New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-24
RUEE RUN

IL viii bo Eve weeks tomorrow sipce sno
conflict 10 front Of Manassas, which resusto ~
adversely to the efforts and the hopes o' 'po
TTniooists. The events of those five weeSs a''
ford excellent data from which to deterHiuo ''0
character and probable results OF this nomen'0''
struggle.
Tho Irn;opjsts bnye spread before the coun-
try aud the world every attanaoie eeoouhs u
that conflict and of every part OF II. Inc iac'
that its issue was disastrous ano ih some Ie-
s,ects discredtsble, has not been allowed to balS
the natural desire for the fulleet publicity
Every rebel dispatch. letter, and statement, no
matter now disparagDg or unfair toward our
aida. has been disseminated through our journals.
Every report from the commander OF O National
division, brigade. OF regiment, has been Likewise
spread before the public The naroe of each
man killed, wounded or missing, in every regl-
ment Of the Union army, has been thus pub
lished Gen. McDowoI's report, which was 20
transpsTeDty candid and thorough that 1t reflected
severely more on his own errors than those OF
any one else, has been read in every school dis
| trict of the Free States. Mr.. Russeil's letters,
which did us unintended injustice because the
writer witnessed the shameful panic and flight
of the National troops after the battle, but saw
nothing OF the gallant charges aud desperate
fighting Of the battle itself, are likewise familiar
as household words throughout the loyal States.
Believing tast good cause could bear an1 would
profit by the truth, we have endeayored to gar
ner all "the uses Of adversely" and to so study
aud master the reverse Of yesterday as to draw
from il the means Of commanding victory to-
morrow.
On the other hand, the Confederate chief,
though they have had Gen. McDowelps report in
their bands for more than fortnight, have not
vet yentured to tell their own stOry. In vain
do The Charleston Mercury and other promin'
ent rebel journals exclaim, "Give us the truth
we can bear it"--they do not venture to
comply. They dare not set forth, in PLAIN
words the strength Of their array nor the
extent of their losses. They dare not Say why
they failed to pursue our panic-stricken troops
in their hetsr-skelter race TO the fot'hlac'
They dare not cay why, even after being IN
formed by their Washington spies OF the utter
decentralization of the fugitive', they did not ven
ture to pursue them into Washington. In short,
no vanquished chieftain ever concealed the cir
| cumstances and extent OF his defeat more stu
diously than the CoDfederates, aside from their
brief and vague yet scandslOusly false dispatches
| have concealed the circumstances OF the Bull
Run combat. Who believes they would have
done 40 had they not realized that the truth
would not serve them so we'll as the falsehoods
| wherewith they have concealed it
III. For a week, the Capital seemed to be at
their mercy, yet they did moi venture to advance
upon IT, For weeks, they have enjoyed the
prestige of having beaten us in great battle,
yet have made little or nothing of it except in
the way of recruiting. They have not crossed
the Potomac they have not nssailed nor invested
WashiDgton--they have not raised 8 revolt in
Maulaud--they bsve not offered battle 10 Gen.
Mcclellan. Whether their tOrpdity springs from
disafecton in their ranks, or lack of food, or Of
ammunition, or lack Of heart it clearly argues
inability on their part to profit by the most in
dulgent freaks Of fortune. Does this look ike
ability on their part to destroy the Republic
Judge from the facts
| III. In Missouri, the same incapacity TO follow
up successes is evinced by the rebes. Sige fought
them near Carthage and, though immensely out
numbered, held bis ground against them, so that
they did not dare follow him when he retired
At Wilson's Creek, near Springfield, Lyon and
Sigel attacked three or four times their own
numbers in q strong position, drove them back,
retiring at last only TO prevent the interpositiOn
| Of greatly superior force between our little
band Of heroes and their resources, and finally
retreated one hundred and eighteen mile, 10
| RoIla without being once molested on the way.
! Had the tremendous odds been for instead OF
| against us, we do not believe tho enemy could
have retreated half 20 far without being practi.
caly annihilated.
| Such are the e1bibitions, on the one aide Of
csracity TO endure reyerses, on the other Of iB-
ability to profit by successes, which give assur-
ance of ul.mate National triumph. The Amer
| lean People do not want their country cut up
| into two or more rival il not openly hostile con-
federacies; they do not want to slaughter and
| bepcar each other. Ibis rebellion looks forni
dable, bot it is really weak, because based on
pyramids of fslsebOod. Disabuso the Southern
mind of the impression that the North Is intent
on plunder, devastation aud oil manner Of out
rage and indignity, and even the despotism Of
JEFF. Davis could not long protract the niquitous
war; waged by his satellites upon the Union, the