The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-05-10
How isit with regard to munitions Of war

How is IL with regard to munitions Of war!
In heavy ordnance and the like, the South
may be pretty well supplied, IRON the iSrts
tbey have seized and plundered. But in
the seeded States there is neither pow
der mill, nor foundry for casting can
non. nor an establishment for the manufac-
ture Of arms. Did any such establishment
exist, they could never turn out machinery
or arms that could match those manuiac.
tured ut the North. The seeding States are
to-day being supplied from ourselves with
every thing they use. But for this source
they could not put regiment in the field.-
Disarm them, and they must remain so, un-
til they can again supply themselves by puir-
chase. The Southern States are people
without artisans. Labor is held in disgrace.
The greater portion Of the white population
are ignorant. To say that such u people
can supply the very first conditions upon
which success depends, proper armament,
and compete with the trained skill OF the
North, is an absurdity that carries its own
refutation. Take away the arms tho feder-
al Government has distributed through the
South, or that have been stolen, and they
would be impotcnt for any military exploit
whatever.
The South lies at the mercy Of the North
in their innumerable points vulnerable to at
tack. They want 200,0 900 men as defense
against 10000 on board well appointed
fleet. One day this force would threaten
Norfolk tho next Wilmington the next
Charleston the next Savannah then Flor
ida, Mobile, New Orleans and Galveston
No one could tell where the blow was to be
struck, and consequently every menaced point
would have to be well guarded. Such fleet
and force could in six months put the whole
South in a perfect frenzy, by constantly hov-
ering upon their coast with hostile demon.
STATIONS. They could not touch 1t, and
could only regard it from their shores with
impotent rage.
What is the contrast the North presents to
this picture? Vast wealth proHered to the
Government with liberal hand-hundreds
of millions If necessary-and with 1t half
million Of men, supplied by a homogeneous,
united and enthusiastic people. Each State
can place and maintain respectable force
in the field, and several Of them armies
Every ono of them can raise any required
amount of money at the legal, and many OF
them ut much lower rates of interest.
On the land, the Northern States alone
constitute frst-class military power, in their
wealth and the number Of men they can arm
and maintain in the field. The skill Of their
artizans are the admiration OF the world
In food they can supply continent, To
say that such people cannot oyermatch one
rude to the last degree in all its industries,
capable of producing neither their food, nor
clothing, nor arms, nor means OF locomo-
tion-a people, the greater portion OF whom
are unskilled and untnined, and inpatient
of all discipline and restraint-is TO Affirm
that ignorance is stronger than intelligence,
poverty than wealth, and wild insubordina-
ton than training and culture.
The North has m immeasunble advantage
in It's command Of the sea. All the South.
ern produce must float upon 1t to market
We consequently hold in our hand the very
elements of their existence. We could re-
duce them to beggary without moving or
equipping a soldier. A few ships stationed
of their ports would do all this. With the
mercantile marine in our harbor, which
could be got ready weeks notice, we could
almost instantly throw 100000 men upon
any point to be attacked. Wemight threat.
en- dozen points at the same moment, and
so divide and distract the enemy that resist
ance ut the point where the blow was to bo
struck would be impossible. With the COM
mand of the sea in our hands, the South.
with ten times their present means, could not
defend themselves. They have more than
5 200 miles Of frontier to protect, requiring
thrice tho number they could bring into the
field. In this contest the Government has
only steadily, but firmly, to pursue the
course it has marked out. and ultimate sue
cess must follow with US much certainty as
matter obeys its laws.