Year: 1865

be Gained by Union Bankruptcy.


From the Richmond Sentinel January


How comes it that we meet with so
many gloomy and Respondent individ-
uals at a time when there is nothing in
the posture of our affairs to justify such
gloom and dependency The enemy,
after most vigorous, and, on their part,
far the most bloody, campaign of the
war, do not occupy half as much conted-
crate territory as they held year ago
Their currency has deprecated, and their
debt increased much more rapidly than
during any other year of the war. They
are almost entirely cut off from supplies
of gold from California, and without gold
they cannot sustain war. Their men
fight only for money, for specie, or its
equivalent Ours for liberty and indie
pendence We could carry OH the war
without money. They must cease to
fight when money fails, and fail them it
will so soon as all confidence is lost in
their paper currency The depreciation
leaves no room for doubt that the day is
not very distant when it will no longer
subserve the purpose OF burying up the
millions of mercenaries required for the
prosecution of this war. 1t is true that
the depreciation of their currency does
not proceed SO rapidly as we hoped and
expected, but it is going on fast enough
to satisfy every considerate man that the
day of their national bankruptcy is not
far distant A bankrupt nation cannot
carry on great and costly war, but bank
ruptcy, national, and individual, arms
with increased courage thirst Of revenge,
and desperation a people fighting as
we do for property, life, liberty and indie
pendence. Should they put larger army
into tho field the present year than in any
former year, ii will but increase their
| debt more rapidly and hasten on their
bankruptcy. Even without such larger
army their debt is increasing in geomet-
rical ratio for food, ammunition, cloth
ing and all expenses of outftting and
sustaining au army are more than double
what they were when the war began.
Indeed, it would be nearer the truth TO
say that the average prices at the North
are now three times as great as when hos
tilities commenced, and these prices are
daily rising as their currency depreciates
| and their debt increases. Nobody now
| dl tuC NOlbl, W
enlistment of soldiers will cost them
more this year than any year heretofore
beside, the interest Of their debt is not
paid by them, but great part OF 1t Is
annually converted into principal. All
of these considerations are obvious
enough to everybody, and should inspire
hope, confidence, and cheerflllness That
they do not do so is entirely owing to
the gross Misrepresentation OF a panic
making opposition, who, by continually
decrying the administration, and the
generals, and other officers appointed by
the administration, have succeeded IN
some degree in destroying confidence III
it's wisdom and efficiency, prevented en-
listment, and stimulated desertion from
the ranks of our armies. They daily and
hourly tell people in effect through the
press by paid letter-writers and in con
versation, that the President is weak, OBJ
stinate, capricious, and wholly inca
pable of performing the duties Of his
office; that his cabinet are imbeciles,
and that the officers OF the army
whom be appoints are wholly un-
fitted for their commands. Hay,
ing to fight Yankees, encouraged,
abetted, and aided by these false,
malignant, and treacherous panic
makers and slanderers, within our own
ranks, the success of our own arms
is truly wonderful. That continued sue
cess should give assurance to the people
that with such men as We have had at
the head of affairs, state and confederate
since the war began, we can and will
win independence despite of federal
arms, though insidiously and industrious
II encouraged and aided by intestine
folly and treachery. Enough men viii
enlist in our armies and remain in the
ranks to secure the ultimate. though tar
dy triumph of our arms, despite the ten
dency of panic making oppositionto to pre-
vent such enlistments, and to encourage
desertion. They may, aud will delay our
triumphal success, but cannot altogether
prevent it. Abuse, Willy, misrepresent
and SANDER the officers of our army be-
cause they are all appointees of the
President. as they may. those officers vii
continue TO secure and maintain the con
fidence of all good soldiers, Of ali honest
and pure patriots, and to excite the ad
miration and applause of whatevel
is respectable in Christendom. Fol
nearly four years Europe looked on witt
impartiul eye to the conduct of affairs
civil and military, in our confederacy
and pronounced with singular unanimit!
the opinion that never were such affair
managed with more ability, more wis
dom, more patriotic devotion, more couI
age, or with more success against sucl
fearful odds Let the people cheer III
and no longer heed the ISLANDERS of tn


opposition panic makers.