Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-07
Thc Capture OF tiehmend-fts Er-
--~ feca upon the Rebel Cause.

Thc Capture OF hiehmeud-fts Ef-
~Secs upon the kebei Cause.
The New York World. OF Tuesday. in CON-
menting upon the fall Of Richmond. presents the
following views as 80 its probable effec. upon the
southern MUD and the future Of the rebellion:
- The moral effect on the south Of the fall OF
Richmond will be far greater than IL Grant had
succeeded 10 taking il IN The early part Of his last
Years campaign. Now that ee have demon
sirated the general military weakness OF the re
bels. BY marching great armies through the
heart OF the south, and taking all their seaboard
cities, the fall Of their capital and las, remaining
stronghold. must be accompanied With a feeling
that they have nothing left 20 fail back upon.
Had Richmond been taken ia the spring or sum
mer OF last yesr, a retreat would have been easy
into almost any part OF the south. which. from
the Atlantic to the Alleghanies, and from Chat
tsnooga TO the Gull. was under the confederate
SWAY. But the most they can now hope IS 20
. maintain 9 doubtful contest in the mountain re
I gion.
To escape With an organized army across the
Mississippi is not only impossible. 0ut even II
there we're no other obstacles. il is unlikely that
soldiers from Virginia aud the other Atlantic
states, will consent to be led that immense dis
lance TO fight in a cause in which they will no
longer having the personal interest OF men fight
ing for the protection of their homes. and
whose succers only msdmcn can any longer ex-
pect.
IL NAV be De easy for passionate and desperate
leaders 10 talk sbou; the possibility Of continuing
the contest; bat 10 ,chat end3 They can fight
only on the defensive, and they are now go re-
dacsd that defensive warfsre sill amount TO
nothing. In an earlier s,age OF TIE contest, sue
cessful defense would have been Ultimate indie
pendence. But they can never expect 10 Tetaks
Richmond, Charleston, New Orleans. snd the
other places they have lost.
And what would q struggling conieterscy 90
worth, perched among the Alleghanies. cut Of
from all access 10 the sea. the Gulf, or the Mis-
sissippi, and hemmed in, on all sides. by a foe
Amounting in military resources? II. with On
exhausted resources, they could not keen what
ihay have lost, how when their means are spent
can they ever expect to recover itf Their cause
can succeed only by successful offensive fgh ting
and a great deal OF IL: bnt for offensive hgh ting
they have no longer even the pretense of resour
ces
The New York News takes . different view
of the situation. Ii does not regard the fall OF
Richmond a. AL event ~hieh will hasten the ter
minalion of the war. or lessen the ability of the
south 10 procrsstlnste the struggle. We give the
following extracts from its upon the
capture OF the rebel cspitsl as presenting the
south side view OF ITS effect and the future poll
cy Of the rebel leaders;
Gen. Leeis an excellent soldier. 4 good chris
sian, and . man OF liberal views Sad humane
disposition. He has eyincei no inOrdins,e am
bition for military fame or political honors. Hi-
action throughout this strife has been prompted
BY a sense of duty. a. it is certsin that be will
rot prolong the strife without a fair expectation
o. success He has never been ~ssieful OF human
life. Ga the contrary, the care that be has taken
to protect the soldiers under his charge from un-
necessary peril is 10 contrast With the reckless
sacrifice of troops ~by..which the federsl Lieutenant
General has supported his strategy.
Lee has always been cautious aud pr0vident-
never rash. never assuming the responsibility Of
great hszards to accomplish brilliant results. He
has husbanded bis resources With The thrift of
one who knew that be had none 90 spare. and
he must be regarded ca one who, by the emer
gsnciss OF his position. as well IS by bis benevo
leucs. counts every man Of HE legions who is
slain or wounded. counts everv drop Ct blood
that sinks into the Acid of battle
Such a man, just. generous, humane. ard i'm
pressed with n CONSEQUENCES OF the obligations
of = christian and a patriot, cannot degenerate
into the mere butcher Of his kind. he il not one
TO offer needless hecstombs before a broken
shrine. No man, probably. more than be, de
plores the blOodshed, misery aud dev astation that
NV ettn N11 80 l~AAAG
No considerations OF pride or hate will induce
him 70 protrsct the terrible ordeal beyond the
hour when his soldiership Acknowledges that the
csnss Is irredeemsbly lost. Should that hour
come. he will submit with dignity, "a becomes a
vAnquished general who has done bis duty.
We believe that the people OF TIC north have
generally conceived. as we have. the character
and Attributes oil The confederate commander.
Therefore. while General Lee remains in the
feld. il mus, be believed that no hiss hopes Of
ultimate success. The question, then. is xhether
be IA 50 shor,siChled As 10 entertain hopes that
are without foundation. A general who has
studied the art OF war IN so harsh a school. and
Who has given such substantial evidence OF his
ssgacity, skill and prudence. can hardly be con-
s;dered q simpleton even b. bis enemies. From
Lees antecedenfs. none viii judge him 20 be
over sanguine. His policy throughout has been
70 avoid great risks. aud lie, go he possibilities
Of q splendid achievement 20 make surs ot 4
more moderate success IL IS not. therefore. %
De presumed that he hopes against hope. and
struggles sgainst an adverse destiny. knowing il
20 be irrevocably written against him.
The armies OF The cOnfeier4cy have evacuated
Petersburg and Richmond. What then. The
confederate cause does not depend upon the &C.
c1pAtion Of Petersburg and Richmond. We
have repeatedly OF late stated that those strong
holds would probably be abandoned, for the
same reason that Charleston. Savannah and
Wilmington have been abandoned, because The
strategy Of the confederate commander involved
the sacrifice. Three days OF desperate battle
have sttested that The southern troops are ueisher
d~isplrited nor lacking in the element. OF resist
snce The great armies that have 20 lors de
tented Richmond sad Petersburg have been re
moved % another quarter where. in the estima.
too Of their general. their vslof and endnrsnce
can be made more available.
Lee has cazg from
dim the last Of The weights tbs, dragged upon bis