The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-07-24
BALTIMORE,
WEDNESDAY, JULY q, 1851.


of reverse or check of any sort as being I'M
worthy Of serious consideration. A rapid and
direct advance on Richmond was predicted and
the humiliation of the Confederate forces, in case
of resistance their part, regarded as fore
gone conclusion. There was to be emo re,rograde
movement" and the Confederate Congress was
to be driven out of Richmond, by General Nc
DOwELI, 'Hke rats from sinking ship" Such
were the anticipations in which the Northern peo-
pie almost universally INDUCED when they learned
that the long-desired order to march had been
issued by General SCOTT. IF these expectations
had been based upon the valor of the Northern
army, the capacity of its COMMANDMENT Chief, and
the completeness of its organization and equip
ment, they might even then have been thought
somewhat prssumptuous. But it was not upon
calculations like these that the conclusions of the
North were founded. Its confidence has been
wholly predicated upon the cowarlice and the de-
moralization of the Southern troops. Despite the
palpable and indisputable evidence to the contrary
the adherents of the Administration have persisted
in the hallucination that no efficient army could
be raised, armed and supported in the South
They have striyen to keep up the delusion that
the hearts Of the people Of the slave States were
still loyal to the Union, and that the soldiers of
the Confederate army had been impressed into the
service and were ready TO desert or to run upon
the first attack. Thus, when it was known in
New York that the Federal forces were really in
motion, the leading papers, in cougrauatiug their
readers upon the fact, took occasion to express
their contempt for the "mob' on which the Con-
g. IL,
Thursday last, the Times, referring to the march
of General McDowELL's columns, said
In good time and in the prearranged way. they will
enold that centre rebellion in a deadly tntGarGqs of
rife aud Cannon and reduce its oburate temper to the
peaceful and prosperous rule Of the Republic That will
emancipste Virginia and once unlock her closed
rivers and harhors
We trust this result may he reached without much
bloodshed. We have long believed the armed strength
of the rebels greatly exaggerated and each days dcve
opment tells of an enemy weak, disheartened and de-
morazed AT an earlier day. the advancing press Of
our army mi yht have consolidated them into nowerf
and dangerous resisting body. We WILL in our present
satisfaction, readily concede the full value and more of
this theory if advancing and irresistible legions
shall scatter mob the disprted broken
Beauregard and Davis lately thought to mould into
army OF invasion and conquest.
On the same day the Tribune also INDUCED in
some speculations upon the event, and from the
tone Of the following paragraph ii is easy to I'M
dersand the character Of its antcipations. 1t
remarked
The Southern Hidalgos must now prove themselves
the natural masters rulers the North by meeting
and beating the Union in the open field or must
stand exposed as rothy hraggrts the contempt and
Jeers OF the civilized world. Two to one is the very
smallest odds they have proposed give the North in
otherwise equal battle if they shrink from the
combat, shut themselves up in intrenched stronCbod
limit their operations plotting arnbuscades settin~
traps and skukng up behind fences and bushes to the
vicinity of our pckets and taking at lone .enti.
IN bprga
stand justly exposed to the deron and scorn of man
kind They have bullied themselves into dilemma. lot
us see whether they will fight out or sneak Quit
The Herald, too, grew facetious over the cow
ardly scene which it supposed would he enacted in
Virginia rs soon as the "Crand ARMY moved for
ward 1t went so far as to specify the particular
individuals who were 10 be foremost in the re-
treat:
RACES IN VIRGIYIA-Sporting ErtrGordinary We
nave received accounts OF most exciting races in the
mountains OF Virginia. exceeding all that has been hith
ero witnessed in the annals of the turf OF those horses
that have distinguished themselves in these amusing
trials of skill there two which stand pre.eminent
having hitherto dstanced every competitor and these
are Old Wise and Young WISE who every tune thew see
me stars ana stripes take fresh start and leave all
other nag far behind. But there another horse at
backed against them and all the field for the next race
nus name is Pryor, and he is said in excellent CON
dion Tor good run. If his eye only catches GLIMPSE
oil Potter with his big bowie knife there is no danger of
grass growing under his heels In that event we will
tof ubt
and take the purse, a Ia Floyd.
The World also added lis voice TO the dar;si,e
chorus which sang the approaching discontinue
OF the Southern host. 1t said:
THE advance of the grand army has now fairly COM
menced, and every loyal heart in the land beats high
s eApectauon. 1t IS now to be decsiyely tested
whether the traitors will make a serious stand Thev
ana 800 era" good Generals, are not badly armed
f. ., 4E@eo terribly We are now TO learn whether
they Will fight, and if with what determination
lar appearances have been altogether against themn
These extracts are, be it remembered, taken
from the leading papers Of one and the same morn
ing, and that only three days prior to the battle
In which the Federal army was almost annihila-
ted, and which settled the question as to whether
the Southern soldiers were either willing or nre-
pared TO fight to the DEATH The determination
and efficiency of every man of them was made
thoroughly manifest that day, for even Pryor is
reported TO have stood his ground. 1t is barely
possible, however, that he felt fully persuaded he
would not meet Mr.. POTTER in such a place
NOW we have not quoted the above paragraphs
1or The purpose of contrasting such bright homes
with the black disappointment in which they
ended or OF indnlging in any feeling of exultaion
over the bitter modification which these foolish
journalists must suffer. We desire only to call
ne attention Of the people of the North to the fact
"n'cn Is now SO evident, that they have been
following thus long the blindest and most igno-
rant Oh guides From the time when Mr.. LIN
COLIN pronounced the crisis an s'artifciai" one
anu MI SEWARD promised 10 restore the Union
within thirty days, the prominent politicians If
the North have proved to be wholly incanab,o of
comprehending the position Of affairs. or else
they have systematically deceived the people
With the amplest opportunities for arriving at the
truth, If they had really desired or tried TO do so
they have wilfully shut their eyes TO facts. Whla
the South has been organizing strong govern
ment and powerful army, the leading New
York journals have pertinaciously treated the one
as shan and the other as sort of general mill
Tia muster. When it ought to have been obvious
10 them that without a compromise the slave
States would withdraw from the Confederacv
these sage advisers insisted that the South coud
not be kicked out of the Union. When it was an
parent that the South would resist coerciva meas.
ures, they maintained that it would not ran,,ro
upon show of opposition if the Government bpt
uispiayed lis Strength. And even when an army
lay entrenched at Manassas Junction, under sucb
commanders as Lac and BEAUREGARD, the North.
ern leaders grew fcetous over The idea of so many
men madly running towards Richmond in front
OF the courageous militia of New York and Mas
sachusetts. Is it not time for the Northern peo-
pie to inquire whether they have not been grossly
deceived about the situation of things in the
South, and whether they are not likely, by listen
ing TO the same counseors as heretofore, to be led
into still more fatal errors?