New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-01

through Alabama trying 70 keep ont II hght
and our own Candy was preparing for an assault
upon Mobile. Tie election Of President Lincoln
had shown TO the world that the North was resolu'e
united steTn-not disposed TO regard the war az
% a f.ilure"-and determined 10 fight out the batue
under the same leader. We know now how mucn
that determination had to DO with depressing tho
Southern heart The Richmond leaders despaIreo
of success. The personal organ OF Mr.. Davis opened
the wear by abandoning al nope of triumph, ana
opcplv admit ted thu the Coufcderacy was "eXhaust
cd sherman lad proved this by marching unop'
posed through tie n he,' districts OF the South
Those who owned IL CouiedoTacy were Wiling 10
sell ont or any terms a,her than accept bankrupt
cv. Their stock IN tu t. was Slavery, yet II Eng
land. France and Spain recognized their indepeh'
ldence thew would surrender slavery. Gen. Lee was
,urcirc his rulers TO give the negro musket and
put him in the ranb.. This advice was sanctioned
\ v the Governor of Virginia and was rapidly gain
ling on the Rebel Congress. Like the offer TO sell
slavery ont 10 France, Englandaud Spain, however,
the proposition 10 ann the negroes came too Ia'e'
Ephrain was welded 10 his idols, and 1t Only re-
NAMED for Us to let him alone,
In every respect, therefore, this year has been +"
wear Of Triumph. President Lincoln began IL py
another mayailing effort TO make peace. Inc mis-
sion Of NJ Blair was timely and admirable. II
showed 10 the world that there was 10 vindictive-
ness Oh tie part Of Ur. Lincoln and that the mag
Iuapimitv which led him 70 offer an amnesty IN the
dark wear Of 1861, did not desert him when nearly
every city I'm Lo South was in his keeping, ana HIS
armies were marching upopposcd through the Iear'
of the ConfcdeIacy. The conference al hampton
Roads. between President Lincoln and the repre-
sentatives Of Mr.. Davis, showed that wbilo NJ
Davis might sell Slavery ont to England. he would
not surrender il TO the North as CONDITION OF
peace. and so the mission came to an end. In The
meantime we captured Fort Fisher and whining
ton, and il the llatter part Of January sherman
army started on its Carolina march. These were
the most important events Of January in military
point of view. Beyond vain attempt on the part
Of few Rebel gunboats 10 destroy our supplies al
CITY Point the Rebels did nothing but act on the
defensive. On the last day Of January, the
amendment TO the Constitution abolishing Slavery
was adopted by Congress.
The Southern leaders in the beginning of Febru-
airy called upon Lee TO assume command of the
whole Rebel army, while Joe Johnston was sent TO
oppose Sherman. 1t is amusingto notice that they
al,o changed their flag, the said flag having " a
ground of red and blue salter thereon With the
pertinacty and supeTstitious hope OF gamblers VINO
find the chances against them, they hoped 10 WOO
fortune by some childish Precipitation. sherman
continued his dreadful march, his army passing over
Carolina, leaving terrible swa,h and destroying
every vestiee Of life and property To keep Lee en-
ploycd and prepare more especially orthe
Gle Grant extended his lines 10 the left some four or
FIVE miles. securing footh0ld Oh HGtchers Kun.
The Rebels disputed this movement stubbornly but
Grant prevailed, and having obtained position
never Welded. This was the beginning Of tho great
campaign. The extension of Grants lines made 1t
impossible for Lee to move without his permission
especially preventing him from swinging on ana
attacking Sherman. Davis finding destiny against
him and himself ass8ilcd as the cause OF every i"i
ur continued bid for Southern sympathy by sac
rifcing bis friends and promoting the most popu-
lar Rebel leadeTs In addition 70 the promotion OF
Lee and Johnston, breckenridge was made Secretary
Of War. Public meetings were held TO fire The dy-
ing embers Of the i'ngburning Southern heart.
Davis himself STANDING on the brink Of min, de-
cared that if the people would only fight they
would compel the Yankees Gin less than twelve
months" to petition for peace upon their own
terms"N At this time gold was selling IN
Richmond for 1900, Grant was strengthening
his lines sherman was moving mp toward
Charleston, and Sheridan was preparing for his
great raid Charleston fell, Columbia was occupied
and burned Wilmington was captured, and, Oh the
9th of February Sheridan began bis cavalry march.
The defiant attitude Of D9vis ayaled little IL the
presence OF these facts. The ship was evidently
sinking. and the rats were swimming for life. Tie
R,cLmoad Eagpirer Of the day when Sheridan
started upbraided "larcc numbers Of the Rebel
roncfe.s. uho had left their seats and returned
home thus abandoning their country III the hour OF
peril The Examiner, edited by the gifted Daniel,
and commanding an influence in the South greater
than that Of Davis himself, announced that " the
evacuation Of Richmond would be tho loss Of VII
respect and authority toward the Confederate Gov
erument, the disintegration of the army, and the
abandonment of The scheme Of an independent
Southern Confederation" This controversy, We
have little doubt settled the question Of The evacna
ton Of Richmond. Davis was ia favor OF thai
policy. He had advanced the theory that, "no'
the fall of Richmond nor Wilmington nor Charles
ton. nor Savannah, nor Mobe-norof all combined
could affect the issue Of the present contest
Whatever Davis may have thought, however, be
was not in the position to contend with the party
that The Er0miner represented-a party embracing
such men az Lee, and Johnson, and Breekinridge,
and Pryor-and disposed TO regard the obstnacy
L L.. oil lk1 So1li horn