The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-03-13

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No iuconsiderabe portion of the news OF
Sherman's recent movements has come " 10
through rebel channels, and Of course ~ 2
highly colored to suit their eztraVasan' 10" :,
cies and wicked purposes. we may W WEI.
assured that anv news favorable to US wouia
he suppressed. and equally well assured tha'
the Richmond editors would manulactuf0 a.
amount of lies which they believe might heip
their cause for brief period. Ihey Know
o,,;.o as well as we do that the rebellion is
now 0asping for breath. Disguise 1t as much
as thew NAV. the fact stands out to the gaze
Of ali men that Sherman's marches and victo-
ries. since he departed from Atlanta, have
shaken rebeldom to its very centre.
In looking over, the rebel papers we find
their editors in greater quandary than any
editors were ever placed before in the history
ofjournallsm. They know not which way to
turn in their present crisis. TO Gen. Lee they
now look for salvation in this hour of their
scverest trial. jeff. Davis has been tried and
found wanting, and they are willing, and some
ofthem really anxious, to see him fall like Luz
cifsr never to rise again. Underlying ell the
editorials, however boastful and hopeful they
may on the surface appear, is feeling of des-
pair which cannot be concealed from the care
full reader. Bay $3.50 4A8 Wu
The turn which Sherman's movements have
given to rebel affairs has forced upon them
the necessity of backing and filing, of chang
ing their opinions and OF ignoring principles
which were once their pride aad boast. Even
the doctrine of state rights is now repudiated,
which once formed the basis of the rebellion.
Since Sherman has made such demonstrations
In the Gulf States and removed, ia some de-
gree, the restraints which the military power
of JEFF. Davis imposed upon the Union senti-
ment there, the Richmond editors now begin
to see that the doctrine of State sovereignty
is fraught with mischief to the rebellion.
As an evidence Of this fact the Richmond
Enquirer stigmatizes proposed convention
of the people as supreme sovereign talking
apparatus" In the name and behalf OF poor
distracted cause this journal solemnly protests
against such a convention. 1t says s.their
cause has already been talked to deathp And
more than this--it asks where are the men to
~SA-~ ASAAA WIZ 0AO w COblpOSC ILLS COuV6Q-
tion? Men areaneeded in the rebel army more
than in convention" For four months the
Congress of the Confederate States has sat in
Richmond, and day after day witnessing the
military strength dwindling away. "a con-
vention will not fight, but it might run
away" ID the language now used. Mark
what follows. It says: "For what is the SOY.
ereignty of the State needed in convention /?
Has not State Sovereignty been the weakness
of the caases"
What confession for Richmond editor to
make But what can. they do or say while
Sherman is marching on in one direction and
Phil. Sheridan closing in upon them In anoth-
eri "Let State sovereignty go to the winds!-
Arm the negroes! Abolish slavery State SOW
ereignty is beautiful in theory, but in fact and
In practice utterly defectivel Our cause needs
power, men, money! Gov. Brown is very
ordinary mar, presuming to criticise Gen Lees
military movements Out upon such supreme
nonsensel We must all respond to one inspi-
ration! We must be united or we must fall!
The Gulf States must be brought back! The
Union sentiment there must be kept down or
all is lost and we become slaves to the Yam
keesl"
Such is the language wrung from unwilling
hearts by the marches and victories of Sher-
man and his brave ,army.=zSThat II ridiculous
position they now occupy before the world -
Desperation characterizes all their movements.
Long cherished opinions are thrown to the
winds and new doctrines embraced and pub
lished to the world. They are every thing,
any thing and nothing long. Sherman has
struck terror into their hearts and wrought
most wonderful change in their political phil
osophy. Through him a marvellous Ievolu-
ton has taken place, but greater and bet
: ter he will yet work out in the so-caled con-
federate States. There is magic in his touch,
and the rebels begin to feel it in their inmost
souls. A few more triumphant marches and
victories, and the rebellion will find dshon-
ored grave.