The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-27
Strike, Strike Strike

Ihe HatIoh Is slowly uylnS OF TWO wees, cor
rnption and inaction. Since Bull Run, he who
has urged activity, advance, hard crushing blows,
shas ia some quarters-and those not far from
the center ct our Government--bee accused of
being an enemy to the Republic Preparation,
thorough, complete preparation, has been said
10 bs tie motto vf those il power, and the peo-
pie must do nothing and say nothing but in
praise Of the commanders, whether in military
or in civil life, and give freely men and money
60 sustain the nation i'll lis day Of dsaster.--
Without a murmur, and with confident faith,
the free North put its back beneath the burden,
and answered with prompttude that is mar
wellous as we look back upon it, to the quickly
repeated acquisitions from the head Of the nation
Thousands, tens of thousands were hurriedIy
marched from their homes to the line of the
Potomac. The administration set itself to work
with vigor deserving of the highest praise, to
put an impossible barrier between Beauregards
army and Washington. And when we heard
day after day of the magnificent army that had
hem gathered at the call of the country, and
was in arms under the youthful and gallant Nc
Ciellan. who had just come flushed with victory
from Il campaign IN Western Virginia, in our
simplicity we believed that a blow was medi.
stated 1T rebellion, and that the army was not
attended only as Il bulwark about Washington,
and 'oslow Cabinet ministers to sleep quietly at
night. But what has that vast army, ---grc.ter
chan many with which Napoleon ~on his most
brilian; victories, -accompl ishcd? Ii has cat
n lis rat;ons. gone through The manual drill ,
.orage! occasionally and to some purpose been
exhibited! on parade and amused Cabnc5 minis.
Sers and newspaper correspondents with sham
lights and kept ashington safe. 1t has doue
notIing more. DraiIMvllc was brilliant, but
an accidental cncouoter, and only showed what
our troops would 10 If their leaders would offer
al opportunity. Balls Bluff also proved the
gallant bearing ANA the untalrer.us courage Of
our men, who, by the criminal blunder Of some
body, were lett unsupported and without any
avenue OF retreat, to he cut down by the pitiless
bullets o. an overwhelming enemy. Each day
has been like the last, and "all quiei along the
f'tomac,' has been the invariablc response OF
the Lightning to every anxious inquiry about the
news from The 9 Grand Army Below Wash
ington the rebels have been suffered to nearl,
stop the navigation OF the river; and that they
have nat completely closed the river to our com
merce is no luuls Of onr: They nave bull
sher batteries without molestation, and now
tnake targets Of every vessel that is bold euoucl
50 show Itself in front OF their Qualifications.
No attempts have been made to dislodge them
and the running Of the blockade on the Potomac
is chroniclcd by our Papers with as much exul
taSion us the rebels employ in giving news o
the successful evasion OK the Federal blockad
OF Southern ports. On the Upper Potomac
She Baltimore and Onio railroad, hitherto on
of the chief of the great thoroughlares throug
which the grain of the Northwest found its wa
to the seAboard, has been destroyed, and it j
only recently that Gen. Lander has been com
,nissioned to open again that communlca 10
with the West but he is spared so lew troop
Tor the undertaking, that the rebel jackson CON
pels him to full back, and defeats every effort t
repair the road land yet Jackson is rcporte
as having but $4,000 troops.
And elsewhere than ON the Potomac ther
has been nearly the same inactivity. To be sur
there have been isolated cases o, bri.ianl achieve