Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-12-19


The Raleigh Reg'ae' OF tie 14lh says that d
Ferebee ESQ., who has Just retusnd froB mission to
The Confederate government. upon which he sent
by the COnventioa reports, among other things that
Secretary Memminger expressed decided opinion that
the blockade would be raised in thirty days.
OF course we do not know upon what facts Secreta-
~ Memmipger prrdcaes bis opinion, or what sources
o. information he may possess which not yet before
the general public. We wish it to be as be thinks it
will be but it be evident that alter ALL this opn'
ion although that of able and cautious statesman
occupying high official position, is still only opn
ion, tor we know enough of the caution which marks
and indeed, ought to mark diplomatic intercourse to oe
that it cannot be based upon any diplomatic as
surauces from foreign powers, which they
have not deemed it proper to make public and which
therefore MIR. Memminger, member of the Confede
rate Cabinet, would not feel justified in making public
even in the form of opinion
For our own part, cannot believe that the block
ade will be raised in thirty days. in twice thirty nor
during this winter This winter IS the period to which
men on both sides have looked forward that during
which will occur the crisis of the War, In which
there is actually in the field larger number of men than
were arrayed by any two nations since the iDven
tion of gunpowGer, and operating upon lines wholly
without parallel n extent since the world began. From
Hateras to Western Missouri we have some twenty de-
grees of longitude and from Martinsburg Va to the
mouths OF the Mississippi have nearly eleven degrees
of latitude. Ga the Potomac and on the Ohio from
Washington City to st. Josephs in the mountains Of
Western Virginia and in the passes Of Eastern Ken
lucky and Tennes ee the shores Of the Chesapeake
and on the coasts of the Atlantic and of the Gulf,
| ~ in othor
The coil which General Scott proposed to throw around
and along this line is too extended not to be broken
through The tension upon it is TOO for it not
10 chafe itself to pieces and TALL assunder by its owl
weight, unless by marked successes during this
winter it be brought closer together and the vital
force of the resisting States compressed within
bounds. Bat to suppose that the failure OF such Vast
projects could be demonstrated at once acknowledged
even then would be to expect something not exactly in
accordance with human nature Now that fanatical
Congress pushes ahead sufficiently anatcal President
aud that both press upon young General how
ever able and General Mcclellan as able soldier
must look either for resignation action his part
and he is doubt prepared TO- such action just about
as well as be will ever be.
F That Mr. Memminger might base his opinion upon
the probable effect OF the Mason and Sdel affair in
England is possible but in any that would not
have the effect of raising the blockade in thirty days.
not even if the steamer now due at n. York with
from England since information of the affair of the San
Jacinto and the Trent reached that country brought
out with her the most peremptory demands thepart
Of England, that government could make upon
another. War does not follow close upon the
heels of provocation it used to do and we must
take into the calculation the fact that Seward and Lin
coin will know how to procrastnate.
We make these remarks with the view SO far as they
TO- to dispe what think untounded hopes, at least
baselesS calculations. If things work rapidly
easily than we think they will do, then much The
BETTER there will be harm done. Ii they do not, ther
indeed so much the better to be prepared for them.
If to judge by OF the verbal assurance
given by attributed to high officials at Washington
at Montgomery and at Richmond We would be force(
to come the conclusion that their opnion least
is no better than the opinion of almost any body else
however more accurate their information may be.