Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-14
Arrrcssion or nefencsi

Mr. fiizhugh, IN an article In the "Dispdeh briady
Discusses the policy Of an advance upon Wsshpgtor-
he Is opposed to advance for the that Wash
nsson 10 very strongly fortified the boldog Of BY tie
enemy Is more Injurious Dthan to u.s. as il requires
alArge force, which would Be dsengaged and free to
oct elsewhere; II We cross the Potomsc should be
compelled to divide forces, and subject or the
other division 70 combined attack Of the whole force
of the enemy.
The points made are not without force; but, to our
mind the whole question resolves itself into this: Are
vs strong enough to make The attack II We are, pot.
O.. considerations Of the grsvest character deu.nd the
advance; il ws not, military reasons forbid Il We
are not in possession ef facts which enable us to give
opinion In respect to ability to make forward move
msnt That can he determined by the authorities alone
But the impression widespread and despssated that
We have been able to ADVANCE and be able now
that the opportunity has been unwsely lost. This i'm.
preston it IT, which has created the painful suspicion
TIA, the defensive policy !, ths. which Is preferred at
headquarters We have believed that this suspicion Ia
not well founded and that the delay which has occurred
has been owing to the nifcalculaon of our volunteer
forces The mistake consisted In regarding these voun.
teers as no better than the mercenay materials out Ct
which the old regular army Of the United States was
com posed and that they had DO drilled into autonaa
and treated like brutes before they could be relied
for .ctive service. The idea proceeded from total
of the character of volunteers, men
generally intelligent familiar with the Of arms, whom
two days drilling would f for war; always ready and
eager for 6gbt, whom the insc,ion Of esmp-lfc de.
presses and sckens and Who won the battle Of Manassas
contrary to rule and in spite of the manual This mis-
fr, L.. he al hsa
more lives by disease than would have been lost BY half.
s.doIen victories and advance upon New York
As to the policy Of defence being that which prefer
red by the authorities do not credit the Suspicion
for IL contradieted BY speech Of President Davis In
shich b. promised the Yankees, II they did not let
s,ne that they should feel Southern steel at their own
6esiies Besides Il Isl policy repusoant to the feelings
of the whole Southern people It may be that lbs enemy
is wasting immense resources in maintaining himself IN
Washington but the popular mind can appreciate the
moral and political effects Of driving him from that Toti.
ton delivering Maryland and transferg the battlefield
Z, the itch fields of Pennsylvania. These Effects would
lore than counterbalance any benz 6s that the enemy
could derive from disengagng the 10000 men said TO
be necessary to defend Washington but which, be.
we, exist only on paper.
But as said in the beginning, the question depends
OF our ability TO advance, of which We know uo,brg-
But we d. know, conceding that ability, that there but
one feeling In the hearts Of the Southern people. Wssh
ingon Southern to-so is Maryland their occupancy
BY Yarkees stings every Southern bosom. They cannot
be the Potomac nor The Cbesa
pe,ke b, delivered from the presence Of the maraud,
until our victorious Banners planted the banks Of
the SufquehsDnab.