Year: 1865

which opened with bright and cheering
signs, made still brighter by the bravery
of our soldiers in the field and the skill
OF our generals, closed with series OF
disasters which has spread gloom over
the Confederacy and has caused deep
feeling of dependency and even dismay
upon those who only look upon the sur
face Of thing and let their fears take the
place of their judgment. All this arose
from one Of those blunders which men
If high talent and intellect will some
times make when those who are gifted
with only ordinary sense could and did
ioretell-that nothing but disaster would
be the result and yet this campaign, so
fruitful Jf disaster has shown to history
one Of the proudest and noblest armies
the world ever saw, proving to all the
devoted and steadfast courage Of those
gallant men who are struggling to make
the South a nation of freemen. 1t has
proven that he who not only commanded
the Army Of the West but their affections
and the affection of tbs people, was right
in his defense of the department placed
in his charge.


Bat those who place the caus- - i',-.s
disasters on the powers ths: l..
OF malice, wrong those 60 >Ay
and have been sinee the war co,--.enced
working not for self but for the good Of
the country, and h&ve but little of that
feeling of forgiveness so necessary in a
united people and a just and holy cause.
We look upon it Gs one of those blunders
sands of lives, but had in s.: origin tine
good Of the cause. He only can be look
Ell upon as criminal who does an act with
criminal intent. We deprecate the un-
just attacks upon our President sy many
writers in the Confederacy-like the ar
tiCle of "Americus" in yesterday 8 issue
3scribipg thoughts and deeds TO he Pres
ident that are foreign to Is nature and
to the course of current oye.,s. Criti-
else with frea pen, point # the -.1ers
OF the past, canvass t.srv act oI khose IN
pow or and let them know that they
expected to do their Whole duty to their
God and country, but c. arge not as
sriasso errors OF the head and not OF the
heart.


Now what are our prospectsr What
can we look TO for The year 1868, to give
US hope and courage to meet the tide Of
tnvAAioA which iR threStSued by our enc
n.y. yAe. aushed wit. a temporary sue
oeu, Is preparing to sweep over our
country spreading ruin and desolaOion in
his path. Wesay the prospect is good,
il not really cheering There is not now
End there has not been n cause for the
feeling of deep des sPondency which has
taken hold upon the minds of many of our
citizens. Th1t we have me: III the West
series OF disasters is certain, but will ny
sane person say that because we have
met with temporary reverses that our
cause is lost. We say temporary, because
prompt and vigorous action on our part
will recover all that is lost, and we should
remember that which we have lost in the
West, has been mort han gained by the
destruction Of one of the largest armies
the world mas ever seen, by the glorious
Lee and his invincible troops.


Grant has lost in his campaign fully
SIS many men as he at first started with,
and had it not been for his constant call
upon Lincoln for men TO meet his losses,
he would have been to day without an
army.


We shall bo able to meet our foes this
spring with as large an army ss We did
n year ago. Veterans that will yet cause
the present feeling Of gloom to give
way to bright and cheering future
The services Of 10000 slaves as pioneer
corps TO relieve able bodied troops, will
place at our command an army as large
as that which invaded Tennessee, and
with the concentration Of between 40 and
$4,000 troops now in the Trans Aissis
bippi Department, who have done moth
ing since last May, will add to our armies
nea.ly 100000 men, who in the past,
year, although in service. have been mae
tive for good. This force We know can
. and will be brought into the field. for
the campaign Of 1865, and with the tried
and true men who 90 mpofe cur armies
will make force equal, if not superior.
TO that which opened the ball in the
spring of '64.


Tho enemy will not meet us This year
with As many men as last, while many,
very many, will be raw recruits, They
have the prestige Of late successes to urge
them on, but one Serions reverse Which
is i'll our TO power 10 give. will cause their
late rejoicing 10 end in q wsil Ct despair
We say then to NIL, that our ause so far
from being hopeless, is beigh.er to-day
in reality, than in any period Of our his
tory. ReFelses will come, and should be
met with calm and determines spirit
but that our independence sjeopardized
10y thsm, llCNes Only how shallow is III.
inception of our cause held ~ those
who thus believe. Our inSepondence is
sure. We may meet with .8uc.i sorrow
and su Rering. ut II , enc lieh T.. = :.
iisve is not tar diStans, will Do as bright
and glorious Al tia heart OF a brave