the rebel leaders were thunder
struck, and quailed under the effect Of the
Presidential edct in short, TO quote q
leading article ofthe New York Tribune
last week
To-day the rebellion uisibiy totters
70 ito fall. 1t has no longer credit at
home or abroad; ito currency lies in
RUNE aud nobody wants to sell any
thiog to its Government for aught
whsrswith it Can pay. It's armies are
gaunt with famine; its horses are dying
from lack Of forage; its soldiers are 10
serting 81 every opportunity; ADD While
its conscrlption is omni-pressnt, all-em-
bracibg, mcrciless, it's forces rather di-
mioish than increase while misery,
disgust despair, dsrken the entire region
cursed by it's sway. The leaders rigidly
supprsss President Lincoln's Proclama-
ton Of Amnesty, aud protest against its
circulation by our soldiers among their
pickets in our front.
This, certainly, is most gloomy pic-
ture for the rebels TO contemplate, with
. ALLOWING. not TO say gaudy reverse for
~. But when we come to take up the
Times the exultan satisfaction inspired
ia turned into grief by the discovery that
it 10 simply "dissoving view" The
scenes are shifted, and, presto, the
Times gives:
We may be sure that the military on.
CITATIONS that will mark the spring cam
paign in the West are destinued TO as
sumo character of vastaess and inten-
sity that wi outstrip all zoe haze yet
seen. Gen. Grant has great task before
him, and ce consider IL our duty to the
country and the Government TO put on
record our convict,on that he has an in
sufficient force NTH phich to perform
his task. 1t should be doubted this
winter, and il it is not materially increas.
cd, we may as well contemplate the
possibility, at least, Of our being com.
PEELED to ive up even the region zoe nop
hold. And VIC say further that, looking
at the military situation IN its ensemble.
considering the formidable strength of
the armies which the rebels are still alb 9
to keep on foot, and the desperate efforts
they are now making 10 recruit them :
yet hold and the fair chances OF the i'm
portant, oven though temporary. sue.
cesses which bold action may give
them, TIE country has no ground Tor
frivolous di.usions, but rather the most
powsrful incentive TO energetic action.
And the Albany journal chimes in
with:
A WORD OF CAUTION.
There ia one danger VIC cannot too
cosely guard against; overestimating
the weakness Of the enemy. They arc
undoubtedly IN a bad way bnt not quite
so bad As the newspaper optimists would
have u believe. They are terribly bruis-
ed; but they have still strength enough
to hurt. They have vast armies in the
field; they are building navies, both at
home and abroad; they are conscripting
young and old, and forcing them into
the field; they are making high bids for
foreign alliances and foreign support.
They have no intention of giving mp. On
the contrary, they are mistaken iu the
purpose to wage the war to the knife.
They scorntully reject every hint and
prefer OF compromise; they demand
"Cssar or nothing"
.-s~SS WV ottVW Vuto0iVSo 10 mug
the delusion that the war is practically
ended, or we shall come to grief. We
ore stil! 10 the midst OF the conflict.
more hard work must be done-more
hard blows must be dealt. The monster
reels and stsggers under the murdurous
shock; but he has still the strength Of \
giant, His very wounds make him dan
gerous. Let us beware lest in the par
oxysm OF bis rage and pain he deals a. a
blow that will shatter our hopes into
fragments.
So blow these Republican teacher,
and formers OF Republican opiniou-not
and cold. One day the rebellion !. unoc
Ito Iast legs; and the next il "has st;ll
the strength of giant" Thev are nov
with oil the experience of three years Of
war upon them, the same fck,e
srrat'c weathercooks that they have
been throughout tho struggle.
Tomorrow, perhaps, they will change
placss, and We shall have the Time. and
Journal eoqueDtly portrayiug the rebel.
lion in its tambling fall under the blows.
coming down with rail splitting force. Of
ne President'. last proclamstiop. while
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