The national Republican., 1861-05-22
THE MILITARY MOVEMENTS.

has neither education nor experience in military
affairs TO critcise the curernt measures OF Gen.
Scott, SO far as they are controlled by military
reasons, and assuming the correctness OF the
theory that the Southern States are to be treat
ed as an enemy's country, and to be conquered
as such. On that view of things, Gen. SCOTS
Judgment of the number Of men necessary, OF
the length of the preparatory drill OF the SOL
diers, of the proper season Of the year for op'
eratons, and of the true points Of attack, if not
conclusive, would have most imposing weight
of skill and experience in its favor.
But, in truth, what we have in hand, is not
a war in any proper sense. The Southern
States are not an enemy's country, and what
is to be accomplished, is not the conquest OF
the South Indeed, what we have in hand, OIL
though undoubtedly rebellion against the au.
thority of this Government, is still more q SUBJ
version of social order in the Southern States
themselves, the subection within them Of pas.
sive msjorities to violent and desperate minor.
tiles, and the loss by their people Of all real po
litical liberty. The work to be accomplished
is not the subjugation, but the liberation OF
the South, and to do that with the least ex-
penditure of treasure and blood, requires some.
thing besides military knowledge and expe.
rience.
We have no doubt that the plan upon which
Gen. Scott is acting, will effect the object and
conquer peace. With the resources of twen'
ty millions of people, he can subdue six mil.
lions, but this will be no addition to his lau.
rels. He will merely have reached result,
which was inevitable from the enormous dis.
parity of the opposing forces.
How to deal with, this Southern outbreak, is
really question for statesmen and politicians,
and not for soldiers and Generals should not
command the policy Of the country, but only
the armies embodied to efectuste that policy.
What we need in this case, is not long pre-.
pared campaigns, but instant blows, and this
because we are dealing, not with war, but with
revolution. We want such blows as that by
which Capt. Lyon paci6cated Missouri. IT
they are not dealt, what is now revolution, will
settle down and harden into confirmed war
If it comes 10 that, the nation is, to be sure,
strong enough to end it victoriously, butit is
q war which might be avoided.
General SCOTS policy ignores the fact, that
there is a Union party ready to join US, if it
could have practical evidence of the determina'
ton of the nation TO assert its authority, and
national forces to rally bahind.
1t has been from the first, the most vital
point OF wise management Of affairs, to satisfy
those in the South who prefer the old order of
things, that we do not mean t0 assent to any
COMPROMISE which shall abandon them to their
enemies.
But it is, at this day, the common belief in
Virginia that that State is not to be invaded.
Their well Uniformed men, Of course, know bet.
ter as we know better, but the masses judge
by what they see, and they put not unnatural
construction upon the careful observance, so
far, of defensive policy by General Scott.
The result will probably be, an overwhelming
vote in favor of secession on Thursday.
As we said al the outset, we do not presume
to criticize the judgment of General Scott
upon military points. He could probably show
that the occupation of Alexandria down to this
time, was either disadvantageous, or useless, in
a military point of view. But the moral, or
political effect of such an occupation, or OF
some equivalent tangible act, making it obvious
to men that Virginia was to be kept in the
Union by force, is an altogether different mat
ter, either never considered by General Scott,
or upon which he has no better means Of de.
Gliding than any other man of equal general in
telligence.
Mr.. Lincoln said, in respect to this Govern
ment, in one of his waysde speeches, in his
progress from Springfield to this capital, that
"he must run The machine as he found it," a
remark full of meaning and practical sagacity.
A President does not create the circumstances
which surround him, and all he can do, is to
make the most and best of them.
One part of the "machise," as Mr.. Lincoln
found it existing here, was the Lieutenant Gen.
eral of the army, man Of unquestioned pa.
triotism, possessing the entire confidence Of the
country in his professional skill and abilities,
and entitled to be treated with Difference by
every circumstance of age, of position, and
of illustrious service. But this man, actually
at the head of the army, with all his aptitude
for war, had no peculiar qualities of mind to fl
him to cope with revolution, while unfortu'
nately, it was revolution, and not war, which
was to be encountered.
New York TRIBUNEs PLAN OF A CAMPAIGN.
The Tribune OF Monday says:
ave most heartily rejoice over the intima.
tons that reach US from Washington, that a
decisive struggle is soon to be inaugurated for
the rescue of Virginia from the clutches Of the
traitors who now tyrannize over the greater
part of her soil, and are sucking out her life
blood; but this resolve to demonstrate with
armed hand against rampant treason would be
iutile-nay, mad-were it not paralleled by a
determination to call into service erery efectirt