Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-30
A short and VIaorous war.

AshOrt and Vigorous War.
The New York Post has well. written ar
icle, showing why the war should be a short
one, and the reasons for belief that it will be.
The Post says sit is occasionally remarked
that we should prepare ourselves for a long
war, and that it is folly to think of putting
down the rebellion by sharp and quick
blow. Ten years, it is said, this struggle
may last; and we are advised that it is a
part of wisdom to make up our minds for
duration of hostilities at least as long as the
War of the Revolution. We believe these
ideas not only wrong, but mischievous.
There are many reasons why the struggle
should be made as short as possible; aud
there is no reason why it should drag along
for years to waste our substance and divert
our energies from the who esome channels
of peaceable industry. 1t is mistake to
judge of the progress of the future by that of
the past. In the last nine months we have
had to organize war; we are now ready to
make war. There was time for patient
preparation; it is now time for an energetic
use Of our immense material Certainly, lack
of strength can not be given as reason for a
prolonged struggle. We have probably one
hundred thousand more men in the field
than the enemy, and while our forces can be
increased at once and without difficulty at
any point, the enemy is unable to move his
armies with any thing like tbe quickuess he
will need for successful maneuvers.
"Wby, then, should the war last long?
Why should it not be short aud sharp, as
General Mcclellan has several times prom
ised2 1t is absurd to expect that we can
either stsrve out or weary out the rebels
nor would it be advisable to attempt Jhi,
were it possible. The Southern aristocracy
forced the war upon US, from the conviction
that Northern freemen were merely cow
ardly mudsills,' and their arrogance can b.
thoroughly cured only by free application
of the bayonet. Moreover all history proves
that rebellion grows more robust with
every day it is permitted TO exist. That
which regiment could have quelled a year
ago, without firing a gun, six hundred thou
sand men are now barely holding in check.
What force will be needed to put it do gn in
another year?
ITO delay vigorous measures is to strength
en- the rebels in several ways. Our defense
less condition has already reused tbecupidiry
and ambition of European nations, and moth
ing is more certain than that very few
months at fartbest will, if we have not in
the mean time pushed the war forward to
cOma decisiva ruccoaeac br;Doy ob,ut m oI
lance of some Kind between our enemy and
England and France. Again, the longer the
rebellious government is suffered to exist
the more will it gather to itself the moral
support of the conservative sentiment in the
South. The large part of the population
which is continually averse to change, and
which at first looked coldly upon the rebel
movement, become daily more reconcied to
the existing state of things, and will pres
emily regard the re establishment of Federal
authority as only another change from an
established order of affairs. Again, many of
the disabilities under which the insurgents
have labored they are getting the better Of
They can equip and feed an army more easily
next year than now. Their manufactures
are improving fast. Their wheat crop will
be vastly greater than the last. In this re.
gard, as in ali others, they can only gain by
a proloDgation of hostilities.
"But there is a reason more powerful than
any Of these; and that is the injury which
will be done to the national habits and tone
by long war. We are to, day the most
peaceable people on the face of the earth
ten years, or even five years of civil war
would materially, and we believe injuriously,
affect the future of our people. IL would
Wean our young men from the love of peace
ful industry and enterprise, aud turn their
thoughts and hopes to deeds of arms. 1t
would so divert certain branches of industry
from their natural channels as to make it
the interest of large class to keep up
warlike establishment. 1t would deaden
within us, to a certain extent, that respect
for law which De Toequeville noticed as one
of the most remarkable characteristics of
American society, and which, as he says,
enables us to maintain law by the mere force
Of public opinion.
"But, it is said, we are not yet ready; our
greatest army s but poorly trained; they
are not such soldiers as General can trust
to in an important action. Perhaps not: but
do they improve in the quiet of the Poto-
mac? Most of them have been longer under
arms than the men who have gained our
victories in Western Virginia, at Rich Noun
tain, Carnifex Ferry, Belmont, Mil Spring.
and in dozen engagements in Missouri.
People wonder how the Western men 6ght
SO WE'LL but clearly, the reason is that they
have been trained in the field aud not in the
camp. The army of Western Virginia have
become veterans in the same time that the
army Of the Potomac, If we are TO believe
those who prophecy a long war, has become
little better than raw recruits"
General Hunter In the Field.
An -