New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-02

@ANIN''''N-i ..-+
after day the voluminous correspondence Of our daily
newsparers in anxious expectation Of seeing "the |
plan finally brought out for the CONSERVATION OF the
Rebel rces.
Various uncalled for demonstrations by inferior Of
fees, il seems, have inervened Lieut. Tompkins |
had the rashness to charge into Fairfax, dperse five
times hs force and capture considerable number Of
prisoners. But ths, it is said, has bad the effect OF
frustrating Z" the plan" which about being con-
summa' to the utter destruction Of the enemy.
Agaia a dash was made by our Northern trooTs INTO
Pbipp and Romney, and large Secession forces seat
tered in ignomnious fight Bot all this seems to ~Ive
been hut renewal of misadyentures which forest hled
and defeated the plan by which the whole Rebel
detachment at Harpers Ferry was to have "-en cap
tured by mastery strategy.
In fact, BY reason Of such unauthorized acts the
rebels did quit HarPers Ferry, and the7efore 1t was
feared that they bad escaped and would never
be reached again by the profoun1 combination
which had been devised sgainst them. But to the
eat relief as doubt no. it was Of he authors Of the
grand strat gy which VIA thus in jeopardy of being
defeated-the enemy reappear at Leesburg the
terminus Of the Northern Riload from Alexandria,
and also tsles new position On tue Baltimore aud
Ohio Railroad near YiedmoDt, which electuaiy inter-
ceprs all transit frtm the Ohio to the Chesapeake
either Of military fsrces muhOns Of war, OF even tie
coal, which should now be brought into Baltimore
An opportunity Is therefore afforded Of recovering adj
vantage which was supposed to be lost. Bat before
movement adapted to the new emergency can be de-
vised the enemy again r>gnter IIarpers Ferry, put to
flight or take prisoners all the Union citizens that
remained there, or who had rcturncdi wsntony de-
sroy private property, end in fact demonstration
of their defiance of Government, and earlessne.s
of any re,rbution commit of outrage that recall
our thoughts 10 the atrocities of the Nandals.
Meanwhile, rs we are informed, two divisions Of
Federal forces amounting in the aggregate to 10000
men, have been long since in motiOu-one from Graf
ton and the other from Chambersburg The latter d.
vi-ion under Sen. Patterson, was announced every
day during some two or three weeks, was rapidly ad
vaneng. II appears, however, that during all that
time the General had not arrived at HagerstowH,
(which was about one days march from Chambers6urgl
when the evacuation took place at Harpers Ferry
Then an advance actually made to tie Potomac, NJ
Marinsburgh Bot it found that this nnprecedent-
cd dispatch was premature, the Rebel forces appear,
after all not to have left the Potomac, and it might
have been sqfT for the General 10 have said in lia-
pentown-at all events, it was thought necessary to
withdraw TO the eastern side Of the Potomac. OF the
other division hear little; probably an eeectua ad-
monition has been gwen the officer in command that
10 such unreasonable display Of enterprise is wanted
az the irregular dispersion Of rebels but that he is TO
witt until all the traitors shall be crcumvened by the
plan which has been devised At Washington.
Now, II would in become ~ 10 express an opinion
upon the plan, or 10 intimate that It viii not be
entirely ehectual PerlaIsit may however, be allowed
to Us in a very humble way to hint at some small sd
vauaees which might be brought to bear on the exec
tiun thereof.
/. Why not reapp0nt large number ofsouthern
officers formerly attached to our army who have re-
spned. bat who not having realized Tie emouments
they expected in tie Confederate army, would doubt
les be glad 10 return to u.s. in the Of the noo
Gus Emory, who has teen restored TO Bis place after
having resigned. and then promoted higher rank.
Thi. mode OF procedure would have an exIao binary
effect IN racfyng the South. It night indeed, induce
Gen. Beauregard to for5ear from taking Washington
when Il should be defended by considerable number
Of the sluthcrn chiyalry.
II. Somewhat akin to this, though not belonging
strictly 10 tie military department, except es a!ectngtle
general result Of the war; would be appointment of
number Of Seoessi0niSs to the civil service especially
to D. D'0nahc stations Probably not a few could be
found ike Harvey, present Minister 10 Portugal,
who would be 90 acceptable the South that it might
bege, conviction there that the expense would be lees
in Obtaining all that is in contest by the means OF the
civil and military patronage Of our Government than
by the continuance Of open war.
III. With the came difference to the profound sa-
gacity with which all our affairs conducted at
Washington, we would further suggest that all pris-
oners taken either on land or at sea Gncllding the
pirates who have attempted, in coniravenion Of the
usages Of all civilized States, 10 prey upon COM
mercel be maguanimousy set at liberty. l. ia true
that Northern soldiers have been taken prisoners in
some ill.adyised operations lika that at Bethel and
ARE confined in ias ike criminals with scarcely the
common necersaries Of life, that tho number of pris-
opers may probably be increased under the auspices Of
sucb military leaders ms Gems Pierce and Schenck and
that il is openly ayowed in the Southern army that
they will take summary satisfaction for any such
unyarrantable acts as have been committed by Tomp
kins and others for going into the fight contrary 10
"tLs Man" Of the Commander-n-C Chief-in other
words that they will execute martial law upon any
such irregulars. Yet, on the other hand, what a
sublime action It would be our part to re-
lease unoonditioaaHy all the prisoners that we have
taken, and it should happen las doubtless it wllD
that the brave men who have already shall here
after fall into the bands Of the enemy, shall come to
lingering death by starvation or other cruel treatment
or that the brayest of thom should be Immediately
hung as retribution for their uniinOhng yaor, what
n spectacle Of disinterested greatness Of mind would
be exhibited by our Government if we should set al
liberty traitors and pirates, while our ownfree citizens,
who had gone into the service Of their country at the
sacrifice Of all that was dear TO them, should be suf
fered TO undergo an gnominous death by the hands OF
u rebel enemy
w. In the delivering up Cf the prisoners taken from