The New York herald., 1865-04-11

point of the correspondence through dlpio-
matte 1ank movement On the 9th he wrote 10
Lee that as he had NO authority to treat upon
the subject Of peacs, ''the mseting proposed
could lead to no goodv but chat the way to
hasten the peace which the North desired was
for-the South to lay down their arms Thus
brought back to the main question, Lee again
asked for terms. Grant immediately a1aaged
for an, interview with tks rebel general. The
intsrview took place. Grant offered to perole
all Ices army, and give the officers their ode
arms and private property. Lee at once ac-
ceptsd this proposition, the fighting ceased, and
the war was practically ended. So, in two
days time, and by meaas Of nine sheyt letssrs,
the dreadful contest which has disturbed this
county for four years was brought to clbse.
The whole rebel army, withits arms, srtillerysnd
public property, Is in, our hands. By sending
these soldiers home on parole Grant has pro-
vided for the immediate decentralization and
dispersion of the rebsl forces under Johnston,
and st Mobile and west Of the Mississippi, and
has opened way, buoad and plain, fbr tAe re-
obstruction Of heUnion. Great as b Grant
the general, he Is, equally matcAadh hy Grant
TIE statesman and the diplomatisk. Well may
ne United States he proud Of THAR mast illus
trious citizen.
The Rebel Flight from RsolAmond-1he he
True Rebal Character Rsvssled.
The scenes at the capture Of Richmond
change as suddenly as the scenes Of q military
drama. The curtain falls upon the confusion
and carnage If battle, the ned fre Of an incen-
diary confagration and the rout and riot Of .
hasty retreat, and then rises to disclose the.
peaceful occupation Of tho Union troops, the
enthusiasm Of the people, who welcome Lin
coln as their deliverer and that general con-
tentment and security which attend upon a
stable, legitimate and paternal government
No incidents ever represented upon the stage
were more truly dramatic than tho fight Of
JEFF. Davis, the attempts of the rebels to
burn Richmond, the rapid entrance Of the
Union army and the unrestrained rejoicings
which greeted our brave generals and gallant
soldiers.
When The rebel leaders prepared to abandon
Richmond their actions disclosed their true
character. Each man looked out for himself
and his ready cash; and the rebel motto
Yves, "The Devil take the hindmosL" The
rebel currency which these leaders had
forced upon the Southern people, was now
thrown into the street, and the rebel bonds, Of
which we have heard 80 much, shared the same
fate. One of the first movements Of JEFF. Davis
and his clique was to secure all the specie In
the Treasury, and their next operation was to
burn all the books and papers in the Auditors
Office, that no one might be able to discover
how much they had stolen. Then, after insur-
ing their own escape, these robbers took meas.
ures to burn down the city which had SO long
sheltered them. South Carolinians and Geor-
gians, "who hated Virginia and the virginians,"
were left behind to apply the torch. A body
Of cavalry, under the command of fellow
named Gary, was detailed "to come stealthily
through the city about daylight, catch up all
stragglers and citizens and hurry them OF to
the army" like press-gang. The large store.
houses for the army were emptied Of their con.
tents, and the regenerated Richmond Whig
from which we have been quoting, remarks
that "while the Confederate government was
making such poor mouth over the reported
failure Of supplies, and while the peo'
pie were being starved that the army
might be fed, these immense store.
houses were bursting with falness and plenty
to come finally to utter wreck and waste
So, having done all the mischief possible, the
rebels LEFT Richmond-its thoroughfhres dow
ing with whiskey and Uttered with rebel
bonds, notes, checks and bills; its bnsi~"~s
streets in flames; the people robbed by theiI
own soldiers, and driven half crasy by the terri
BILE disorder which surrounded them.
In short time after the exit Of the Southern
"chivalry" the Yankee "vandals" marched in
and took possession. The first act Of these
Northern monsters" was to put out the fires
Then the thieves and cutthroats" of tho Jnior
army drove of the rebel "csenIiemen" WHIT
were engaged i9 YI,audering jewelry stores
The cttizens who, It seems, had not been de
ceived by all the rawlings Of the rebel press
turned out and cheered our "mudsills," and
hurrahed for that "mongrel ape" President
Lincoln. Order was at once restored; the city
was placed under martial law and amply po
Iced; no outbreak Of any kind occurred, and
no arrests were made, save of few rebel off,
GERS at the Spottswood House, who were
too cowardly to fight, too lazy to run
and too refined" not to curse and
swear and abuse the loyal troops The
effect Of this contrast between the be
havior Of the beaten rebels and the victori.
GUS Unionists may be best illustrated by few
striking facts The Richmond Wing says:-
"If there fingered in the hearts Of any Of our
people one spark Of affection for the Davis
dynasty, this ruthless, useless, wanton handing
over to the flames their fair city, their homes
and affairs, has extnguished 1t forever" The