Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-06-20
From the London Times, May lsi

Mr.. SPENCE ON THE FALL OF NEW ORLEANS AND
ITS EFFECT ON THE SOUTHERN cAU6E.
To the Editor Of the Times:
Sir: The fall Of New Orleans cannot but
surprise those who have received recent as
sursnces Of the ample strength Of its 6efcnces
and the ability Of its gunboats and floating
batteries to repol any attack. This very Goa.
6dence seems 10 have been fatal for tho South.
ern 1ioet, or SO much Of il az rendered The rest
poucrless. appears TO have assembled The river
10 Fort Wright and was therefore 500 miles
away when 81 greatly needed at home. Un
questivuanly this is the most injurious blow
tho South hAs roesirSd, and in tho present
state of affIirs it is Of interest to ascertain ;s
real proportions and the actual effect it will
produce. Prestige is, indeed, Of little concern
to men who are sacrificing their lives and
property to prevent the subjugation Of their
country but the material loss is important,
and this sutcass will reiniorco those Northnru
delusions on which reason had begun to
break, and thus will grestly tend 10 prolong
tho Wsr.
A serious result, not unlikely to follow in
the end, will be tho forcing Of the entire length
Of the Mississippi. The supporters OF the
North appear to bold that some very dire result
would aow from this. They describe that river
as an artery to open which would be fatal to
the existence of the Southern cause, or rs c
grca, highway for the enemy into tho heart Of
tho country. In reality the Southern States
consist of two regions -one, lying west of that
river, Texas, Arkansas and part Of Louisiana,
altogether apart from the serious operations CT
the war. The States which form the actual ficlc
OF the contest occupy an enormous compact
space, q rude square, bounded on two Of its
sides By tho Atlantic and tho Gn,f; on the
other Two by tho OHIO and tho Mississippi.-
Hence, the lattcr, so far from being an arterlal
stream in the centre of the system, is as re-
CARDS this contest, boundary line, and will
simply place the States that lie upon it in the
position which those Of the east occupy on the
ocean. All the large rivers that interscct the
country below Cairo run from the west into
the Mississippi, and instead of bringing an
enemy into the heart of the country, would
carry him away from it
1t is true that if series OF years could be
devoted to the conquest of the South this river
would become invaluable as road TO tho va
rious points OF departure for the interior. lr
that view of the case, too, each town Occupied
would represent further step in the long
reckoning. But in forming judgment Of this
war the condition must he Kept constantly ir
yiew-time and cost. -Unlcss made quickly
the conquest can never be made The patience
of Europe, shut out from two-thirds Of tn,
American coast, and deprived of materials ab
solutely essential to its industy, is now becom
ing.exhausted. Whatever the mock resigna-
ton We gre expected to exhibit, for tho fortiludt
with which our workmen aro to smile npnn 6
diet of bread and water, it is very certain this
will not long suit the French temperament
In that country hunger is political question
It is one that was never yet safely tritlOd with
The politicians of Washington could hardly
assume that the Governments Of Europe woU)t
hermit hundreds Of thousands of their people
to exist in compulsory idleness and want fol
lust 30 many years as their convenience nigh
dictate. It has been their plea, In reply t.
this. that the. time. would be short-a fu0
| months. 80 days. This is their engagemun
to Europe, and they must keep it.
The question of costs is of still moro certain
effect According to the latest estimate pre-
ssnted to Congress, the North is plunglng int
| debt at the ratio of half Of our national deb
per annum. Ate: allowing for all existing in
come, 81 ,OG0, ,000 per day, borrowed st pc
cent. interest, will work out that incredible
result No such reckless gambling with tn
industry Of future years was ever recorded {
any people. Congress, too, employs itself il
framing bills OF conGscation to allure ant
sweeten the return Of peace, whilo the famous
Tax Bill, that was to hold out some promise o
a provision for payment appears all but certain
To be thrown over the session. BY dint OF sucl
coptrivances as certificates Of Indebtedness
and sousrtermasters' vouchers" thd day OF in
convertible paper has been STAYED oil cIeyrrlY
but the ultimate effect of these measures vii
be that, instead Of gradual depreciation, th
collapge whcu it comes, will hc 80 much th
moro sudden and violent The Norlherne
will smile at this. During the railway mania
those in tie excitement of the pursuit smile
mplacsnty upon the fow who asserted tn
hollowness of the bubble The day cauns
however when it burst. Each month BRING
nearer the inevitable crisis, and tho o1ttl
must be fought out before that hurrlc"n
sstrikes the chip.
It follows that the evsntsof the present wa
can only be rightly judged when tested oy IN
standard Of their cost in time and money
A blundering plsyer at chess may capture ha n
a dozen pieces, and discover that ne h:
employed himself in losing the game. Iakln
a broad, view of the subject, what is the a
/ H. dnu c0mD2rcQ with I