2

Port Hudson Fallen.

The series of rumors, announcing the surrender of Port Hudson to Gen. Banks, ARE FULLY CONFIRMED TO-DAY (Thursday,) and the nation may at last rejoice in the re-opening of the Mississippi river to travel and trade. That is the great victory won, and not merely the number of cannon and prisoners captured, although the latter are very considerable, and must prove a serious loss to the traitor government. The victory is that it cuts the bogus confederacy into two parts, opens the natural outlet of trade to the the great Northwest, and releases most of the armies of Grant and Banks for service Eastward where the last blows are to be dealt to the Democratic men-stealers government. We are not so foolish, however, as to suppose that because the last great rebel fortress on the Mississippi has fallen, that instantly traffic and travel on the river will "become as they were." The fall of these fortresses, while it will discourage the guerrillas, will not bring their labors to an immediate end, and it cannot be expected that the products of the North-West will at once go pouring through their old channel before guerrillaism is quite thoroughly put down. The Mississippi from Cairo down will not be a good place for pleasure excursions for some little time, and especially while the bulk of our armies is occupied in reducing Mobile, Savannah, and Charleston, and in digging that "last ditch" for Gen. Lee. Every now and then a stray cannon ball from some extemporized shore battery will go whistling through some transport steamer, and a shower of musket balls and buck-shot from cowardly, revengeful, skulking bands of Democratic secession ruffians in search of their "rights," will remind our people once more of the beauty of that infernal "institution" which inspires all these crimes, and occasions these dangers.

But the worst is over; the great traitor strongholds — and very strong they were — have fallen, bringing down with them somewhat of rebel pride, and we can look once more on the mighty Father of Waters as the great redeemed highway of one nation too strong to be rent asunder by traitor hands.