Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-02-11
THE fssrrpx wAR


Magazine, in its leading article upon the conduct
Of The War" 1t is rare. indeed, for public servants
to be thus held up to condemnation, well nigh OF
contempt But with such stern troubles now accu-
mulating upon the shoulders OF the British nation
their gallant army melting away under the effects
of war, and cold and pestlence; their Efforts, thus
far, all lost and frutless in manning the power Of
Russia; Sir CHARLES NAPiERsss splendid armada
sneakng home from the burning of petty villages,
and the destruction of mud fort and, lastly, the
pitiable rebuke which has followed their boosted
confidence and bravado with all these it is not sur
prising that the British heart should beat indig-
nantly and the British press speak in tones of fierce
condemnation. sss
The article alluded to, is worthy ofperusal, as an
indication of the charge in public opinion in Eng
land as to her own inyinciti ty, and the power of
that mighty empire, whose valor and proficiency in
war have been 50 long the subject Of sneers and
ridicule. And the Car, that great man - as Earl
DERBY characterised him, begins now to rise some
what in British eyes, He is no longer an impostor,
big bully who would quail before the first glance
of the British lion. 1t has been bitter expert
ence, which has produced the change. Speaking
the battle of lnkermann the writer says:
'Had the battle of Inkermann gone otherwise
than it did, we should have lost the flower of our
army; and where then would have been our hopes
of German cooperation? We implore the country
we entreat all honest hearted and patriotic men,
whatever be their political creed, to think and
ponder this. We have been brought by the inn
providence negligence, and divided councils of this
precious Coalition Ministry, with their old acquaint
ance of Nicholas at their head, to the very verge Of
ruin They staked the whole credit, power, and
position of Britain on single throw-not necessa-
rily, but because they had grossly failed in their
duty, and omitted to provide reserve in case for
time should be against us. And by so doing, or
rather neglecting to do, they have prolonged the
war. changed the attitude of our army from be-
seping force to that of one partially besieged, and
lessened the probabilities OF the capture of Sebas-
topol These are not accusations to be made light
w. 1t would be shameful, it would be unpatrotc,
it would be scandalous to hazard Them if the proof
were not lying before us. But it would even be a
deeper deaIcaton, if, with the convictions we en-
terrain we should hesitate to point out the immi-
nent danger to which the country has been exposed
by the wretehed administration of this Cabinet"
The article contains an extract from the speech
of the Duke of NEWCASTLE Illuminating indeed
must it be for Minister to stand up before his coun-
try, and that country proud and powerful King
dom, and by the candid confession of weakness and
remissness, claim mild and merciful Judgment up
on his acts. Yet, such is the language of the Duke
of NEWCASTLE Here is the extract:
any Lords, that events have turned out differ
emily from what was contemplated, in more respects
than one, | have already admitted. Undoubtedly
we did not expect the Russian power in reinforcing
troops before Sebastopol would be SO great. We
did not doubt her military power: we were aware of
that; but undoubtedly we did not expect that an
army could be moved from Odessa to Sebastopol
with the marvellous rapidIty with which that move
ment was effected and probably some of your lord
ships will be surprised to hear that through the ex
traordnary efforts of the Russian government, thro
the means they were able TO command Of an unlmte
number Of cars and cattle that march was effected
at such a rapid rate that one day march offorty:
two miles was actually effected. Now, may be
imprudent in making these confessions, but wish
to deal frankly with your lordships. l have said
we do not profess perfection. | am ready to adj
NIT that errors, if errors they are were committed
We did not calculate on the power of the Russian
government to send reinforcements to Sebastopol
in time for the battle Of Inkermann, and believe
nv Lords that there are few in this country-few
in any other countrywide did expect it. can
ONLY saw tDdJ we ulu uOtiOlHi our pDluOHS Ou duJ
baphazard or guess work, but we took the best
opinions we were able to obtain in this country
of those who could inform us of the capabilities Of
the Russian forces and the character of the coun-
try they would have TO traverse"
Upon this we have the following merciless com
ment:
an time for the battle of Aakernaan?' Does thi:
estimable nobleman mean to inslnuate that, the
2 III
the Russians? Was Inkerman proclaimed tourna-
ment like the gentle passage of arms at Ashby-de-
Ia Couch? ave did not calculate the pOl0erS ofht
Russian government TO send reinforcemeats' We dc
not suppose that they did, Meanly as we think of
their abilities in matters of this Sort we should be
very sorry to bring against the Aberdeen Ministry
so heinous a charge as that of having wilfuly ex-
posed the British army to an attack in which the
enemy outnumbered them, for hours, in the pro-
portion of eight or ten to one. What we do charge
them WITH is the ineffable folly of estimating the
military genius and ability Of the Emperor of Rus
sis by their own. Why, what was the defence oil
the old Austrian generals, whom Napoleon defeat
ed through superior energy in the earlier part Of
his career more than this that they "did not cacu-
late on his powers There are two classes of men
who never calculate on the powers of any who are
opposed TO them.
The first class is that of the Drowsyheads, who,
being incapable OF acton themselves, cannot sup
pose it as the attribute Of others The second class
is that OF the Official Clerks, who have hustle
enough, and no end Of arrogance and conceit, but
who consider genius in every department as some
thing to be viewed with scorn and who are quite
as ready to undertake the conduct of war as the
direction of a sewerage-in either case with most
lamentable results TO the public To one or other
of those classes sorry to say, that the great
majority of the present Cabinet belongs The
Drowsyheads think that all is right if the General
in command will undertake the expedition with
such number of men as, between their fits of SUM
Der, they have exerted themselves to send him. and
thereupon they wash their hands, and believe that
they are free from all further responsibility. The
Clerks know all about Russia, have read various
volumes of Travels in the Crimea, and consider
Nicholas an imposter. Minor mistakes we could
pardon readily-the more willingly, because the
whole speech of the Duke of Newcastle is an ad-
mission of mistakes-but we cannot and must not
pardon them for having entirely Inexperienced
the power of Russia, and the eminent military ge-
MUS and resolution of the Gar, who, iffghting
perious game is, without any exception, the ablest
gamester in Europe. Let us be Just to our enemy.
Intellect genius, capability--are not on our side
What man would venture to compare Nicholas
with Lord Aberdeen? A ffth-rate Russian dplo-
mstst would undertake to cast dust in his eyes,
ace bon Aberdeen is the highest encomum that
was ever passed upon him by his astute colleagues
Of the Holy Alliance and we greatly doubt wheth
eT even that limited testimony of his merits can be