The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-06

Inc conuillon oil the North at this great crisis
is truly remarkable. 1t has plunged into sec
honal war, the character and magnitude of which
up to this time it has wholly misunderstood. and
now is only beginning dimly to comprehend Six
months ago no statesman could be found who
ventured to appeal to arms, as a possible means
of settling the national difficulties In Apri last
the President avowed his purpose to be only to
hold the national capital, 10 enforce the laws and
re-occupy the places of which the government had
been dispossessed. He repsdiated, emphatically,
the idea OF invading the South. The Secretary
OF State declared that there would be no war
The idea OF both seemed to be that the North had
only to muster an imposing army, and prepare for
an onward march into Southern territory. and
that Union men in that region would flock to ,he
natonal standard, and the organized government
OF the new Confederacy would at once surrender
in terror and despair.
grand army was summoned, and the
summons was promptly obeyed. The people re-
sponded with an enthusiasm which astonsbad
themselves, and greatly delighted the authorities
at Washington. But other consequences followed
which the latter did not anticipate, and which they
do not lind either so encouraging or agreeable
The people OF the South rushed to the contest with
equal fervor, and still greater determination. in
the conviction that they were fighting for homes,
firesldes, and liberty. Moreover, the appeaI 70
arms destroyed the Union feeling on which 50
much dependence was placed, and TODAY the
South presents front more united and determined
IN It's resistance to the North than the thirteen
colonies did to Great Britain in the war of the
revolution Victory and defeat alike contribute
TO the same result, and it is difficult to saw which
acts with greater power and certainty. II is
enough that the sword is drawn-that men of the
two sections stand face TO face as foe1nen-tbat
blood has been shed, and that the North has de-
clared its fixed purpose and determination to be to
bring the South back to its allegiance by force
of arms.
Thus, contrary 10 the declarations and opinions
OF all the statesmen of the land without authority
Oh congress, but by the act of the Executive alone
simulated By the will of the masses of the North
as expressed by leading newspapers and popular
orators of the pulpit and platform the nation
has drifted into terrible war.
in this contest the North has no great leaders.
The people have taken the matter into their own
hands, and President and Cabinet, Congress and
commanders, are carried along by the rushing
tide. The fatal battle of Bull Run was foucht
against the advice, and contrary to the Judgment,
clamor OF party presses and republican politicians
could not be resisted. 1t declared that the war
must be "short, sharp and decisive" and that the
progress of the grand army must at once be "on
to Richmond 2"
rpSult n tba
what might have been expected. Checked by the
great defeat, by stagnant trade, starving labor.
deprecated property, and impending taxes, the
herce war spirit seems to be passing away as ran
idly as it was kindled; peace meetings are BEING
held in many Of the States; general want of
confidence is felt, and loudly expressed in the Pre-
sldent and his advisers; but especially in the military
commanders and the conduct of the war. Enlist
ments are slowly effected; the necessary money.
which has to be raised by borrowing, and there
fore ls entirely dependent upon public confidence.
comes in still more slowly; the three months men,
who were the flower of the volunteers, have served
out their time and gone home, and the new re-
cruits, who are generally inferior to their prede-
cessors in every quality necessary to make SOL
diers, have everything to learn.
On the other hand, the South has leaders whom
it recognizes as fully competent to the great task
imposed upon them, and whom it is willing to
follow. The value of such leaders, in such a con-
test, can hardly be estimated, and their existence
is no new thing at the South. 1t is remarkable
fact that not one of all the greatest popular lead
ers of the nation has come from the North.
WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON, JACKSON and CLAY are
the men who have welded the greatest power
over the hearts and minds of their country. and
all these were from the South. And now the
people of the South look to JEFFERSON DAVIS as
one worthy to be the founder of a new Republic
and to ALEXANDER 81. STEPHENS as only second to
the President; while they regard their Generals
(LEE, BEAUREGARD, and JoHNsToN) as able to lead
their armies in any field and against any COM
mander.
Such being the condition of affairs, can anv
rational man suppose that the South will be sub
Jugated? 1t may, and perhaps will, have to en-
counter long and terrible struggle; but with its
large resources, its high spirit, its fixed purpose
ana Its great leaders, it cannot be subdued: and
'ns war will, when it is too late be recognized as
a fatal error "'