The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-07
rha State Of Polling IN qeorgia.

o~N@~ L
wrested from them, if they believed the req,
eral forces were bent on the destruc'ion VI |
their liberties, and that they would oe sup]u-
gated and enslaved unless they rose en- mdsSe,
and confronted the invading enemy, we are at
a loss to account for the feeble resistance they
made to the Union army.
The leaders of the rebellion exercised all
their wit and power TO rouse the Georgians up
t, the fighting point. They urged the people
to "come in squads or come singly-to bring
such weapons as they could find-to rise to
man in the invaders path-to bushwhack
without mercy" Their Governor made most
earnest appeals, and cudgeled his brains for
the most exciting phrases in the English lam
guage, but all to no purpose. majority OF
the people remained at home engaged in
their ordinary work, and all such infamed
and earnest appeals seemed to fall upon very
dull ears, while Sherman was pursuing the
even tenor of his way.
The orders of the leaders to destroy prop
erty. the calls upon the negroes to harrass
the enemy's rear, to fell trees, tear up bridg-
es and impede Sherman;s march-all were APP
parently unheeded. For the general apathy
Of the Georgians, under such trying circum-
stances, and under such flaming appeals, we
have space for only two reasons. First.-It
proves to us that there is a strong Union feel
| ing in the masses which Sherman's invasion
and march tended to encourage and foster.
| We have no doubt but thousands and thou
sands OF people secretly wished and prayed
for Sherman's success and triumph, and no APP
peals from the leaders Of the rebellion, how
ever earnest and pathetic, could move them
to resistance Oh counterfeit those wishes and
prayers in the hearts Of the people. Say
what you WILL it is no easy task to extinguish
the fires of true patriotism that has been
burning so many years in the hearts of a
people. & sss
Second.--If there are any among us who
do not have so much faith in the first reason
as we have, we will give them the second one
which may be more satisfactory. This extra
ordinary Indifference on the part Of the Geor-
gians, while Sherman was marching his army
through their State, proves that the people be
gin to clearly see the waning power of the re
bellion and the utter folly and recklessness o
any further resistance to the United States
Government. 1t is quite possible that such 9
view of the present state of the rebellion
might have Influenced many Of the people
and induced them to remain at home and offel
no more resistance to Government which
has made them happy and prosperous in day
gone by.
That the power of the leaders of the rebel
lion is fast going under, there can be no doubl
in any thinking, intelligent mind. There Is
abundant and cheering evidence of the fact
and in view of it, we hail the opening Of the
new year with feelings of joy, and trust ant
believe that ere it closes, the rainbow of peace
will be again set in,the clouds by kind Pro
violence.
Since the above was written we have re-
ceived news of citizens meeting in Savan
nah, which is very important movement ant
shows still further how the public pulse il
beating in Georgia, and strengthens our frs
position. This meeting was called by the
Mayor, and large number of influential citi
zens met at Masonic Hall, where six resolu
lions, all breathing the right spirit, were adopt
ed. Under all the circumstances, this meet
gPas Fe%sgIRhbhlec 9sggSti%eahE n the Sontt
would be, if the rebel military power were
broken, as broken it must be ere many moonl
shall wax and wane.
In the preamble to these resolutions they
expressly say that "by the fortunes of wal
and the surrender OF the city by the civil au
thorities, Savannah passes at once under the
authority of the United States" In the first
resolution they ACCEPT the position, and in the
language of the President of the United
States, seek to have "peace by laying down
our arms and submitting to the national au-
thority under the constitution, leaving all
questions which remain to be adjusted by the
peaceful means of legislation, conference and
votes.n s1ssHe
In the second resolution they lay aside all
differences and bury by-gones in the grave OF
the past, doing all they can to bring back the
prosperity and commerce they once enjoy ed
under the old Flag of the Union They do
not place themselves in the position of con-
quered city, but claim the immunities and
privileges contained in the proclamation and
message Of the President and in the legisla-
ton of Congress in reference to such matters.
In the fourth resolution they respectfully
request the Governor of Georgia to call a
convention and give the people an opportuni-
ty Of voting on the question whether they wish
the war between the two sections of the coun-
try to continue. This is right, and sure we
are that the people, If unrestrained by militia
Empower, will vote for peace and a return to
to the Union.