The New York herald., 1862-11-21
TAe War and tho Republican Pross-The
New Base and Its Dangers.


New Base and Iss Dangers.
Ever since the elections the republican jour-
mails have been trying to explain away the force
of the popular verdict against their party. They
have attributed the result to various causes,
some of them very laughable. The Tribune one
day made out list Of nine But the general
cause on which all the radical papers agree is
the mismanagement Of the war. We entirely
concur with them. That is the true cause. AS
for the arbitrary arrests, they are only farce
The blunders in the war are tragedy OF the
darkest kind. The unconstitutional arrests and
lncarcerations have been for the most part OF
persons so obscure that nobody knew or cared
anything about them Generally speaking, they
were unnecessary and unwise, and il is source
of qualification to the people that at least IN
this State they will end with the present year.
But these proceedings are not the chief cause OF
the republican defeats and conservative VIC
tories in the recent elections. The cause is, as
the radical journals contend the management
of the war.
But who are responsible for thiss Surely
the managers. The republican party had the
exclusive management In their own hands, and
they alone are to blame for failure. AT
least the people are of that opinion. From
all the evidence that has reached us,
the Cabinet at Washington is answer
able for the principal errors and
shortcomings which have resulted in failure.
The Prince de Joinvlle, high minded, honor
able witness, whose sympathies are completely
with the government and the Northern States,
and who had the best opportunities of knowing
all about the campaign in the peninsula, has, in
his lucid narrative distinctly ssdd,cd the cause
of failure upon the authorities at Washington;
and his testimony is amply confirmed by other
witnesses. Heaven grant that more disastrous
failures may not be in store for the nation.
The Cabinet has just broken up the fall cam
pagn without result, and changed the base of
operations from the Upper to the Lever Po-
tomac, opening nes winter campaign from
Aqua creek and Fredericksburg Instead OF
marching on Richmond by Culpepper and Cor
louisville along the base Of the Blue Ridge and
crossing the higher waters OF the Rappahan
mock and the Rapidan, the route by which Pope
advanced and retreated, it is determined to
cross the Lower Rappabannock, at Frcdericks-
burg, the Mattapony, the North and South
Anna, or the two streams united in the Pamun-
key. We cannot tell how successful this cain-
paign may be- Our hopes have been disappoiiA-
ed before, and they may be again. But We trust
that this time victory will crown tie expedition
against the rebel capital. Let plenty OF men
be sent forward, and let them be well furnished
with clothing and all the munitions Of war Let
an ample force be left to guard line of ope-
rations extending sixty miles through dificClt
country, cut up by ravines and streams. Let
sharp lookout be kept for the safety Of either
flank of the advancing columns. and good care
taken that the enemy, by sudden raid, do not
cut off communication with the base, or even by
raid destroy the trains Of supplies: for il would
be in vain to hope for provisions for such an
army in the wasted district through which it is
destined to move.
But, while these operations are going forward.
let the masters of the art Of war at Washington
beware, lest when the army reaches Richmond
it may find it evacuated, as it was intended to
do when the rebel capital was in danger on q
former occasion Even if the city should not
be made another Moscow. as the rebels have
threatened, its possession would be poor COM
pensation for the loss Of Washington. II is
possible that while the Union army is moving
South along the eastern border of the State, the
rebel army may be stealthily moving North along
the mountains lying to the westward, and that
just when Burnside is about TO enter Richmond
unopposed and with flying colors, we may dis
cover too late, that Lee, having rapidly marched
back from Gordonsville. and Jackson. having
descended through one of the gaps Of the Blue
Ridge. have captured Washington after crossing
the Upper Poiomac or, if that should not be
practicable, on account Of rise in the river
from heavy rains, tina; they may have destroyed
the city by bombardment from Arlington
Heights.
There can be no comparison between the two
prizes. 1t would be like sacrificing knight in
O game OF chess in order to get queen and
give checkmate. Richmond would be of small
consequence to the rebels If they could only
get hold of Washington. The capture or de-
struction of an insurgcnt city, temporarily
made the capital of Rebedom, is Of little mo-
ment compared with the capture or destruction
Of the insurgent army. The capital may be
changed again. as it has already been once.
without seriously affecting the cause Of the
rebels. But destroy their army, and the rebel
lion must necessarily collapse While, there
fore, every exertion is made to achieve the cap
ture of Richmond before the close Of the year
let it not be at the cost of Washington captured
or burned; and above all let ii not be with i'm
punity to the great rebel armies of Jackson and
Lee.
The Revelation In Grsece-NarrOw Views
OF English statesmen.
The quiet manner in which King Otho has