, 1865-03-28
THE CLOSING OF THE REBEL
LION.
The Position Of Great Britain
after the Union Triumph.
swaggering Of John Bull-.Terrible
Things He Might Do.

l11uLl LA6 1Vu1p4 1lUEsS A1fcn D..
We seemto have arrived at that turning
point of the American wnr which brings us,
rs 1t Tefe irfhin sight Of The final scene, and the
7'a-t srt thaQ b ea9ed on to play IN il. The al
most undisputtd progress of Federnl army
through Georgia and South Carolina, ana tho
successive surrender Of strongholds, believed
10 be imprognable, at its very approach, are
exhaustion. The great maritime cities, for
the defense Of which such Immense sacrifices
had been made, have long been occupied by
miserable remnant, of their former population.
Two months ago, as appears from the letters
Of our correspondent, Charleston, the very
cradle Of the ''rebellIon, = was deserted mud
halfruIned city; Tie cutie pasturing. and t.xr
Tie partridge bringing up heT brood n ne streeks.
No wonder that men could not be found to
stay the progress Of Sherman. Every p1ace
was garr'soned, and could not spare soldiers
without inviting attnck. Material Of al kinds
1sas 3tranting: II the garrison Of Fort
1i1st attack. *had supplied themselves
with two or three rided guns Of larger caliber,
or had they completed the eartAw0rks where
the causeWay from the river ran into the
fort, or had they obtained the services Of
more officers acquainted with the works than
the TWO who tel1 wounded early In the affair,
or had the scanty garrison not been raw re.
crnits, then the fort ought not to have fallen;
but TN all these ifs" tce read the IamenfaNe
condition Of the Confederate e1use. The men,
the guns, the officers, the labor were simply
not forthcoming, and without them forts can
not be held nor battles won., Energy, and
esxn confidence are said to BE- also on ne decline.
The Curolinas and their Southern netshbors
showed the true Southern temperament at
The outbreak Of the struggle, when 'Virginln
held back but it is she now that holds her
ground in the very face Of the foe. History
and military criticism, however, Will have
good deal to say on the defense Of Richmond
1ftl,at defense is now. as II is said, main
tanned. BY only thirty.flve thousand against
thrice that number, then the confederation
cannot complain Of the Capital and, what
ever the object, that force does well which
keeps thtice its number in check. But The
strength Of the tchole Confedkracy has long bten
quar1treHoufd have been as easily established
IN less assallable position. That, however,
has been the case on both aides, and It is Yery
rtmarknbl. that when the founders Of the
Union made It part of their plan to do as
much as possible without Capital at all, ex-
Liberation, the chief feature Of the Ear should
be the obstinate defense Of two Capitals at
cost Of blood and treasure beyond all propor~
tion to their yllue+
The exhaustion We have mentioned Is the
point to which speculations on the probabiIi-
IT. Of peace hare been most generally confined
4 be Confederates began with q much less
population ofwhi1cs than the Fcdcra1s and
this disparity was practically increased by
the great dlatance Of some of the States and
the want Of communication. It was enough
If the Southern and Western States of tie
confederation could defend themselves But
as the var advanced the federal cause was
continually and largely recruited by emi-
gss,ion-a resource entirely wanting On the
other side. Europe, therefore, saw with adu1i-
ration the gallant stand made by the couted-
crates, their military genins and their per. !;
Vas only question Of time On one side or Of
weariness on the other. It appears rs 1t the
South is exhausted by the : var before tbe
North is wearied Of it. and that Tie end il not
Jar, The oau~ 4 simply Nrtding to death.
The Conftderaits ean ndke pace satenartr. they
raeass 6y returning 10 Tx Union, aad they aeM
Dnd The tcuynaade edsy. As to eond1t 1tlonsof peace
it is needless to discuss more than one and that
isa Joint stock Of gTudges gatnst this country.
As In many other quArrr1s, common object
of hatred Is the occasion and ground OF re-
Cancellation. The treasures Of the two sides
will not produce large SUN, but their grieu-
>anets .sih England noun! up 70 son'ethtng con
.idero5h We ere prepared for this. 4 bloody
QUARTZ must hare bitter. remsmbrances and
much Indignation. These must have an OBJ
iect, and If the combatants shake hands, the
next victim that can be found Is an uncon-
cerDed and nnsJmpat6et1c DyssanQeF' Mh0
better, indeed, than the policeman himself, II
he can be attacked with impunlty?
As the Federal Government maintains that
1t has a quarrel with us in the shape Of claims
which We do not acknowledge, and It has
great deal to gain By q successful war with us
The QUESTION to which VIC have to address our
selyes Is simply whether they, csn go to war
With us with 1 fair prospect oi success #
they can thcy certainly will. The irst con
sideratton that occurs is that # the Co1feder-
ates are exhausted, the federals ore only less
so; and If the latter only succeed oY~ he e1-
haustiun of their southern foe, they are not
likely to find success easy By turning against
new foe, with untouched strength and
RESOURCES. It is true that there IS large
army. many Of whom may now be called vet
erans' aud all in the hands Of men with some
experience Of actual fighting. But TIE sol
der. In all ages, alter certain period ot hard
Ship pines for repose, and longs ior his snug
farm. even though after brief interval, he is
AGAIN ready fof fighting, ThEoughont the
whole Of the States induatry Is more OF less
attn ,standsti!l for want Of men, and u o1ers
wages that compete With the enormous oonn-
ties and nay OF the soldier. Thu attraction
Of peaec viii be Irresistible after i've years or
more Of this desperate work: 50 7es tsust CON
yider .en<taer IL men .sM enlta agdinJ for ns'
.odr and ctTfet,aly not lsss rigorous Jos. Vhe{