The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-02-18

BURLINGTON WI
TIE REBEL D1PLoMAcY.-The proof is
perfect that the object Of the rebels at Rich
mond, in sending such an imposing trio Of
Peace Commissioners through the military
They are, and generally they acknowledge
it, exceedingly hard pressed. The activi-
" of our armies during the winter, has
deprived them Of their usual season Of
rest and recruiting. Give Sherman sac
cess in his campaigns JIG the CaroliHas,
equal to that which he gained in Georgia,
and the military power OF the Confederacy
ia, with Sherman marching with fifty
thousand bayone;s from Wilmington to
Petersburg. The purchasing power OF the
Southern currency is gone. The conscrip-
ton, the most relentless and sweeping that
the world has seen, has failed 20 recruit the
Southern armies. The troops in the field
are fed on impressed food. Tho question
since the fighting stock Of whites is ab- ut
exhausted. The popularity Of JET. Davis
is gone. The South, no longer an unit, 10
full OF factions, hostile and discordant.--
The Southern Confederacy totters to its fall.
The one pillar that supports it is the army
Of Leo. No wonder JET. Davis sends his
Commissioners, pretending to disregard
the significant phrase in the Presidenrs
letter to Blair, that he was willing TO treat
for the restoration of peace TO ''our COM
mon country" Davis wanted an armls-
tice-a breathing spell /; q few weeks to STIFF
fen the sinews. he needed time. Il was
necessary to conscript the gold and the ne
groes. That could be done during an ar
mistice in secret sessions Of the rebel Con-
gress, and meantime hoods army conld
be quietly placed in Sherman's front. The
persuasive Stephens was put forward to
hint to Mr.. Lincoln remote hopes Of re-
construction, il there could be an immedi-
ate cessation Of hostil:ties. But the Preei-
dent was incapable Of committing SO capi-
tai Q blundey az to hold the hands Of our
soldiers at this supreme moment Of the
war. His shrewd common sense was g
match for all the diplomacy in the world
on that point.
The strategy tha. proposed to check our
advance by negotiations having failed, it
was necessary that the rebels should make
the most Of theDpportunity, fire the South
ern heart, and get up as passionate feel
ing az possible in place Of the deep des-
eldoM. Hence the speeches Of Davis,
Hunter and others, the war dances OF the
Confederate Chiefs. and the internal chorus
of the Richmond press. But all their noise
will not recruit or feed their army; and the
horde Of hangers-on about Richmond, who
swarm to see Lee and his staff in full uni
form and to hear Davis and Hunter speak,
clamored not for arms whe-ewith them
selves 10 fight the Yankees, but for put.
ting the negroes into the fight. The great
rebel war meetings at Richmond may in
deed be classed as abolition gatherings.
The cry among them is that President
Lincoln has insulted them intolerabty.-
We may ask: in what? and the only en-
swer is: because he did not propose 70 VIC
late his oath of Office. He did not offer to
assist in the division OF the Republic, or to
70 behind the law and the facts, to restore
slavery, to the position held before the
wax. But he referred them to his last an
nual message, in which he said that the
moment they ceased 20 rebel against the
constituted authorities the war would me-
cessarily cease; and he added assurances
that so far as his pasdoning power would
go land it is the only real power he has in
the matte1), they might depend upon very
liberal exercise Of that. As chief magis-
trate Of the nation, he told the leaders Of
he rebellion he would be merciful: and
that they call an insult. The agony OF JET.
Davis is great. He did not believe Lincoln
could be so insolent; and he promised .
Sherman's Georgia march was TO be his
last. Had he forgotten his Macon speech,
in which he promised the complete over
throw Of Sherman, and that his retreat
from Atlanta should exceed il horror the
retreat Of Napoleon from Moscow? It 10 q
subject OF remark by the rebel press that
JEFF. Davis prophecies Of victory are inva-
riab!y followed by disasters to bis cause
In few weeks we shall see whether he
and his are masters Of the United States,
and in position 10 dictate terms OF peace;
or, whether they will find 1t becoming
tine 20 ask the President Of the United
States to repeat the insult he offered them
at Fortress Monroe by the tender OF the
liberal use OF his p!erogstiye OF mercy
Cincinnati! Commercial.