, 1862-06-25

brought in twenty -four hours By steamer, and
long before the late battles the enemy had full
use Of the railroad. from their fleet On York
Riyer up to our doors, hauling al thslr pro
through country which would be- in this
season Of rain, wholly impossible for heavy |
artillery, and exceedingly difficult for army |
wagons. AcClellan's position in the swamps |
difficult and unpleasant even with the help Of |
the railroad; without it, his army would |
perish, Had the iron been brought away and |
The stills piled together and burned, months |
would have elapsed before that road could |
have been rendered serviceable again.
Why 1t Was not done Is a mystery. We can I
hardly suppose it was owing to the haste OF
our retreat, though II our retreat on Rich-
mond had been ss deliberate as the enemJ'e
advance on our track, certainly many thugs
would have been different from nh It they now
are.
The omission to destroy that road efectu-
ally, appears to have been OF the general
Vacillation and uncertainty which has charac-
terized the orders Of the government and the
movements Of the army since the eyacuatlon
themselves whether they would advance or re-
treat, fight or fall back. Norfolk was aba1d-
oned at a moments warning, and the Merri-
mac blown up Like thunder clap. The reIea.
from Yorktown Wax at first to another line In
the PEI 1nsula, and then suddenly continued to
Richmond
RRBRI. DISSATISFACTION WITH JBFF. DAVIS.
From the Montgomery (Ala.) ADV, June 7,hJ
Every now and then we see an inkIing OF
disposition for dictator, which eau only be
explained upon the hypothesis OF q natural de-
eire to cure the eEils Of = weak administration
By the adoption ot strong nIeaaures. But We
feel confident that the prs position is os i'll ad-
gised as it will be unpopular wherever the
tosrce Of our troubles is understood. I: is only
Necessary to review the brief hfstcry of thu
management Of our new government to come
to the conclusion that the fault does not lie in j
the system itself, but in those at the head OF
It, The county was unfortunate enough to
reposs blind confidence In a man, who, What
ever might have been his ability to conduct
government in time OF peace, has failed to
Exert the powers requisite for d time Of war.
During the reign OF party tactics, Mr. Davis
standing cautiously between the breakWatcrs
of southern secession and national party
Ism. Tie had been counted alnoug
the leading scceasfontsts in 1851, but
failing in that instance 10 receive 1ta
popular support, he, Ike many others conclu-
dtd that the people would never sanction
Resistance, aid secretly deternlned in future
to take special care Of himself. He Aad how
erer, got the credit OF being bold and IN.
tellifent advocate OF cause which rapidly
rose il public estimation, until to his sur
prise the people manifested the spirit to go
out and 6Et up tor themselves. To this, he
added the distinction Of having made gallant
charge at Buera Vista, having heea go3d
Secretary Of War under Mr.. Pierce, besides
being chairman of the military committee in
tie United States Senate up to his recent de-.
parturc from Washington, where his inter-
course with Congressman seemed to have i'm
pressed them with par excellence, Is the man
for southern President. He MAS elected,
and those Of us who had previously regarded
Lin rather as an adroit party diplomatist at
Washington than as great statesman, after
hearing hts eloquent speeches on the way to
the capital, reviewed our opinions and helped
to 1aud him to tho country as the second
Washington
plicit confidence VAS thus yielded up to one
man. The conaress and cabinet was mould
ed 10 his will The people promptly respond
ed to whatever calls were made upon them
for nen and money, confidently relying upon
1he President 10 carry tn tue war me- the
men: uaa removed to Richmond on tho CT
treIns limits Q: the coufederacy, they suppos-
cd thai it Was part of forward movement
to rescue Washington and MARYLAND from the
grasp Of the North. But though mistaken in
this, their confidence was not shaken. After
months Of delay the battle 3l Man 1s.as vas
| won by scratch, ard the people and the gov
erDEent were so infatuated with the result
| that they imagined the WAT had ended For
| eight months our army WAS kept standing on
LAC puGAE III tIC IQlbllldE, AS IL 4tI III DtACI
| purrosr lAan 10 give tue terrified Yankees an
! opportunity to come ortr and propose terms
| - 1eace. Ample time was given President
| Davis 10 elnat over Ills dreams OF union h.
