The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-01-17

the affairs of the coonists had never worn so gloomy
| an aspect Not only Savannah, but Charleston
was in the hands ofthe enemy. Gates had suffered
defeat, which caused the almost entire dispersion
of his army. What remained of t-seet ed fit 70,
nothing but prey to the enemy. The traitor Ar
mold had come suddenly into James river with q
strong force naval and military, and on the I'd OF
3D. of January he captured Richmond where there
was no force to oppose him. To- crown the public
distress, in the army Immediately under the com.
mand of Washington, the Pennsylvania line mutinied
for want of pay. audit for time supposed that
the whole force would disbandssFT mutiny had
| no sooner been suppressed than the New Jersey
line followed the example. The public at large, and
| even Washington himself, feared that the example
had been contagious, and the greatest anxiety pre-
vailed. Never had the affairs of the colonies seemed
destruction. The weak kneed shook i'm their
| shoes. Even men of firm courage and consistent
| temper began to despair. But Washington never
suffered his hopes to abate his courage to shrink,
OF his firm resolve to be shaken for a moment
Others might tremble, but he knew not how to fear.
Placing firm reliance in the justice Of his cause,
and of the goodness of Providence he never doubted
for instant that all would out WELL and that
his country would emerge from the trial greater and
more glorious than it would have done had it never
been sub jected to them The country caught the
contagion of his example as men catch the plague
Its fears allayed when il saw the commander
in chief calm and confident 1t proved to be the
dark hour just before day. The light began
to break. On the 18th of January. Morgan defeated
Tareton at the Cowpens-a blow from which Corn
wallis never recovered-and on the 10Th of October
CORVALLIS surrendered.
We recall these things to recollection, at this
time, because it strikes that there ID similarity
in present condition to that of fathers ia the
beginning of 1881. Hood, like Gates, has been de-
feated and Savannah has been taken. Yet Charles
ton has not been captured, and Hoods defeat was
far from being signal that of Gates. Rich
mond is still in cur hands; whereas at the opening
of the year 1881. Arnold master of it, When
Green joined the army of the South, in December,
he found it reduced to handful, intimidated
by defeat, and altogether incapable of making any
great exertien. The forces of Beauregard, on the
contrary, and we'll disciplined, and its
officers able and experienced soldiers. The
victory which has just been achieved over the Yam
kee armada at Wilmington may be fairly set off
against the defeat Of Ferguson at Kings Mountain.
Everything considered, we are in far more hopeful
condition now than were our fathers in 1881.
Let our countrymon consider that fact and de-
duce from it the inevitable conclusion. They have
for despondency If God, in his own time,
brought light of the darkness of January 17SI,
what reason have to think that he will not bring
glorious day out of this night of January, 1865.
Our like everything else in the universe is in
the hands of God If it prosper not, it is because
of sins. and because of disrust in his Prov-
dence. Let trust in Him, first purifying our
selves of our offences by prayer and penitence.-
There is difficulty great that it may not be
overcome; no cause so hopeless that it may not be
made to triumph: But at the same time that God
gives the victory, it is through mortal instruments
that he effects the triumph. Our people must con-
tinue firm and united they have heretofore been.
They must cast off all hope of victory save through
their exertions; for God smiles not that
cause in which men scruple to do all that is neoes
sary to insure success.
In short the yankees can never subugate US if
people do their duty. The only thing
fear is ruin from the bad management of officers
operating out of the army. Reduce the number of
officers at the various posts throug hout the Confed
eraey to one-third the present number and make
them act like true friends to the Government and
all will be well in the end