Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-11
lco.r,.pepa.ne. Of rAe x. !. weIId.l

fCorrespondence Of The y. Y. World
BMrNoRE, April 5.
suppEN DOWNFALL or TuE SOUTHERN coNFED
ERACY.
Ten days only have elapsed since nv letter
Of the 25th ult was written, and already the re-
markabIe statements that il contained are fully
verified The Southern Confederacy no longer
exists as power on earth: and the rebels no
longer have a capital or a government. From
the same source have now derived some add
tional information respecting the recent battles
| near Petersburg, and the present military situa
ton in Virginia end North Carolina, which ia
embraced in what follows. For the rebels still
have an army: al army OF veteran soldiers. al
though small in numbers; an army, the organi-
zation Of which is still perfect, but which is
greatly dispirted by recent reverses and which
/ cannot be depended on for any operations ont of
| Virginia.
THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT Exists no
LoSGER.
| The confederate government has ceased 10 ex
1 ist Mr. Davis has not formally abdicated his
| functions as president, but be will probably do so
at an early day, particularly if the operations of
/ the federal armies are pushed on with vigor. and
! il Gen Lee fails to gain any military advantage
| during the next ten days The authority of Mr.
! Davis, however. is al an end ii he should issue
a proclamation eonvening the rebel congress. to
! meet at any designated place, the mandate would
! be disobeyed There is no place in the south
now that is considered safe enough for the rebel
congress to meet in Ii is the opinion of Gen
Lee, aud it freely given at the last executive
council that was held at Richmond previous TO
the evacuation that neither leigh, nor Dan
Vile. nor Lynchburg, could be held permanently
against the advancing federal armies The lat
rla I.aa u1iOb he held fo
some time, but il too, he said, must finally be
abandoned
PROPOSED FLIeHT TO TEXAS
No place WAS agreed upon. before the evscus
ton OF Rich mond. for the removal of the con-
! federate capital. IL was conceded on all hands.
that no state in the south safe from the
/ march of the federal arms. Texas was spoken
Of It's distance from the other states, however,
and its geographical position. at once precluded
the idea of the capital of the eoniederscy being
situated in it But another idea was discussed
| which although not formally adopted, may yet.
possibly, be carried into effect. This is, the re
moval to Texas Of the civil officers of the con-
federate government and of great portion OF
/ the confederate army be prevailed on TO
go. This idea was only suggested as q last re
I resort and when Gen Lee had expressed his
conviction that the army. as wbOle, could not
be made to 90 to Texas after the abandonment
of Richmond: and that the southern people
would never consent to devote their whole coun-
try to the flames ia order to prevent its conques;
oy the north.
PRoPRsAL TO MAXI MOSCOW our oF RICHMOND
Ii was seriously proposed that this course
should be adopted in the case Of Richmond. and
that that city should be made a second Moscow
But General Lee prevented the execution OF that
design. He showed that il would lead 70 no
/ uha md hat IL nj =
tend to exasperate the cOnquerors. And he ex-
pressed bis firm conviction too, that the southern
people, as a general thing. would rather submit
( TO any terms from the north, than 10 destroy
their own homesteads II Was then that the idea
of Texas was suggested Most of the confeder
ate leaders present seemed TO have the idea that
il they should emigrate 10 Texas and settle
there. and carry with them a portion of the army
they could found in Texas q new cOufederscy,
embracing. perhaps Louisiana and Arkansas. and
perhaps also. in time, some o! the adjacent terri
tory There is said to be some $4,000 conieder
ate troops in the Mississippi valley, west OF the,
river. and in Texas; and with the aid OF these
they have some idea of establishing an indepen
dent nation 10 Texas There would cert4inly be
room enough in that vas, region for the purpose
but the scheme is, in many respects, highly ute
plan. aud il not formally agreed upon
DEsPoNDENcY AND PERPLExITY or THE REBEL
LEADERS
1t was admitted on all hands however, except
by Mr.. Davis. and one or two others. that the
lose of their capital would be blow from which
the confederacy could never recover. II was q
messure therefore that Wss very reluctantly
adopted; and, therefore, although the actual
evacuation as military movement. VAS con.
durted with sufi icient deibers,ion. yet the reso
luton OF the rebel authorities, to eyacuate their
capital at all WAS. IL Is said hastily adopted Ii
was not decided TO evscutts indeed. uut the vt
ter hopelessness Of the confederate use had be
come apparent to The rebel leaders. civil aud mil
itary. MIR Davis and the rebel secretary Of state
iDded, effect TO believe that the loss Of tbeir cap
ital is no, an irFepsrable blow to the of the
south, and that the war may yet be prOtraeted
Tor years
COS-EoUEScEs or THE EVACUATION or RICHMOND
But it was plainly demonstrated by General
Lee that If Richmond could nc; be held and de
Tended, there is no point in the whole south that
can be; and be implied, although he did not Fay,
that If Richmond is given up, il would be useless
20 protrsct the struggle. Such is, indeed, the
fact: and il ia admitted by nine-ten,hs of the
leading the south. The latter, well vers
ed n the usages Of nations towards each other.
are convinced that the dream Of southern inde-
pendence Is now over, and that no foreign nation
will think for moment OF recognizing as an in
dependent nation the remnant OF people who
have just lost their capital, who are without an
organized government, and whose only efficient
army. after sustaining such an overwhelming de
feat. were at last compelled to evscuats such
strong works as those that defend Richmond snd
Petersburg.
GEN LEE DETERMINED To TiGHT ONE DESPERATE
BATTLE
It is said 20 De General Lees settled purpose
TO effect junction With Johnston's forces. and
10 fight at least one desperate battle before he
iRaly sbandous the contest IL is nv duty "a
give YOU this statement. snd 20 say that il is
firmly believed by those FROM whom this nfor-
nation is derived But there are other fscts u
my possession, which lead me to donbt that Gen
Lee entertains any such purpose One OF them
ls the small force ., bis command, even nclud.
ing Johnston's army. And another relates &c
General Lees own personal and military chaFsc-
ter In bis own army. General Lee had. previou.
to the recent battles. 60 600 men His tota
losses. including everything. killed wounded
prisoners. and stTaeglers, may have mounted ic
5000 men. or one fourth Of his force; they Ger
tainly cannot have excee ded that