| tween The Southern and Northwestern States
| TO be presided over by hirlEelf. In the tn3an-
! lime the Yankees WIRE making the most
! gigantic preparations iur our su5lu.A:Du in
| The spring CAMPAIGN. They weru pruning
| the army OF worthless officers, or.aniz~
| i:g hu:4orcdb Of thousands OF troops, p::ra!lss
| ing i1nnt nse quantities Of arms aud a,12itians
| trum abroad, tte1d.s putting the 1nacbns:
shops Of the north To work nj gnt aud dag in
| the nsarIn{actere Of the implcu. hts OF war.
| What vas cur government doing all this
time 1.-THE President was listening to the
| a,r,n soig CT rtac= at the North, wheat the
/ evidence was bttoFe his eyes that thtrt w.ls no
| peace; laughing to scoTn every proposition
| Tor The advance Of the army, or for purchasing
| and NAL uf turing adequate supplies OF f-tn;
ard mum ions TO tt ready for the enemy. The
| disaett rs wLlc. followed were tlr NECESSARY
| conse equrnce OF want OF preparation. The
/ people at first blamed the generals, and as
| they were better informed began to question
tie Efficiency OF the administration, who in
| turn changed nll its erruT5 10 the Provisional
| CcEGrtss. This upGned the door to flood OF
light. The members Of that body threatened
| TO expose their records to show that they had
| done everything, and more than was asked,
aud stated that Mr. DAvis's secretaries, By
whose Recommendation money eau only be
l appropriated, were 1HoTt pCut Ou IHhhlu55
| little IT pusalion foT economy than supplying
the s:ucws OF war. 1t vas al6o found that tie
navy would BE- . total failure unless Mr. Nal
1ory should be set aside for competent
ctlccr His nomination was at iirst REJECTED
AID afterwards coutirI1led by the Senate, by-
caust the President dictated his appointment.
Our navy, which started out Under such bril-
liant prospects, and distinguished itself by
I such gallant feats, is fast going to the bo-toa
Of tue ocean, in consequence OF the persistent
ohstinacy OF sfr. Davis holding On to his sec
Te1ary against the wishes and interests Of the
t country. We would not cast doubt upo1
the patriotism Of the Presidenr. All his feel
J inEs and his hopes arc with the South ID thi:
struggle. He Is Gully IN Illustration Of tht
folly Of the one man power. .
We blve aGycrfed to these diFsgreeab;c fact:
in our history only to draw useful lesson fo
| the future. The proposition for dic..:o
must be baecd Upon the euPpositlon of th'
| ircapacity Of the people for eti1-govcrnment-
a suVposi,ion which las been falslded through
ont this war. If the popular Intelligence Ia,
dictated the policy Of the war, we would hav
avoided many of our misfortunrs. We lsv
suffered some Of tho evils Of man worship, Ell
Il should profit BY It. No doubt there arc gen
: 1lcmen who think they could administer
; upon their power. Especially is there O ten
dcHcy among military men to usurp all gu
thoritY ip3themselTes. But fortunately for tn
southern people they have constituticas
| government, defining the duties OF thel
) agents, and reserving sovereign power /
) | themselves. The constitution may be defec1
; i've in some respects, but there is q conssitr
! tionul mode to rtmedy it. This is certaiul
safer than to put all power into the hands q
some arbitrary man. There are few it an
WaEhingtons in our day, and it would be es
: c.edinEly imp1udent to trust any untried ma
with supreme control when We have all til
; forms Of = rcgular government. Il is in tim
: OF Nar, wher danger is most Imminent, tbs
! desrotism takes root in popular systems. l.
; us he on onr guard against every cncroacs
I ment upon the liberty of the cltizen as gua
l anteed in the constitution Of the counrr,
Because We have trusted too much to the hca
: OF the government, and not enough to GU
selves, let US not be guilty Of the absurdity
: rearing I dictator over our heads to crush I
. at his will The people have it in their poTt
J | 10 make their government as vigorous as the
{ desire without sutrendcrinE any Of their pr
), rogativcs. 1t is their duty TO do it in order
prosecute this war as successfully as possibl
= We have never allowed ourselves to coube Il
u result But we should keep distinctly in o.
4 minds for What wc are lighting.
# THE RICHMOND EXAMINER ON TIE COSDUt
:. OF THE WAR
a The following is from the Examiner of t
is 18th:
10 But until very lately the conduct Of the "
n On the part Of the South has been defensi
n IN fhn sfrirfrst sensa nf 5hn yTnri Gn far