New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-01
OBSERVATIONS ON THE CRISIS.
Progress Of tho Wsr-Probahle Effects upon
the Commercial Interests Of the NORTH
Suggestions ia she Policy called a.
the Present. ESsgencies.

have 30 doubt that there "a an anxiety far greater than
ia expressed 1t could not well be otherwise. The
voluntary contributions in money for war purposes and
the tender of volunteers for service surpass all prece.
dent in the past history of the world. The great levy
Of ioTces in France in 193 aud subsequently, was by
conscrplon under a legislative decree. The forces
raised IN the English civil war, though for the most
part voluntary yet far inferior in number TO what
have been organized in this country and neither in
England or France at the periods above referred TO-
was there anything like proporonate .aid in money
by individuals or corporations. What are we to infer
from this st not that under The pressure Of the dis
order which would ensue from any long continuance Of
war, our people willing bear temporary sacr
fee to an almost fabulous amount for the sake of bring
ing TO early conclusion the strife between our Gov
eminent and the lawess Rebelsl Did it not neces-
sarily result from this that corresponding energy on
the part Of the Government WA due to the generous
spirit which prompted this voluntary add Had the
Federal Government been left 10 ito ordinary resour.
ces Il s Questionable II Its credit would in the fearful
crisis that had occurred have been sufficient for the
raising of what was necessary for immediate outlay;
and certainly the process of drafting fos military Scr.
vice would have been found utterly inadequate 10 the
necessity that existed for the immediate defence of the
Capital.
Our country is not ike any other. Government has
heretofore been apower distinct from popular support
80 far at east that il provided for lie own exigencies
without regard to the popular feeling. Extraordinary
taxesforced oans-coercive levy Of military forces
have been the by which wars have been carried
on by the monsrchs OF Europe
we revert to the elastic spirit of our people
in s grand rising against the raitorous attempt de-
stroy our Government it would be hbelous TO suppose
that it was merely spasmodic impalse popular en-
thusssm, that will die away speedily it had been
called FORTH Ihave TOO high estimate Of the iHtria-
ste riius Of tie Northern mind 10 admit that there ras
anything Of is ne5ulOus character exhibiting only
dissolgiag rers, but, on the contrary, / hare a
firm faM in tie sOundNess and persisteacy Of patriotic
ardOr in the support Of our nationality.
Every noble emotion is, however, the product of ra-
tiona motive. 1t would be idle to suppose that whole
people can be wrought up to such a selfsacriGcing
spr. by the exorcam Of political art. have Of
ten heard it said that the bombardment of Sumter was
the sole cause Of popular outbreak st the North. be-
ieve no such thing. On tho contrary, il would be an
aspersion of national character doubt that the
proclamation Of the President would at any time have
called out The generous support Of all trueheated ct-
zens to the support Of the country.
We are now called upon 10 look deliberately upon
the probable of the war; and there are two
questions to be resoved: First How long the to
continued and second What will be the ultimate
suit
N. Hri hear it often said that we are at the
commencement Of p,vnavtsd conflict which NAV last
for years The ready answer to thss that the prudent
and calculating mind Of the North will not submit to the
wasting Of resources in the pursuit Of what is be-
yond our strength 10 accomplish II We have no. the
power TO put down this rebellion bys rapid and de.
csive moyement-if the contrary, the contest is to
be succession of campaigns exhsustng both Of the
beigerent parties, and perpetusly exa,pcrating the
mutual luminosity of botb-tben it will, predict ere
long be seriously agated whether il ought TO be aban-
doned. But preliminary question is to be settled
uketer zee haze fairly and fully used the pOrer Ghieh
zoe actually possess. Have accomplished all that
might reasonably have been expected from the forces
that have been called into service What has been
done may be briefly stated. We in the occupation
of Alexandria but have not the control of siDgle
railroad beyond that point into any part of Virginia
has the Baltimore and Ohio Road been freed from OBJ
sruction by the enemy.
We have indeed had daily reports of the rapid ad.
rance of two columns, making aggregate of $4,000
msn-one from the Ohio, the other from Chambers
burgh in Pennsy lvania--but neither of them had
reached the Potomac until the evacuation Of Harpers
Ferry by the Rebels The encouragement which we
felt at the news Of the evacuation was however speedi
ly dspated by the temperance Of the enemy in the
neighborhood of Piedmont, so as still to prevent the
use Of the Baltimore and Ohio Road for through pas
sage and by the occupation Of Leesburgh, the term
nus Of the Northern road from Alexandria.
We may naturally inquire, where are all the forces
Il. hair 10
Fenyl do not pretend to such knowledge of military
strategy that would undertake ~ ssy what should
have been done. The result, horerer, soe k@OU-that
they have not yet obtained command of We great road
from the West to the Atlantic, and have nSde no ad-
vance beyond the Potomac into the interior OF the
State Our forces in fact yet upon the boundary
line Of Virginia The inquiry then naturally arises t"e
ut this rate of progress shal obtain military occu~
ton of Virginia. As 10 the rest of the Rebel States
all speculation would seem to be reeless.
Ia this condition of things thoughtful mind cannot |
avoid looking anxiousy forward to the solution OF the
more important question, which will soon be the ABB
sorbng topic throughout land vz TO what extent
can the war be- protracted without involving come great
change in the character and employmens Of our peo
pie, and which may result in unforeseen notifications
Of our present form Of government
have heard the opinion expressed that we shall
gradually become accustomed TO a military regime, and
that capital and labor will be turned into channels
with munitions OF war-tbe Furnishing Of
provisions clothing and arms to our soldery. Domee
tic manufactures aud agricultural production, h Is as
sumed will be vastly increased The argument il, how
ever, defective in several particulars All the labor
that will be employed in the manufacturing Of arms
and the supply of clothing for the army will be insig.