The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-28

tie country, and could not be tolerated for a
snomept But we find by the intelligence frou
Washington, published yesterday, and by the
etill more precise statement made by General
Mcclellan himself, that there is no truth what
ever in the report of this pretended agreement
with Governor Msgoffin; but it seems rather to
be one of the tricks so readily resorted to by
the rebels, wherever there is chance of
gaining point or an advantage for their cause
1t is indeed very plain that the whole career of
secessionism has been principally remark able
for the tricks and sRares which have been pu.
forth to hoodwink and deceive the people, and
that the report Of an spocryphsl agreement be-
tween General Mcclellan and Governor Ma
Coffin Is . part Of the same nefarious plan.
Ridiculous Position OF the Tive Arn1ess
Nothing can be more ridiculous than the pre-
cent position of the two armies on the banks Of
the Potomac willing to XIII and wound,
but both apparently afraid to strike. There is
nothing in all history to compare with the
moral phenomenon of 90 many hostile troops 50
long in close proximity-so close that tho
pickets are continually shooting each other,
with no obstacle between then-both sides
nearly equal in numbers and arms, officers and
discipline, and yet without coming to close
quarters. They. remind US Of two overgrowa
boys swearing at each other with loud threats,
but no blows, each calling on the other to come
on, but neither advancing an inch, and only
hoping that somebody might come to separate
them. Or like two gamecocks in the pit
spurred for the conflict but both "crowed
down." shy Of each other, and hesitating to ad-
vance. We fear that the prestige of the Anne
rican name will be lost in Europe. and that
the reputation of our people for courage and
good sense will soon be at a discount every
where. The whole country, North and South,
is in imminent peril of being disgraced.
The rebel leaders long since threatened to
capture Washington, and carry the war into
the North, and now they appear to have totally
abandoned that design, and to be we'll satisfied
if let alone. Their deluded followers burn for
the fight; but as to the chieftains, guilty con-
science makes towards of them all. The United
States government, on the other hand, has de-
clared i0 determination to recapture all the
federal forts, places and property in the hands
Of the insurgents, and it was announced many
weeks ago, by authority, that the grand army
at Washington was on its way to Richmond;
while Buffers wing would advance to the
same point from Fortress Monroe, and McClel-
Ians and Patterson's forces, uniting in the
Northwest and capturing Harper's Ferry, would
close in upon the devoted city from that quar-
ter, and leave the rebellious government and
army no alternative but surrender or retreat
to the cotton States Indeed, it was added that
a fourth corps, operating from the Southwest,
and selling the Virginia and Tennessee Rail-
road, would cut off the escape of the insurgents
even southwark But no progress appears to
have been made in any direction.
In the vicinity of Fortress Monroe there has
been rather disastrous repulse to our arms,
and the rebels in that quarter are every day
gaining ground and confidence. In the North
west the federal troops are either driven back
or kept at bay, and Johnston, by his strategical
evacuation Of Harper's Ferry, which was re-
garded at the time as retreat, has so menaced
Patterson's division that after crossing the Po-
tomac he was compelled to retire behind that
river, and is still in the same position, playing
hide and 60 seek, but managing to keep at q
respectful distance from force inferior to his
own; while McClellan's division, threatened
by portion of the Harper's Ferry force and
other rebel troops, hesitates to advance. In ad-
dition to this there was imminent danger, by
latest accounts, that a regiment at Cumberland
would be cut off, Then to the Southwest
large force has been despatched under Cover
nor Wise to watch and oppose such Union
troops as may attempt to pass up the Kanawha.
In front of the centre of our line at Washington
there appears to be no advance. On the con-.
trary, the enormous breastworks and redoubts
thrown up there look more like the fear of
attack than Of any design 10 move forward.
The disaster III Vienna is not yet wiped out,
snd the Sad affair at Big Bethel, of which no
official report has ever been given, is not much
calculated to inspire our troops with confidence
ia their leaders. ~
Yet the troops around Washington are ready
and willing to 90 ahead, if there were any one
TO lead them They are impatient for the
shock which is to decide the momentous ques.
ton involved, and they viii not stand humbug.
They are intelligent men, not like the hireling
troops of Europe. They know what they are
fighting for-fghting to see whether we can
pu. the insurrection down, or whether the in
suIcc6on will put us down. They have no
desire for serving in standing armies, and can
DOT brook to be kept inactive. They want to
decide the issue OF once or return home, or
be led against foreign foe. They ought,
therefore, to be precipitated without delay
upon the rebel troops which stand in their
path to Richmond; or else, as we suggested
yesterday, an armistice ought to be agreed
upon, and both armies, instead of en-
gagipg in the work of mutual destruction,
ought to be marched against our foreign enc
mics, to sweep them from American soil
the Northern army northward, to Canada,
which IL cou1d roach in q wonk ARD tho S0uth