The New York herald., 1862-03-14

his runaway army. Wher0 VIII they ny
to? Where will the Confederate Congress
find a place of safety 1t is stated by
North Carolina paper that the seat of
government is about to be removed from
Richmond to Raleigh. But the question is
whether the latter is not as much in danger
from the operations of Burnside as Richmond
is from our Army of the Potomac. If it should
fall back still further to Columbia, the capital of
South Carolina, would its safety be long insured
against the advancing column of Sherman? In
Milledgeville or any other part of Georgia it
would be equally imperilled. Should the rebel
out-Montgomery, Alabama-how long would it
be safe there against the legions of Halleck
moving up the TENNESSEE
TWAS evident from the desponding message of
Davis to the Confederate Congress at Rich
mond, that he was sorely and sadly puzzled as to
the course he ought to pursue; ard in truth he
had very good reason for his doubts and fears.
Difficulties surrounded him on every side
Whether he fought or ran away without fighting
his embarrassments were very great. If he held
his ground at Richmond, and his army at Manas-
sas gave battle, there could be no doubt thatit
would be defeated and that he and his Cabinet,
with the whole rebel Congress, would be bagged
as game of the largest size. If he should
retreat to the far South without fight, tho de-
moraization Of his Army of the Potomac would
be as complete as that Of his army in Kentucky
and Tennessee. If it fought and was beaten, as
il would be, and fell back southwark it would
be also demoralized. In any event, the moral
effect upon the Southern mind must be dis
astr0us to the cause of the rebellion. AS
choice of evils, the rebel President has deemed
it better that his army should fall back from
Manassas, believing discretion to be the better
part of valor, and knowing that he who runs
away may live to fight another day.
The Richmond Examiner says the receding
movement of the rebel army from Centreville
and the Upper Potomac is not on account of the
pressure of General Mcclellan, but from purely
strategical reasons, and that the new line of de-
fence will probably extend from Staunton to
Gordonsville, and thence, we suppose, to York
town or Norfolk. But it is not at all likely that
this line will be maintained longer than is ne
X
up his trunks and make his hegira to the far
South, at time that the migratory birds are
beginning to move thence towards colder la
titude, and that the languishing Southern Chi
valry have heretofore sought the refreshing
breezes of the North. The game is now up
with him, no matter what he may do and no
matter whether his army fights or not The
struggle is virtually over, and should there be
another great conflict it will be useless fight
after other events had determined the fate of
the war. There is nothing left, therefore, for
JEFF. Davis but to move as rapidly as possible
towards the tropics.
There are two or three roads still open 10 him.
The shore or Atlantic coast line is already cut.
His passage is blocked by that way. But he
may escape through the Valley of Virginia by the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad to Chattanoo-
%, provided Knoxville is not in the hands of
the Union troops, and thence, if he is in time,
he may reach Memphis, whence he could cross
into Arkansas en- route for Texas; or, if it should
be dangerous for him to proceed so far on that
route as Memphis, in consequence of the extern
sion of our military lines in that direction, he
could turn down southwark at Corinth or at the
Grand Junction, through Mississippi to Louisi-
ana and Texas; or he could fly from ChattanOo-
ga southwark through Georgia and Alabama,
and thence across Mississippi and Louisiana to
Texas; or he might escape by another rail-
road route, from Richmond through North
Carolina by way Of Raleigh to Columbia,
South Carolina From Columbia he might pro-
ceed to Augusta, Georgia, and through that
State to Southern Alabama, and thence to
Texas. That route is still open; but if
any point Of the railroad between Columbia
and Augusta should fall into the posses
sion Of Sherman's corps, or some portion Of
the North Carolina road, by way of Raleigh,
should be cut by Burnside, the fugitive would
be estopped by that route. There is, however,
another and a safer route through North Caro-
lima and that is from Richmond to Danville,
Va, and thence by turnpike forty miles to
Greensborough, in the centre of North Carolina,
the terminus of the railroad to Columbia, South
Carolina. This is the internal railroad route
which the rebel Congress, on the advice of JEFF.
Davis, has undertaken to complete by finishing
the portion between Danville and Greens
borough job which it is now entirely too
late to complete for any military purpose.
This route would also bring him and
his army TO Texas, and thence his
way is open to Mexico, the only place where
he would be tolerably safe. Let him hasten
there with the utmost despatch to help the
Mexicans to drive out the European coali-
ton, and he may become President Of Mexico
or King instead Of Macmillan. Such an
anarchical government would just suit him
and his turbulent followers.
THE TAX BnL--Ir OUGHT TO BE PASSED IMME-
DArELY.-The Tax bill, which has been publish
ed, displays remarkable amount of industry
and sanncitv and Il ia on the whole "a rood A