The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-10-09
rAE LONDON TINES ON THE AMERICAN
WAR.


THE LONDON TINES ON THE AMERICAN
WAR.
The following 10 the leading article OF the
London Times on American affairs, taken
from the latest issue Of that paper received
from Europe;
IMpossBLTry OF RESTORING THE UNION.
Were England at this moment to announce
10 the world its intention to make the speed
lest possible conquest Of France, or were
France 10 make the same declaration as to
England, the world would laugh at the eyre
gious folly that had inspired the design and
prompted the boast. The world would grant
that, supposng either people to be infatuated
enough and obstinate enough, il could infict
enormous and irreparable injuries on the 9TH
er. bu. only at a cost of equal injuries to it.
self. The ball. once started, fortune might
befriend this side or that; it might give to
either great victories or periods of advantage;
il might even place one eventually over the
bead Of the other, but still only at cost ut
terly out Of proportion TO the value of the
miserable result. Now, that is the case of
the two Confederates across the Atlantic,
where the surviving half of an efete Fsderdi
Union has undertaken to reduce the other
half TO its Federal duties.
We say that this is the case. but before
we proceed a step further. il is necessary to
state that the case OF the Northern Ameri>
cans is in some important respects more diff
ficult Than ours would be. They are not SO
united as we have always found ourselves in
war. Their border States feel divided al
iegiance. They have to protect more than a
thousand miles et land frontier, including
one clusrly beleaguered position surrounded
BY foes or ill-afected adherents. Speaking
the same language as their toe, they have no
means Of excluding spies from their lines, or
even traitors from their ranks. They have
70 make Standing army and feet. They
have TO learn the FIRST elements of tactics.
and even military discipline. They are with
out soldiers, or officers 10 command and TO
train them. Their revenue, at its best, be-
fore the war. was only just sufficient to NEE,
the interest Of the debt likely to be incurred
by two years of the war on the present scale.
That revenue, however. is, TO begin with.
MANNED by the loss Of the seceders and by
the stOppage Of traffic, so that it is question
able whether il will be possible to do more
than repair that loss by the new taxes now
imposed.
American credit is not so good as British
nor is the credit Of a Federal Union in pro-
cess OF dissolution likely to be equal TO that
of a united people. Lastly, var. which chang.
ss its character according TO circumstances,
establishes special rules Of probability for
different localities. The one rule establish
ed by all American warfare is that the ad
vantage is on the side Of defense. Our OF.
fensive operations always failed against for.
titled positions; against breast-works thrown
up in a night; against forests full Of invisible
foes; against heat, hunger and thirst; agains
the ever imminent flank attack; against ths
certainty that every step diminished the
number, the strength and the munitions o
our men, and increased those OF the enemy
The present war might, for its incidents, b,
q chapter Of our own disastrous wars on tina
soil. The NOrtherners have advanced upoi
a fortified position. bot days march from
Washington. They have arrived at the poin
with force nearly melting away, far shor
of the list on paper. beaten with heat, hun
ger. thirst, and long march. and surprises
on both tanks By the sudden outpourings 0
railways. While this has occurred in Vir
GINA, almost within sight Of Washington,
column Of 5000 Federalists, advancing a
gainst foe thrice their number, has me
with the same fate, no doubt for much tn
same reasons, si Springfield. four or ~
hundred miles TO the wesi--as If in order q
warn the Northern States that what has hap
pened Is no accident, no result OF peculia
CIRCUMSTANCES or personal failure, but by 10
e,itzble rule.
There is but one enterprise which can b
compared TO This, and that Is the First Napo
Icons gigantic, but infatuated, attempt upo
Rossis. That was case Of great politics
alliance, a. grand as Federal Union. CON
prising the best, the weslthiest, and the mos
populoss part. and the best soldiers on ID
continent 81 Europe. advancing into a terri
tory, the sparse and poor population Of whic
scarcely surpassed that Of the invading hosi
Winter might be the immediate cause. but
was also tie apology 81 the tremendous fou
that ensged. II any one will attempt 10 cnm
pare the means OF the Federalist with thos
Of Napoleon, he will find them Ear inferio
10 every respect, while there Is no doUh
that the Southern States are FAR more able {
defend every point, every position. ever
line IN their territory than the R0ssians wef
in theirs. They have mountainous range
instead Of steppes; they have . population
accustomed TO carrying arms. and only 10
glad 10 use them; they have railways 40
abundance Of fOod and other neesss4ries
gar. They are evidently superior in gene
slskip. and ia the social organization be
adapted Cor war.
The result Is that ihus far they have shos
they can dispute every inch. and keep u
invader slways under the apprehension ,
being either ouihanked Or driven back upo
his own capital. Against al this il can o.
" Be said that the Northern States have u
prepondennee in white men. 10 money, an
10 credit. These, indeed, would be inpoi
tani considerations II the Southern State
were invading the Northern, aud seriousl
preparing 70 drive every armed northern,