The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-15

lied by imbecility and ineficiency. These
offices ought to be cleared of their incumbents,
and men who keep pace with the spirit of the
age ought to be appointed to fill them. And SO
of all other Offices in the gift of the Collector;
the drones, whatever may be the complexion Of
their politics, out to be turned out, and honest,
active men of business, without regard to party
ought to take their places.
The Prospect Before Us-A Series OF Deci-
sive Battles Close mt Hand.
We have reached the middle of October, and
yet we have had no decisive reckoning with
our Southern rebel armies. They still menace
the advanced lines of General Mcclellan; they
still maintain desultory warfare with our
troops in the mountains of Western Virginia;
they still occupy Southwestern Kentucky, and
they still hold us in doubt Of the absolute safety
of Missouri; but still the confidence of the loyal
States in the speedy triumph Of our holy cause
Is stronger to-day than on any other day since
the bombardment of Fort Sumter.
The confidence of our loyal States In the
government, and their liberality in furnishing
the men and the sinews of war, have resulted in
putting into the field a larger body of men in
the service of the United States, and better
equipped and supplied, than the largest and best
appointed army ever mustered by any single
nation of Europe. That this grand army, in
conjunction with the powerful navy which the go
vernment has created since the month of March
last, will very soon administer succession of
III owe ,,non THO yuonator rohall;o, ;a
also universally expected by our loyal people.
They have the fullest confidence in General Nc
Clellan, in his plans and movements, and in the
immense and thoroughly appointed army I'M
der his command Cautiously approaching the
enemy, and strengthening himself as he goes
against every possible contingency Of danger,
he is at length in position from which at any
moment he may wheel simultaneously in
overwhelming force upon the right orleft flank,
or upon both and the centre of Beauregard,
and shell him out Of his intrenchments. Not
very many days, we suspect, will elapse before
there will be news from our army Of the Poto-
mac worthy general illumination.
Our industrious and energetic Mcclellan is
not the man to lose his opportunity. The
amount of work which he has achieved in the
organization, equipment and distribution Of his
forces is almost incredible. Ready at any time
since the LIST of September to try his strength.
he has for month past been anxious to receive
the enemy, and now we are assured that he is
ready to march upon him at moments warn
ing. Meantime the rebel army Of Manassas
has become uneasy and restless, from rumors
and reports of federal naval expeditions no
vering along the Southern seaboard, or
mastering in the North for q sweep
ing descent upon the seaports of the
rebel States, from North Carolina to Texas.
And it is possible that before he is assailed in
front Beauregard may be compelled to look
to his rear, in consequence Of some naval
invasion Of the insecure domains of King Cot
ton. So much in reference to our army of the
Potomac. 1t is ready but it is awaiting Vic
signal for decisive action.
With regard to Western Virginia, it will s,,f-
fee for the present that the rebels in that quarter
can do nothing but fall back from the positions,
the forces and combinations of Rosecrans and
his colleagues. Next, as to Kentucky. Her
loyal people, rising in arms, are bravely coming
to the rescue, and these men, with the legions
which Ohio, Indiana aud Illinois are sending
across the river to her assistance, promise soon
to expel from Kentucky the insolent rebel in
vaders of her soil. Our apprehensions concern
ing Missouri have been very much lghtened by
the apparently hurried retreat of the rebel
Price and his freebooters southwark towards
Arkansas on the approach Of the Union army
of Fremont The rebel Price has pretty
thoroughly tested the fighting qualities Of our
Western Union troops, and has learned
the virtue Of flying from them unless he can
meet them with vastly overwhelming numbers.
Leaving, therefore, the military qualities Of
Fremont out Of the question, we are inclined to
think that his force is sufficiently near that of
the rebels in numbers to keep them moving
till over the boundary Of Arkansas, either in
tact or broken to pieces.
Hence, from Virginia to Missouri, and from
Hatteras Inlet to New Orleans, we think our
readers may be excused if they anticipate, before
the end of November, a series Of decisive battles
in favor Of the Union; because, after carefully
oAouAluluS Suob AClu VI OpClutlOuo NY Adllu
and sea, TO the e4tept 9f the fasts before Us we
entertain the same hope. In fact, considering
the warlke resources Of our fixed, powerful and
bene1cent government, the resources Of our
twenty-three loyal States and our twenty-three
millions Of loyal people; considering the good
credit of our treasury, the wholesome state of
our finances, our astonishing business prosperi-
ty in the midst Of this war, our uninterrupted
commerce, our absolute command of the sea,
our powerful navy, our endless means and facili-
ties for arming, equipping, clothing and feeding
our troops-considering all these things, in con-
trast with the exhausted condition of our block
AIDED rebellious States, it is extremely difficult
to imagine how this rebellion can be kept upon
its legs to the end of the coming winter, except
through the defeat Of the army of Mcclellan.
But upon this point we have no fear, no mis-
givings, not even the shadow of doubt. Gene
raj Mcclellan might send away one hundred
thousand men from the Potomac and still defy
the embarrassed army Of Beauregard. The sim
ME truth is that with the failure Of tho original