Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-02-15

ana reckless spirit or 1901 again, in their
people. We have most melancholy ex-
ample OF the greatest editorial talent pros.
tituted to the most unworthy ends. And
not only the corps editorial are blowing
their loudest, longest, bitterest blast. but
political leaders, and windy generals, who,
having foTsaken the vocation in which thew
bad gained notoriety, viz: politics, aud
having oetaken themselves to the sword, by
which they have failed TO gain any notori-
ETY., except that which leads to oblivion,
again appear upon the stage as theIauthors
OF cunniugly devised resolutions, and long
Wlnded speeches. The army is made to
speak the very language that its officers
chose to make itutter; and the object of all
this exertlOn appears to be, to so infame
| the whole rebel population, old and young,
male and female, that the whole power of
the rebel States may be concentrated in
one grand effort to retrieve their rapidly
failing fortunes. tis now perfectly clear
that the rebel leaders are entirely reckless
of the lives of their fellow men and are
willing to sacrifice all classes, and all in
terestsi but their own. Protesting to fight
for independence, they fight for slavery,
and for slavery alone; but to secure this
liostitution, they are willing to sacrifice
hecatombs of men who have no interest,
either present or prospective, in the insti-
tuition. Verify slavery is a Meloch In the
midst however of all their artfal mistate-
ments OF truth, and willful, though cunning
statements of fslsehood, the truth will crop
out; and l am saDguine now in the con-
victiou, that terrible, spasmodic, dying
! efforts to arouse the dropping spirits of
i their soldiers, and by exciting the passions
and ignorant prejudices of their people,
to bring back all recusants and deserters
and thus fill up their ranks again, will prove
a failure. Disguise the matter as they may,
the natural sagacity of the people will not
fail to discover that the real matter at issue
is the question of the right of majority of
the people of the United States to rule; to
make the laws, and dictate the policy of the
nation; and such have been the political
notions of even the humblest classes of our
people, that they cannot but be amazed,
and draw back, when they discover that
they have uuwittingly been made to take
sides agaiUst the old democratic doctrine
, on this subject. Notwithstanding all these
terrible efforts of the rebel leaders to in
spire their soldiers and people to the most
, desperate determination of resistance, de-
t 5ertions are not less frequent than before;
) and thatfrom amongst their old soldiers, OF
three and more years standing. I had a
conversation this morning with an orderly
8 sergeant from Georgia regiment of An
deIson's division, and with a member of q
Georgia Battalion of sherp-shooters, both
old soldiers, though but young men They
informed me that 1t was the general opiu-
: ion of their comrades, and of the people,
as far as they kaew, that Mr.. Lincon'e
proposition Should have been acceded to,
as it was vain for them to hope TO ever OBJ
tain better terms of peace. referred to
the newspaper accounts of public meetings
speeches, and resolutions, both in the army
and out of it. Their reply was, that in
the army it was altogether the work of the
= officers, and out OF it, of the leaders, and
/ that those speeches aud resolutions did moi
s reflect the Eenlineuts of the masses, either
in or out of the army They said that the
soldiers were convinced that the cause was
D already lost, and did not desire to throw
e their lives after it, II wonfd not be'propel
G for me to repeat all the information given
f by deseFters, bearing on the purposes Of
. these disatfectcd soldiers; but OF one thing
n am confident, and that is, that there i:
: incnrabe. disatfectioo, and wide spread
/ diacontent; and that the instruction i:
, even now experiencing The throes of dIsso.
u luton. Push forward the columns! fill VI
5 the ranks! extend and strengthen our lines
t and have faith in God and just cause
e The end will be found to be near at hand
3 ....-.. WEST VIRGINIA,