The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-10-17
Let There be no Delay!

In the strife OF the conHlctlils iu'"oiS VI
the mast week, it is difficult to decide what to
believe in reference to the future of The army
of the Potomac. On the one hand there are
rumors. which seem to be corroborated by
facts, leading to the conclusion that our ar
my is going into Winter quarters. On the
other hand there are positive statements by
some of the correspondents that the army is
preparing for grand onward movement
There is a faint similitude to something We
have heard before in this latter statement,
and we confess to incredulity in regard to
such things in the absence of proof. The
wishes Of the President on the subject are
we'll known, and his Impotence at the delay
since the battle of Antietam is one of the
strongest reasons we have for thinking that
there will soon come an end to our stagna-
ton.
The real question, after all, goes back to
the leading officers. The President may
command an advance, but no effective ad-
vance will be made unless the general COM
handing cooperate with energy AMI promp-
titude. The Washington correspondent of
the n. Y. Times relates little anecdote quite
appropos to the subject:
A prominent gentleman startled the Pres-
dent, yesterday, by the remark:
Il am satisfied, MIR Lincoln, that your re-
moval of Major Key was both IN Just and
unwise."
"How is that ?" asked the President, rath-
er taken aback.
"Truth is not so plentiful just now, Mr.
Lincoln" was the reply, "that man should
be punished for telling it."
| OF course the President would have no
difficulty in seeing the "point" to so broad a
joke; and would have 70 hesitation in serv-
ing any man as he served Major Key on the
like provocation. To ascertain if any such
cause of inaction exists, or, if not what is
the reason of the inaction, is credibly said to
have been the motive of Mr. Lincolns visit
to the headquarters of the army, last week.
Gen McClellan's order No GO was the result
Of the visit, for one thing. That was excel
lent light appears to be breaking iuto dark
quarters, and there is hope Of a general illu.
mination ere long. Meanwhile, these splen.
did campaigning days of October are rapidly
passing. Soon "mud-tme" will come, when
armies are said to be incapable of notion
Under these circumstances there are good
grounds for the utterance of some stirring
admonitions, directed to the powers that be-
urging that longer dilatory policy is fraught
with disaster and extreme peril TO our cause
a safe retreat Of the rebel forces would
now be almost as damaging to our good name
as defeat to our arms. 1t would disgrace
US more than any of Pope's battles, for in
those our forces showed courage, endurance
and skill, in subordinate commands, if not
brilliant generalship. If Gen Lee extricates
his half-starved, ragged and dirty hordes from
their present position, without material dam
age to himself, will it be far from right to
hint at incapacity, cowardice or traitorous
sympathy, as appropriate terms by which to
characterize the men whose policy made such
escape possible? We do not justify such
epi,hets, but there is this much to be said
That the public mind is in no temper to ac.
cept lame excuses for an idle campaign which
ends no better or worse than it began. The
country has abundantly furnished the means
for successful war; it demands that they be
used wisely, determinedly, even to the tho
rough and utter demolition of the rebellion
1t cannot now be accused of Impotence. L
has put up with lame apologies for disaster
it has favorably construed occurrence
that in ordinary times would have been con
sidered unutterably stupid and inexcusable
it has even surrendered the right of judg
ment on many points and been content to 81
blindfolded, and read mendacious telegram
and wonderful prophecies day after day: i
has never lost its faith, its courage, or its vii
lingness to suffer in the good cause An,
yet it has learned one or two lessons perhap
sufficiently for the present generation. On
is this that successful strategy consists OF
tener in moving against the enemy than il
waiting behind ones defenceS. We believ
in strategy, certainly; We also believe tha
its chief arena is in the feld-that its wides
scope is not reached unless it comprehend
the enemy's plans and defeats them or turn
J them to its own advantage. And anothe
: lesson is this that an aggressive army, UT
; dertaking to put down rebellion, must marc
} against the enemy wherever it can find hr
must enter the enemy's country-must dc
: prive him of his subsistence, cut off his re
sources in every possible way, and ruin hir
5 by constant battle, by unremitting, aggres
l sive, terrible war.
e In this spirit We urge that our armies b
. set and kept at work. The day when paltr
excuses will be listened to with respect wi
/. never return. Our vast armies were gathere
for purpose They have by no means ye
s accomplished it. They have the power to d
e so whenever the word Of command sets the1
: il motion. We anxiously wait for that wore
h -@D.-x..~~.s~-AsAs
v News in Brief.
John l.. Hunter of Gardiner, Me, has bee
sent to Fort Preble, for advising recruits t
leave Camp Reyes, in that state.
A rebel agent has purchased one steamt