Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-05
The Tone of the English Press.

The fall of Richmond when told in Eng
land, had much the same effect as a sharp
blow on the stomach has on the human sys-
TEN. Those who speak through the press
could do little more a. first than 10 gasp TOR
breath. They have now recovered the pow
or Of speech, and the last arrivals-having
left England On tie Goth, stil before the
news Of Lees surrender-givc us their CON-
ments
The extracts below will sufficiently midi
cate their feelings on the subject. some Of
their papers fdget considerably At what was
said in New York by some ct our speakers
to The crowds who gathered TO re.oice at
the iall Of the capital city of the q lion.
Tie intim4rion that if France Or England
were uuxious for war with the United
States, perhaps they could be accommodated,
al little disqaieling effect on our Cousins
over the water. When they bear that the
rebel armies Of Lee and Johnston are sur
EEuAtItu. anu A4ldl AAif VIII - NNlolltltu
over, and that already our Government has
began the work Of largely reducing our ar
mle-, and is curtailing military expenditure
in all quarters, they will feel easier-at least
for the present. None The less, however,
will the English 4ristocracy ieel tina; th.
triumphant yindication Of the power Of free
principles ami the power Of tree nation is
very unfortunate TOR them IN the future Ecu
dalism will sleep ess quietly il all the pal
sces Of Europe becsuse OF this result.
From the London TINES, April III
The fret act of the American Wsr has closed
with a tremendous finale. For three days To-
gether the great Confederate General maintained
himself in fierce and even doubtful battle again.t
the combined forces Of ms sdyersaries, but at
last he succumbed TO numbers and resigned 10
the enemy the strongbolds which be has dsfen-
ded SO long. Richmond and Petersburg are IN
the hands Of the North, and though Lee, even
IN these desperate straits, has retired in good
order with the remnant Of his army, il is in
possible TO anticipate that his resistance can be
effectually prolonged.T The South retained but ore
great army, and that has now been half destroy
ed. The loss of Richmond might in itself have
been, perhaps, sustained. but, coupled with
the defeat of Lee, II represents a veritable cat
astrophe.
The event has been anticipated, not only in
America, but in this country, for some time
past, and yet It did not occur in conformity
With the prev alent specuations. Fsrragut had
no part III If. nor SheI man either. There was
a. -
tack by laud and water. II is due to Gen
Grant that his military abilities should be recog-
ni1ed and bis success acknowledged 1t was
his army in the end which captured Richmond
He did light il out on that line" a. he had
pledged himself to do, not only all though the
Summer, but though the Winter, and through
the following Spring. Often aud often Was he
repulsei with dreadful Losses, but be chung with
unconquerable tenacIiy 10 his work, and never
once relaxed the grip which be had obtained
He forced his adversary into Richmond, aud sat
down before ITS ramp4rts with the resolution,
which be has well maintained, that sooner or
later the city SD beould his
I Is true that he had the assistance Of Sheri-
dan, and that without that cooperation the final
assault would probably not have been atiemI ted
The hardest of the fighting, indeed, fell TO Sherl-
dams share, and he seems 70 have displayed
much of that genius which won him 20 remarks-
bic victory in the Shenandoah Valley. But
the whole work, Substantially, was the work Of
Grant, and il Was the work for which be had
waited in patience and confidence through
nearly II months Of encouragement. He was
the first General Of the North who refused to
recognize defeat, and the reward Of fortitude is
bis at last.
After paying, however, this tribute to the con-
queior. we are bound to give due honor to the
vanquished, aud the task will not be difficult
Gen. Lee has forfeited none of the renown which
gives him so distinguished place in the eyes of
the world All that q copsummate commander
could do under extreme difficulties he has vail
anily done. He did not decamp from bis posit on,
nor try to cut his way out; still less did he re-
sign, as was prognosticated, all hope Of resist
snce. He waited in his lines, received the great
assault with extraordinary intrepdty, and fought
TO the last. Then be withdrew deliberately from 1
the field, evacuating bis strongholds and carrying
of what remained of his srmy.
When President Davis declared that if Rich 1
mond were taken the war could be prolonged for 1
twenty years in Virginia alone, he was specula- /
ting. perhaps. on resources which five desperate I
campaigns may have fatally reduced. The Con-
federacy which for FIVE years has proved 90 IN
expectedly strong and resolute may now prove
poweress and responding In that
event the work Of the North will be easy; but If
we have now arrived at the end, not Of udr,
but Of the first stage of-a political reroiutioa,
the real troubles Of the -forth are but just BE-
ginning. A few more months viii disclose the
soers, and 1t would be useless to anticipate the
spectacle By conjecture or psedictios- We oan
oulv admire the hsroisn Of the conbAtautx,