New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-07
AFFAIRS AT POET ROYAL.

We print this morning letter from our own
correspondent at Port Royal, which, IRON It's
careiuluess of statement. aud the importance Of
its facts, will be certain to commend attention.
We presume, of course, that there is nothing
in it not already known TO the Administration,
but to members of Congress II can hardly fail
to be of value. Nr. Lincoln, in bis Mes'age,
referred the question as TO the course that
should be pursued with the slave population Of
the South 10 the Representatives of the people,
and there is much In the condition o. thiugs o.
Port Royal that will aid their Judgment.
hi. expedition TO South Carolina j. ole OF
which much was hoped wble il was in prcpa.
ration, aud sill more after the brilliant action
Of Commodore Dupont. Though much has
been done in foriGing the position, and still
more 10 mrkc it valuable ns a naval nnd mil
it6ry stGiion, in the taking of Tybee Island,
there has been some, not unnatural, impotence
and disappointment that more important results
have not immediately followed tie occupation
of that region. il descent upon the coast, it
was hoped, would draw away troops from the
army Of the Potomac, ard facltetc en- ad-
vance Of our own forces. There is no reason
for supposiog that that has been the effect 30
far, and, if what has been done q. Port Royal
already is the promise of what is to be done
hereafter, we do not see why Beauregnrd
should send away single one OF his soldiers.
We acknowledge aud rejoice at the brilliant
naval action of Hilton Head month ago, as
we acknowledged and rejoiced over the forum
ate result of the attack upon the Hatteras
forts three months ago. But victory that
is not followed up is half defeat and the
people Of South Carolina and Georgia have, at
this moment, more reason for rejoicing that
we did 30 little, than we have for rejoicing
that we did so much Each measures the ac
tual by the possible, and much as we rejoice
in the possession Of a fine bay and its sur
rounding headlands, they are still more jubi-
laut that our gain is so little their loss.
We know that our correspondent is not die.
posed to find fault, and is incapable of misrep-
resolution, and the report he makes Of mis-
management in regard to guns, the destruction
of property, and the inexcussble want of good
sense IN the treatment of negroes, seems t. US
the more serious. To send men into an
enemy's country with guns that fall to pieces
before they are used, and without armorers to
repair them, seems to us even, ignorant as We
are Of military matters, to say the least, an
error. We surely have arms that are rot in
use; or if we bad not, under the circumstances,
enough might have been borrowed of the army
on the Potomac without much risk of Ices.
Or was it known, or thought, that there
would be little use of soldiers at Port Royal
Wouldn't it in that case have been az well
either to send 1abOrers, or to use those who
were sent as such, if they were to be put TO
no military service Sea Island cotton is
always valuable article of trafiic-at THE
moment doubly 20. To have prevented wanton
waste by friend or foe, it seems to US would
have been the first thought of the most unintel.
ligent person in the invading force. If TO do
so 1t was necessary even to assume some au.
thority We think it would have been pardoned
both by Government and people. Nor does if
seem to us necessary that the Invasion Of any
Southern State to suppress rebellion should ill.,
folVc cruelty To the iuciiensiye negroes on our
part, or the permission of cruelty on the part
"a o.le.s. .. 49, e.A.v. pA.1e ~. I4iAas ~