The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-22 00:00:00

of Lee's army seem to us to indicate that be is about
to assume the offensive ere long, and we may hear
by any mail the tidings of a battle that has revived
once more the drooping spirits of the Southerners,
and sent down to zero the overweening confidence
of the enemy. The army of the Northern republic
which, in February, 1862, was reckoned at nearly
a million of men of all ranks, in August, 1863,
amounts to scarcely 350,000. Its loss amounts, by
the confession of Northern writers, to the amazing
sum of 600,000 men in 18 months. If we search for
causes of this terrible diminution of strength, we
find them in the wide-spread operations of this war
of subjugation, not only in the great battles in
which 20,000 or 30,000 men have fallen at a blow,
but in the multitudinous skirmishes and petty en-
counters, the losses in fatiguing marchings, the
malaria of a hostile climate. 11. e are the less sur-
prised at the total sum when we hear that it cost
the North just 7QOOO men to take Vicksburg, a
little Mississippi town, where a garrison of 15,000
were taken prisoners. During the last 18 months
the North, at an enormous sacrifice, has not even
kept up the balance of success on its side—it has
certainly failed in its attempt to subjugate the
South. Supposing that no great disaster occurs to
arrest the progress of its arms—supposing that its
exchequer is not exhausted by the war expenditure
of 250 millions sterling annually, it will yet take
several years to break the spirit of its antagonist,
and put an end to all resistance on the part of the
South. But can the men be round to do it ?—that
is the question. The fighting population of a State
is reckoned at one in six of the whole population.
As there are 18 millions of people in the North we
may suppose three millions of possible soldiers who
would recruit the army for six years, supposing
the loss to be half a million annually, the pre •
sent rate. But of these three millions, at least
two-thirds are occupied in trade and agricul-
ture. If we take away more than a third of the
able-bodied men of a nation the result will be a col-
lapse of some branch of industry, the ruin of thou-
sands of families, and a sensible loss to the revenues
of the state. It appears to us, then, that the North
is already near the end of its recruiting power.
This result is seen in the universal opposition to the
draft, the serious effect of which is felt now that
the idle and supernumerary population has gone to
the war, and substitutes are only to be procured at
a price so enormous, that most of them who are
drawn must leave their homes or be ruined. There
has been an exciting correspondence as to the le-
gality of the conscription between Governor Sey-
mour, of the State of New York, and President Lin-
coln. The people of this State have forced their
governor to this protest, and the resolution of the
President, if persevered in, may lead to a contest
between the Central and State executives, which
will shake to its foundations the insecure edifice of
the republic. Volunteering, it seems, does not serve
to make up a tithe of the losses of their armies.
Mr. Lincoln wants men to conquer the South, these
men are not to be had, and th© Southern recruits,
whorn the Federal soldiers have driven from their
homes to take part in a desperate war, threaten now
to make up a host which will press upon the
Northern remnants with irresistible force.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

-yw

LIVERPOOL-FRIDAY.

At this day's market there were few buyers, and all
classes of foreign wheat have been exceedingly unsaleable
even at a decline of from 2d to 3d per cental on the prices
of last Friday. Flour a slow trade, and must be quoted
6d per barrel and sack lower. Barley and peas steady at
former rates. Oats id to ld per bushel cheaper for Irish.
Oatmeal is down 6d per load. Beans have advanced 6d
per quarter. Indian corn unaltered in value from Tuesday.
The market closed depressed.