Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-05-01

the reports which the eegraphic column contains we
would refer our readers 1t has been said that anything
is preferable to suspense. Perhaps it is but ii 1t be
relief to know the worst, we hardly know whether the
remedy be not about as bad as the disease At least
we do know the worst. Let US look the thing fairly
in the face Let US not attempt to disguise from our
selves the force Of the bioW-the extent of the mis-
fortune. 1t rs O heavy blow, a grave misfortune
The fall of the noble city Of New Orleans-for what
ever negotiations may be pending Or whatever course
desperation may prompt the civic authorities TO pur
sue we may regard that as oregone c0ncluslon-the
fall Of this noble city is well calculated to cast gloom
over the Conederacy But the possession Of New
Orleans save for the prestige Of the thing could not ad
vance the military objects Of the invaders one ioa and
Of this they are no doubt aware themselves. The re-
tention of that city during the would be sure to
bring Vh it pastence in its dircst form, sweeping OF
whole regiments Of its northern garrison with rapdity
and certainty far byCnl anything that war has ever
presented or Imagination pictured, this continent
New Orleans if attempted to be held during the sum-
rper and FALL will prove Itself to be poisoned ulcer
eating into the vals Of the North Nor will its cap
ture at all answer the expectations Of tie captor5, nor
help them to redeem their promises or make gocd their
boasts Of getting any quantity Of cotton at an early
period It's cotton port but that is not c0ton aud
at least one good thing will cut Of this evil 1t
will show whether or not the people Of the Confederacy
are really aud desperately in earnest If any additional
ev.dnce upon that point be needed. The people will
bring no cotton to market and the process Of forcjbe
collection" in plain English, open robbery, although
conrcniaI employment will be found on trial. to turn
out very uaproGtba as c commercial speculation, re-
waraiog the energy O, Mr. Butter with no adeq'ale re-
turns.
It's the cntraa.o Of the cncmys feet into The Miss
issppi River that is the most serious evil, cutting OIL
for The present. at least tie vast stretch Of Texas, Ar
kansas and Missouri, and much OF LOUISIANA from the
balance Ct the Couiedcracy, and laying open the naVl
cation Of the main stream, and Of its great tii1entS the
J..j River the Arhauz2s, the White River, and the
yasli8, with their all1eus, together with many small
cr streams and inaumaa0lo bayous lakes and cuts
Few or no streams Of any Importance enter the Miss
igppi from lie Fest in the lower part Of its course.
The Gs.yl5ibc effect in the Southern Atlantic States
will 10 DOUBT be tie rise in the price Of sugar, as near
y oil the sugar plantations were west Of the Mississ
pp River and the stock OF the past year had been de-
tanned at New O1,aas to an UNUSUAL extent by the oil
G.u.tios Of transportation.
A glance at The above stated iacls viii enable our
readers 10 form some estimate OF the extent Of the mis-
uislortuac-a grave one on the contrary We have
stated it i1 all lis magnitude, Let us now lock at the
o.lr side Of the picture The avenues which this move
maat opens to Tie Enemy give him The opportunity Of
penetrating vast and fertile regions, and also OF r7o7-
ing himself IN the utgcacics Of country which, to his
unaccmacd soldiers, will be almost certain death, ifnot
by the bullet, then by the malaria Of the climate. 1t
will increase bis expenses to an enormous extent The
possession Of New Orleans, demonstrating the utiity
Of al expectations Of opening trade by the mere open
ing Of ports, The greatest Of all the ports, will e1-
bbit the necessity for decisive action upon land and
will thus again multiply the costs of carrying on the
war; and open fresh outlets from which the energies and
resources Of the Federal government will not simply
pour, hut perfectly spout. There are some, and those
not amorg the least able well informed, who think
tbaliDacad Of proongng the war; these successes of the
Federal Navy viii really tend to shorten it by more
rapidly the exhaustion Of the resources Of the North, the
disgust of the Northern people at being sent to die on
the Southern saboard, the demand for an advance into
The interior which must be runous etc, etc. Possibly
all this may be so; certainly some Of it is 1t assurcdly
oilers some considerations that go to show that the re-
suits recent events are not all evil at least that the
evil is not cooGacd to one side Of the house.
But at the worst New Orleans is not the Coniede-
racy. Misfortune is not ruin. But much longer mac
ton on the part Of our leaders may be- We fear that
falling back too much viii depress the spirit of our
armies. We do very much need dash John Morgan
stands out 50 consPcuousy less because Of his great
daring, although be is as daring as anybody, than be-
cause of the great absence Of that quality as charac