The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-12-08
Hopinx Against Rea' on.
From the Chic. - T

| The events WHICH are just now occurring
within aud around the confederacy may be
studied with some profit. We know but
little, comparatively, of Shermans move
meDts, but still sufficient has transpired to
convince us that his march. thus far, has
been anything but the unopposed move
nient that most people supposed it would
| be- General Grant said the confederaey
is shell, and that Sherman's march
would demonstrate it, 1t is she'll, but
quite different shell from the kind aliu-
ded to by the lieutenant general. 1t IS .
shell filled with deadly and explosive elc-
ments; in fact, about such q she'll as John
Morgan found when he moved through
southern Indiana and Ohio
1t is claimed that the south long since
placed her last able bodied man in the field ,
and that for some time she has been de-
pending upon the cradle and the grave
| IF so. whence come the militia that left
Hood when Atlanta was captured, and
whence come those hordes that are en-
ieavoring. fruitlessly perhaps, to stay the
progress of Sherman and hi. army of vet
erans2
At the very moment that Sherman is
struggling with the thousands that sur
round him, we find tn ut the regular militia
y strength Of the rebellion is nowhere
weakened Grant sends Gregg down the
Weldon railroad, who does not discover
any movement of Lees veterans towards
Georgia. On the contrary, he finds the
road strongly guarded, and is compelled to
fall back before superior force of the en-
envy. A pressure along the thirty miles Of
rebel works in front Of Richmond and Pc
tersburg reveals no weak spot indicating
a withdrawal Of rebel forces In the
Shenandoah valley, Sheridan, fearing that
Early nay be dctaching a portion of his
force to aid the attack against Sherman.
sends out strong reconnaissance, which
advances but little way, and is driven
back with ease. No weakness there
In Tennessee, we have powerful army
Of veterans under Thomas. one of the best
generals in our service; but this army in
less than fortnight Is steadily driven back
by the rebels for distance of nearly 20
miles, aud. notwithstanding their numer-
Gus and bloody repulses, they still are
pressing against the federal lines in front
If Nashville. In east Tennessee, GilIem
mas just been defeated by an overwhelm-
ing force under Breckenridge; while in
western Kentucky and Tennessee and nor
thern Mississippi, strong bands Of rebel
cavalry are roaming, eonscript;ng and
plundering at will In the trans Missis-
sippi department, Red river is being forti-
fed at every available point; while orr
possession of Arkansas is disputed by Ma
erudcr with force estimated at $4,000
men.
The differences proper to such facts do
not need mentioning, for they are patent
10 all. What We particularly desire by allu-
ding to them is to enable people to fairly
understand the magnitude of the task be-
fore them in the effort to subjugatc the
military power Of the south One car
understand why partisan journals, before
the presidential election, should persist
emily assert that the rebellion was about
crushed; but i; Is difficult to conceive why
they now should SO constantly rcitorate
the same thing to thci, dupes, unless it be
that their frequent repetition has led
themselves 10 be!ievc..thcir..own assertions
i is utterly childish for any man to de-
lude himself with the idea that the militia
ry. power of the rebellion is anywhere in
the vicinity Of exhaustion Everywhere
in their circumference the rebel states
confront us with equal OF super or forces,
while the attempt to demonstrate their
emptiness has only resulted in showing
fulness. 1t is the highest Of folly for in
telligent people to rely upon hope when
its antagonist is reason. The occurrences
Of the last fortnight have demonstrated
that the military power of the rebellion is
quite as strong, when compared to our
own, as at any period since April,
1861. That it will require many years TO
subdue the military power of a country so
vast as the south, We have always held,
and every day only more completely de-
monstrates the truthfulness Of this belief
The people should understand this, and
the sooner, the better for themselves and
the cause in which they are engaged.
hoy Love.