The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-01-12

RShcl Despair

Any patriot who will ca,n'y survey
The condition Of our com,ry nearly
fonr years ago, and 10 present condi
ton, canno. help bn' congratulate him
aelf and the country At large rpm the
rapid strides Of success tina, have At
tended the Federal Cause. Nearly four
years ago, and where were We! The
people ot more than one half Of the
e ritory comprising the States Of the
I'D Union were in revolt against 1t,
bidding armed defiance against the ex
ecution ofi'slaws.
Oar munitions of war, had been by
the most base treachery, transferred to
rebel soil 10 defend stolen forts, reh~,.
lious cir:es, and spill patriotic blood.
Our navy Of armed vessels was but a
baby feet, but little better than =
myth. Our Generals had name, and
what more: OF tried warriors, we
had comparatively none. Rebel ports
must lie blockaded, 10 do this whole
!ee,s Of war vessels must be built this
took time. Snail arms by the millions
cannon by the thousands, and noun
tains Of munitions Of war must be made,
this took time. Soldiers must be rails.
ed, trained and disciplined, this took
time. Generals must be made Oh !!
this was the most bitter time Of all. We
willnot dwell upon it, for all our read.
crs know, that millions Of money was
expended and many thousand precious
lives lost in trying to make a few Gen
erals. Thanks to an everything Prov
i,lence they were at length found It
not made All this it must be borne in
mind took abou. two years Of time, 80
that really it may be said we we're two
years in getting ready to fight, and
have actually been but two years in di.
rec:ly bringing TO bear the power OF
the nation IN war.
Where are We now? Every rebel sea
port Of importance is quite effectnally
block AIDED, or wrested from them. The
world never before Witnessed q block.
aiding fleet as extensive and etfectual
as ours. Missouri, Kentucky and Ten
nessee are wrested from them, SO that
they dare not maintain an army in them
on.y guerrillas and raiders can now be
found. Nearly as much can be said
for Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas,
while large parts Of Mississippi, Ala.
bsma and Georgia, are held by FEEDER
al troops.
But more especially have we re,,e"t
cause to rejoice and the rebels to des.
pair.
Sherman's taking Of Atla.ta, and HE
great and successful march through the
heart of Georgia to Savannah upon the
sea coast, and holding that port "a q
very important baae Of supplies, to op.
crate agains, Charleston and in the
heart Of the rebellion, cannot be too
highly Landed or appreciated. Gen.
Thomas's recent victovies over Hood,
and the almost utter demolishment Of
his army, were most telling blows
against che rebellion. To these We
add a. especial causes Of deapair to the
rebels, the late defeat OF Gan. Brecken
ridge in East Tennessee, and the des
sruction Of their lead mines and salt
works in Southwest Virginia the late
defeat Of Gen. Price in Missouri, Of
Early in the Shenandoah valley; Of
Lyon in Kentucky, of Foote leaving
their Congress publicly pronouncing
their cause hopeless Of the public
clamor against JEFF Davis, and the call
ing for Lee TO become military Dicta
tor oflos, hope Of the interference OF
foreign nations OF the late apathy with
which their soldiers fight IS Witnessed
in Brecker ridges and Hoods a,mies !;
of kinder reception aud q more gen
eral union feeling manifested by their
people, where our armies march or
hold sway, as Witnessed at Savannah,
and other places. All this we say arc
bitter causcs Of despair to the rebel
leaders, and sources Of joy TO Union
men, Let US then rejoice and keep up
good courage. for truly. The sun ligh.
u expansive liberty is breaking through
the dark angry ciosd., and ere long we
shall enjoy the full refreshing light Of
enlarged and expanded liberty.