The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-17 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TimEa.—The last reports of General Sherman's
movements before Atlanta were so confused that
they required the explanation now received by the
Caine to be intelligible. The town was stated to
be in the possession of the Federal forces, but no-
thing was known of any assault on the place. It
now appears that Atlanta has been abandoned by
the Confederate commander, under circumstances
which considerably diminish the weight of the
blow, if it had been struck sooner, or the town
taken by a sudden attack. It has been so long
threatened that General Hood has had time to pre
pare for its surrender with the least possible loss.
For a period that may be almost reckoned by weeks,
the Southerners have probably seen the danger im-
pending. Atlanta was an important depot of sup-
lies and stores of all kinds, and, being the point of
juncture of four railroads, of which three run east
and south, could be drawn upon for materiel by
widely separated armies. It was, beyond question,
an important position to the Confederates, but per.
haps less capable of long defence than Richmond.
At all events, the fortune of war has favoured Gee
neral Sherman with a success denied to General
Grant, despite the enormous sacrifice of life he has
incurred during his long campaign. But still this
success is qualified. The Federals hoped, and
might fairly calculate, that Atlanta would fall into
their hands with all its magazines well furnished.
But while the defence was protracted, General
Hood, who must have had strong reasons for the
measure, was removing the supplies of every kind,
or destroying all he could not send away. He then
blew up the works, and retired from the city,leay.
ing only 14 cannon to fall into the hands of his op-
ponents. In what direction he has retired and
whither he has conveyed his stores is not known.
The' details of the operation that compelled the
abandonment of the town are clearly described.
Sherman, whose force was posted to the north of
Atlanta on the 30th of August, had probably dis-
covered that it was not easily assailable from that
direction. He therefore made a sweep round it, just
as Grant has several times moved in successive
curves round Richmond. Sherman's detour brought
him by the west side of Atlanta, a little to the south
of it. Crossing the line of railroad to West Point,
and leaving it behind him, he pressed on due east,
to Jonesborough, a station on the Macon Railway,
a few miles more southward. At Jonesborough the
Confederates held some works, from which they
were dislodged, after a sharp engagement, attended
by considerable loss on both sides. But this advan-
tage was evident on the side of the Federals, as they
were, by the result of the battle, enabled to place
their army between Macon and Atlanta, an opera.
tion which seems to have compelled General Hood
to the final measure of evacuating the town. On
the 2d of September the Federals occupied it, but
in a thoroughly dismantled condition. The posses-
sion of Atlanta is hailed by the North as a great
success, and a heavy blow to " the rebellion." An
important position has pasted into the bands of the
Federals, not by a direct attack, but as the result of
an engagement in its vicinity. Cimpared with the
great battles of the war, the action at Jonesborough
is little more than a skirmish. Yet it has been more
decisive in effect than all the fighting and bloodshed
of Grant's campaign. President Lincoln once de-
clared that the great want of his Cabinet was sue.
cess in the prosecution of the war. General Sherman
by land, and Admiral Faragut by sea, have obtained
something of what the President desired, It is true
that Mobile is not taken, but the attack by the
Federal fleet contrasts favourably with the attack on
Charleston. The cfficial party will make the utmost
possible use of the gleam of good fortune. The two
events are already turned into political capital in the
contest for the Presidency. Mr. Lincoln has recom-
mended a general thanksgiving in all the churches
for the success of the Federal arms, and salutes have
been fired from all the navy-yards and arsenals
" in Federal possession" in honour of the recent
victories. One of the salutes, indeed, was not
limited to blank cartridge. General Grant cele-
brated the occupation of Atlanta by " shelling
Petersburg," with what Effect is not stated. Every
act and declaration of the Government must now
be regarded as an election mar oeuvre, whether they
waken the pulpits of the churches or the guns of
the forts. Mr. Lincoln is under the necessity of
doing nothing that might injure his chance of re-
election. He could not have enforced his own pro-
clamation, calling for a draught of 500,000 men,
without coming into collision with that portion of
the population which must have furnished it. We
are not, therefore, in the slightest degree surprised
to learn that the levy of men which was to have
commenced on the sth inst. has been "postponed."
It is more likely the measure has been given up as
impossible to put in execution. Further time is
given for " filling the quotas by volunteering." It
is being discovered that the different States have
already large " credits" for men enlisted. New
York is especially lucky, though for many weeks
past the journals of all parties have commented on
the visible reluctance of the people to enter the
service. The number of men dtie to the ranks in
the city of New York is somehow reduced to the
low figure of 1,114 men. If the statement is correct,
the number is ecaroely sufficient to feed one hour of

one of Grant's battles. Still better is another dis

covert', announced by Mr. Seward in what is evi-
dently an electioneering speech. He declares that
no draught will be necessary, "as the armies are
being recruited as rapidly as required by volunter-
i g.'"rhe tactics of the great political campaign will
justify almost anything in the eyes of Americans.
Utley do not ask for an explanation of the most in-
credible statement, provided it " tells" for the ob-
ject of their party. But Mr. Seward's declaration
cannot be reconciled with the manifestations of
public opinion during the weeks that have elapsed
since the call for hundreds of thousands of men,
without whom the war could not be continued. We
have heard one unvarying tale of the general reluc-
tance to enlist. The highest bounties offered by the
Central Government, the several States, the city cor-
porations, and private societies, had not influence
enough to draw men into the ranks. The recruiting
in Europe, and the attempts to raise more black
regiments, confirm the reports of the difficulty. We
have heard of no revival of enthusiasm to account
for the sudden change of feeling that must have
taken place if Mr Seward's statement is correct. If
the call for 500,000 men was not necessary, it was
impolitic to make it. It is quite possible that the
forced levy may still be necessary, but its impolicy
has been discovered. Ever since the proclamation
was issued the Government has endeavoured to abate
the public apprehensions on the subject. It was
found that the convenient " credits" of the States
would reduce the total force required to 300,000
men, Then these States were said not to be so much
in arrear with their quotas as was supposed. Now
the draught is postponed, with an official assurance
that it will not be necessary at all. But that 300,000
men, or any considerable fraction of that number,
have voluntarily enlisted since the date of the Pre-
sident's proclamations we cannot believe. In the
same speech Mr Seward asserted that the salvation
of the Union depended on the reelection of Mr
Lincoln. It depends a good deal, we think, on the
will of the Southern States, whoever may be Presia
dent of the North. The only possible end of such an
obstinate conflict must be a compromise. In 1860,
before the actual war broke out, Mr Seward, in
answer to the question " Who can save the Union ?"
declared the Union " would be saved by no one in
particular," He probably meant that it was too
firmly established to require individual advocacy or
defence, It was a political system strong enough to
save itself. Now it depends on the destiny of Mr
Lincoln. But as the first prediction has been falsified
so may the last. Another declaration made by Mr
Lincoln's Foreign Minister is more credible, and in-
dicates that the extreme Abolitionists of the Repub-
lican party may now be thrown over and defied.
Mr Seward says, " Slavery is no longer an issue of
the war, and will not be interfered with after peace
is restored." This reads like an appeal to the
moderate section who exhibit an inclination to
coalesce with the Democrats. But, whatever may
be the Republican policy, if the election gives the
party another lease of power, it is satisfactory to
find Mr. Seward speaking of the restoration of
peace as possible. We should rejoice to see it
openly avowed as the chief object of both sides in
the political conflict.
POST.—From the accounts received by last mail
it appears that the war in New Zealand continues
to be carried on with an activity and bittein ss un-
abated, with but little more of conclusiveness as re-
part of the natives with
garde reaults, and on the