Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-29
RICHMOND WING.
Wednesday Morning. MARCH 30. 1885.
,1,HE 80 York -Trislns has oblainea, thrOug

rTNHE New York TribiRs has obtained, through
Il confidential, authentic and exclusive sources
of information, intelligence from Richmond, which
1t well says will startlo many people as positive
evidence OF how near the Rebellion, even from the
Rebel stand point, is 10 its final collapse" The
Information is sent forward nom Washington by
correspondent, who makes the preliminary decla-
ration that Il is vouehed for by unimpeachsble
authority, which assurance, however IS quite Sn-
perhuous iit DO true, he asserts that the state
ments bear in themselves evidence OF their aRthentl-
City and eIsdihhty." The first statement by which
the readers oil the Tribpas invited TO be "star-
tlod" relates 70 the military strength Of the Con-
fedeFscy, and pUrPorts 10 have been compiled on
the 4th OF February from the official records ct
the Confederate War Department" The entire
Confederate forces, both sides OF the Mississip-
pi, number, we are told exactly $4,000. About
the 4,h OF February think il was, the late Sec
rotary Of War was engaged in writing love-letters
20 the President. Ii must have been while be was
absorbed in this pleasing occupation that the Paul
Pry, who has given this information, obtained ac-
cas- 10 his official arcana The ne xt startling state
snsnt disclosss what occurred in Special Commit
tee OF the Senate, that engaged in making
sort Of dats norton inQuiSition into the condition
OF the ConGederacy. General Lee was before them
as witness, and the questions and answers are
given In fun and With unexceptionable method and
formality. Senators Hunter, Hill, Graham
Walker and Orr all apparently endeayor TO
cross-question the distinguished witness into
the confession of something hopeful, hut in
vain. He win give them no comfort. He
stoutly maintains that the army cannot be got out
OF Virginia; that he has not troops enough for the
opening campaign; that cannot last till midsum-
mer; that the army is unanimous for peace; that
the best policy Is TO make peace on the plan pro-
posed by M. Stephens; and that no human power
can save the cause. Which is all very bad, entirely
The next information is that for the four months
from lst October to 4th February, the assertions
from the Confederate armies east OF the MiSSiSSp-
pi summed up precisely -, 600. THIS fact was OBJ
tanned from the records in the Adjutant and In
spector Generals office. How Gen. Cooper came
~ lsl Il be known we cannot guess. We are next
favored with .st OF distinguished UnOnistS at the
Sourb, some inland some out Of public life. Among
those IA Congress the southern public viii hardly
be startled to see such names Henry A. Wise,
John ". Bolts and Vim. =. Goggin, from Virginia:
Robert K. Badger aud w. W. Holden, from North
C4-Olius; say the public OF the South Will hardly
b. startled at this seeing how frequently the names
ofthese gentlemen appeared in the debates of the
LAST session la advocacy Of nouism; bat it was not
kR0Yn before this ''uniGpeachable' revelation that
such men as Gholsou of Va; Vance, Of n. c.;
5lsldt,gi }. II. smith and Gov. Brown. of Ga;
Wake. C,opton and CIV. Watts, of Ala, and
other gcItemen whose moiesty has kept their
views from publicity, were 'iu favor Of reconstruc-
tioh." Passing from this interesting branch OF his
disclosures, the Tr.bme's informant next makes
known that ex-senator Clay, on his recent return
from England whence wei happened not TO know he
had returned, pethaps from ignorance that he had
even gone tuere) confessed sorrowfu,ly that his ei
forts here were complete failure, and that Eng
land would nave nothing TO do with the Confede-
racy. FoN wing this, We are favored with the
particulars o; an interview between Sena-
tor johnson aud ''Nr. Jefferson Davis" which
Was concluded ty the remark from the former
every we'll, Mr.. President il Won can do without
the people %. Georgia, the people OF Georgia can
d. without you By the wJv, what distinguished
company the Ir.buass informant kept when he was
il Richmond. lie seems 10 have been entirely at
home in the War Department, the Halls OF Congress
sud the Presidents Office. Gen. Lee, Senators,
GoYern0rs aud others must have talked quite iami-
Harry with him. ,Yice-President Stephens, too,
talked with more than his ordinary guileesSness and
uususpicion with him. The common but uniniorm
ed opinion was that Mr.. Stephens was somewhat
disappointed by the result o. the aquatic Peace
Conference. Not at all. "He knew before he start
81 that it would fail +" and, in consequence Of the
failure, it would seem, sis il quite certain that we
will have peace, and an honorable peace before