The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-30

How they Like the Aspect Of Affairs.

d 30. ~ y go IL ID !. - ~ ~ p
New York, Dec. 2s.LOoncerning the
recent battle before Nashville, the Eeans-
ines. has the following 4" 1t appears from
telegraphic reports from Gov. Harris, of
Tennessee, that Gen. Hoods failure to
achieve complete victory at Franklin,
was attributed to his inability to use artil-
lery on account of the presence of the
women and children in the town, whilst
the enemy were pouring grape and can
mister into his line. The Confederate ar
tillerists were forced to be idle spectators
Of the carnage for fear Of killing non-com-
batants beyond the enemy's lines. Gen.
Hood, it is said, massed about one hun
dred pieces of artillery during the night to
open on the enemy at daylight, expecting
the removal of the Ron-combatants before
day, but whilst the massing was in pro-
gress the discounted Yankees stole off
towards Nashville, and so the cannon was
not used at all. 81.
The Examiner in the following signi-
6cant editorial, bewails the misfortunes of
Hood in Tennessee, and of the rebel ar
my generally: "The news from Tennessee
is bad. The situation is bad, but it is far
from being irredeemable. The army in
Tennessee has been terribly misused, and
has suffered awful injury, but it is not lost,
and may be restored to full efficiency by
the same hand which redeemed it after the
battle of Mississippi Bridge but to change
the fortunes of the country the Executive
and the Legislature must change their
character, and abandon the road to ruin
hitherto systematically pursued by both.
The opening of this campaign found our
best men in real command, and in the two
principal positions, Lee in Virginia, and
Johnston in Georgia. The military con-
dition of this country was never 80 pros
porous as it was at midsummer, for these
two men had 80 done their work, that it
was then morally certain that the last go.
preme effort of the enemy was going to
fail: and had it failed, it is possible
no doubt that this year would have
been the last year of tho war. The un-
expected and inoonsequent freak of the
executive, and the removal of Johnston,
permitted in silence by the country, has
produced fruits such as incOnsequent folly
and subservience never produced before.
Though great evils might have been and
were apprehended at the time, the results
have 80 much surpassed expectations that
they assumed the appearance of a judg-
ment. But let the past 60. The best
remedy for the present evil is simply to
stop the courses which caused them. Let
the executive cease to interfere with the
armies; send Johnston to the wreck of
hot vuyhsnh ho c,vvon1n~ol D. 4
in such magnificent condition; give him
carte blanche to do what he thinks proper
for its salvation and the defence of the
country, and guarantee that neither his
commission nor bis plans will be any more
meddled with. Give to Beauregard COM
plete direction of action on the coast
Give to Lee bis whole army, and full
power in Virginia, and prosperity will
return; good-fortune will again befall
the army of the South, and the great
dangers which menace the Confederacy
will vanish like the clouds of the last
rain. But if good sense, modesty and
justice will not actuate the Executive, let
Congress abdicate it's functions and public
opinion its rights. The nation will suffer
just punishment whenever they entrust
power to puny hands, puff up the conceit
and encourage the passions of the rulers
by fulsome flattery and by silent submits
sion. We have done so. The follies of
the government are manifest to all but if
any one pays their cost, proposes opposi-
ton, or even remonstrance, the amiable
majority cry "Hush! oh! hush! hush
We can't get rid of him, and he will do
this and all the more if he is opposed.
Don't say anything"
We must have concord and unanimity
and there must be no opposition to the
government. Therefore the only voice
which is heard at all is the voice of flat
terers, the voice of those who have neither
head nor heart, neither knowledge nor
principle. Hencethe Executive is encour-
aged to pursue bis fancies, and although
every military misfortune of this country
is palpsbly and confessedly due to the per-
sonal interference of Mr.. Davis, the Legis
lature continues at each session to be his
subservient tool, and furnish new incen-
tives to perversity, and new means of
mischief. It will not be sufficient for
the Executive to have lucid inter-
NoA' ouu COuUu0Iu
must change their attitude and adopt
more distinct and manly tone, and deal
with their own affairs with more resolu-
ton, and keep the executive in the path
of duty, and curb him with peremptory
resolution when he interferes with things
beyond his capacity. Great adversely has
fallen us, but the resources of the South
ern States are not broken. Their resources
are enormous, and in no sense is the
breach irreparable. Of all extreme
dangers there is not one which can.
not be successfully met, but its
greater danger is with folly bolstered with
the license of fattery to encourage folly.
No calamity which has happened is in it.
self ruinous; but what will ruin US is this,
that the government should 20 on to do,
and continue to do the identical acts
which have made calamity by the necessa-
ry sequence of cause and effect.
The more harmony and the more con-
cord and the more self-abnegation we
evince under such circumstances, the more
rapid is our progress to destruction. Let
US determine that the course of the ship
shall be altered. With that determine
ton will be found the means to compel
the change.