Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-30
DAILY LEADER
FRTna7. DECE1REs 30.


rho New Era in tlle War.
Events have o1lminsted 50 rapidly for
the last few months that the nation is al |
ready on the border Of new and very i'm
portant era in The progress Of the wsr.
There are indications not only of a change |
in its geographical position, but in its poll
teal and foreign relations. Practically sll
srmed resistance Of any consequence lies
between the Savannah on the South and
the James on the. North, and stretching
along the sea coast But one army, well
organized and powerful, yet remains to
the rebels. The rash experiments Of Price
and Hood have destroyed all effective re-
sistance in the West ana Southwest and it
is hardly possible that they will be able to
reorgsnizs sgsin, with any great power,
during the coming yeaE While this Is
true Of the rebels We have fonr armies
yet in existence besides de .achcd forces
ft for fifth.
The geographical limits Of the war are
to be chsnged, therefore, to the seaboard
States. The prize to be contended for
and fought against, is the army of Lee
now held IN Richmond by the power of
Grant. We may confidently look fJl the
fall of numerous places, such as Charles
ton, Augusta, Branchville and Whining
ton, but the people must not be misled
into the ides that the fall of these cities is
to end the rebellion. So long as the army
which nov sustains Lee and Davis in
lsond, is unbroken Or undestroyed,
so long will the rebellion have an organic
ed existance; SO long will the day of en-
tire peace be put farther off than the peo-
pie desire It to be. The present financial
management Of the rebels is such, that
they dispense, almost entirely with the
use of money. By IFS system Of titles the
rebel authorities obtain about all that is
absolutely essential to keeping their army
together The grest militory problem,
however, 50 far as We can now see, is TO be
worked out in the three States Virginia,
North and South Caroline, What may
be done within this limit, during the
coming three months is 3 subiec! for both
study and speculation. We cannot doubt,
however. that with Sherman on the South
and Grant on the North, and such &C ces-
sions os may come from the West, and
the large naval forcs on the cOast penetrst-
ing up every river and inlet and bay, that
the rebel armies will be speedily crushed
between the upper and neither mil-stOnes
of war.
But it's not only in tho geographical
bearings of the war, that new era has
dawned. There is evidence that the
negro, instead of being disposed of is to
come into more prominent notice than
ever, both in the North and South. Gen.
Lee Is lawto the rebel Congress. Gen. Lee
has signiaed his desire to have the slaves
armed and has said that both freedom and
home for himself and family, are the re-
wards that will be offered. Whether the
experiment will result in adding to the
rebel strength, is doubtful, but yet it is to
be regarded as 8 serious matter when such
men as Gen. Lee insist on its being made.
It will at least be the beginning Of new
phase of war, when blacks shall be array
ed against blacks. But not alone in the
ment. the North, in the question of re-
constructing the seeded States, he is 10 be
the bone of contention for months tc
come. Whether he is to be q chattel, 8
serf a freedman but without citizenship
or full grown citizen with all the privi
leges and responsibilities of voter, are
the problems to engage the public mind
The problem Of his emancipation must bt
completed now, or it must lsnguish through
years and years of the stupor and indit
ference and devotion to material thingi
which viii follow the declaration of Peace
At no time, therefore, since the beginning
of the war, has the irTepressible negro beer
So irrepre.sible as he will be in the ques
ton of reconstruction soon to be brough
before the attention of Congress.
There are also evidences of a now phas
of affairs in the proposition made by tn
London Times, heretofore uEfaVorable f
Englands attempting to open negotiation
with the North and South with view T.
peace, to attempt what, it declares, mus
finally take place. The London Times
regarded as the exponent Of that aristo
cratic and commercial interest in England
which has been inimieal to the North ans
which seeks for the overthrow of tn
Union. The Times was vehemently oP
posed to the project when Napoleon sug
gestea it two years ago. but now it advo
Gates 1t. It may be that foreign informed
ding will be s7erted entirely, but still "
should not underrate any dangers ikel
to occur. In al these respects, therefor
is the nation passing in new ers-to b
fraught with much veal or woe to tn
country. The moral d physical powe
of the nation are to be put to 8 sever
test and whether the nation shall com
forth proudly from the struggle, with in
perishable lustre shed upon her name, wi
depend vastly upon the seHsacrifee, pat
riotism, courage, and devotion to principl
We shall exhibit during the coming yea
The new era is at hand, the past is buried
To-day we must act like men.
Credits on che Last Draft.
Its very common inquiry among th
people whether credits will be allowed O