The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-09
The Danger. THE Duty of Vermont.

The Uanger.--Ine DuJy OF VeruioAI'
The latest news from the seat OF war shows
that the Rebels ore massing troops in Virginia
and making immense preparations to carry on
the war on the Potomac. Whatever may have
been their purpose early in the campaign to
make the struggle defensive ono wholly on
their part, and to keep their own troops within
the limits of the seeded States, their necessities
are now, and unquestionably have been for some
weeks. forcing them TO advance with their ar
mics and gain substantial victories over the
Federal troops, Or very soon give up the contest.
It is not too much to say that the cause OF the
traitors is irrctrievably lost, unes they can ell
Their raise the blockade, or conquer the North
and dictate terms to us either of subsection or
of separation.
Shut up from the sea, excluded from the min
era resou1cesol Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia,
deprived of the opportunity to buy, and with
out the ability to manufacture wooden goods
and boots and shoes, without salt and tea and
coffee, and with an insufficient supply OF sugar,
deprived of all articles of manufacture OF cot
ton and linen, they would soon be in but little
better condition to figure as nation than were
the sayages who formerly possessed the CONT
nent. They might be able to raise enough OF
the products of the soil for their Bread and
perhaps have meat enough, if they relished it
without salt, but they must very soon be in a
desperate way for apparel, not even having any
supply of that poorest apology for clothing the
army shoddy.' They must before long have
the benefit of d market where they may get a
supply of the articles which they can neither
manutactur raise or buy at home, or they
must succumb to q necessity stronger than ar
mics, and accept any terms the Government
may be disposed to offer them.
But this very desperation of the case, not
only makes their immediate conquest more diff
ticult, but compels them to stake the success of
their rebellion on some desperate and gigantic
venture. If they could possess themselves of
Washington, and of Baltimore which would of
course follow the capture of tho National Me
tropolis, not only would many of their imme-
date wants be supplied, but the rebellion would
at once assume u consequence in the eyes of for
eign nations, the Confederate States would be
recognized, and King Cotton be soon inaugu-
rated at home and abroad as the Superior and
Ruler on this continent.
1t is idle to say that there is no danger of
such result Just how many troops the Reb-
els may have now in Virginia no one outside of
the councils of their chieftains knows. We
only know that one in every twenty of the white
population Of many Of tho revoltcd States is
under arms, while in some, as in Virginia, one
in every ten has been called into the field
From this it must be within the limit to estI-
mate their forces at 100000. Of this number
one half at least could be drawn into Virginia to
form their army of advance if they contempla-
ted any attack on Washington and it is by no
means wild estimate of the forces under Beau
regard to set them at that figure. This army
is made up chiefly of desperate men in des-
perate cause, under the leadership of able and
competent men, who have everything to lose or
gain by the hazard of battle; and while we
UVllcFo tllHV Will equal 1OICeS OuT Gluy WOulu
certainly conquer on any battlefield, we do not
think it prudent to risk the safety of the Coun-
try and the success Of our cause, with an army
numerically inferior to the enemy.
Whether jeff. Davis-or if he be dead the
next in authorlty-will run the venture Of an
attack on our lines in view of the glittering
prize that will crown him as victor, of course
we do not know But the Government can
not wisely act single day upon the supposition
that the Rebel forces in Eastern Virginia will
be many days longer engaged in slight Skin
mishes driving in here and there one of our ad-
vanced pickets, and throwing up earthworks of
no value except as defences for while there is
the remotest possibility of II successful advance
of Beauregard's forces upon Arlington Heights
which if carried would Immediately render
Washington untenable--the Government that
fails to take this possible danger into the &C.
count and cfectually provide against it, is
crlminalIy negligent of the trust reposed in it.
The Government has to-day, doubtless 100 900