New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-02-17


If fate or misfortune should cause d 10 ysrt,
There's God will unite rs once more
80 drink my good heath and console ysnx atd 4,
And love me and serve, u before.
s5f a lf$s8 Ill IN &y
The English Press ard Che sonthern Cone
& VII fsdsrasy. s,s;z. 5s.,s 5s5ss5
- From the Ionaon Herald fDerby orran.H X
A sPEEsDfD TRIBUTE TO PREsIDESr DArIs-0ne
of our chief difficulties in attempting to form fair
and impartial judgment on the position snd pros.
poets OF the American belligerents has been tint
nearly all our Information came from the NortI.
In no quarrel in which bystanders feel an iterest
do they like to hear only one side. We have been
eoubiy unfortunate, too. In regard To our chief
sources OF information. To Judge of the conduct
and progress Of war from the accounts Of one
side only would be to msjudge II grosslg, even .
where those accounts were mot Intentionally dis-
honest OF exaggerated. But our principal infor-
mants concerning the American war have been
necessarily our New York cotenpo raries, Of whom
II i sufficient Y say that No papsr i England
'proaches them in ignorance, folly md Yulgaritg
the only one Irish l0urualthe tlissn
IN violence of Language and maiignity nf tenper,
official opinion, in countfies where lie Hhertg 81
the press Y felton, fall fat short of them ii an
biusning mendacity. ls5E ~ /,
Of the political merits Of the Southerr cause va
manifestoes, and the history Of join Browns M
evasion Of Virginia fresh Id our memory were
happily able to form an independent opition But
with regard to the military resources of the two
States, the feeling of tie soutksrn spenplas IA
events Of the var, we have been aiInost entifeIy
dependent on NeH York and Washington reports.
We need not say that those reports have BEEN ID
the early years Of this century. Of every battle
fought we have generally received fhreesuccessiye
accounts in an almost uniform dinfnuenio scale
First, great battle has taken place, the Confad.
nnfo 1napsyp
one; the North has gained q great victory thon-
sands Of rebels killed, wounded and prisoners
loss Of the Federalists, three men Killed, ten
wounded and dozen missing. By the mait the,
importance OF the action and the numbers OF the
enemy are good deal reduced; and we hear
doubts limited as to the completeness of the yicto
treated s4srza s45s n ~ s-ss ss4 ~
A week OF two later the truth oozes out. Fhe
armies have been tolerabiy equal Id force, the
Northern generally superior IN artillery /; tile
sConfederates have put their adyersar:es 10 ignos
mnious rout, and il the Federal loss has not been
heavy, it is because the Federal soldiers have
made excellent use, not 80 much Of the arms pro-
vided by Government, as by the legs given theIn
by benefieent nature. And then comes out the
one bit otssruth which tho New York papers are
willing to publish on these oecasions-..Itw was the
fault Of the otficerss Like the accounts Of actual
battles are all the statements of the Northern
press concerning the political financial and other
civil and military operations on both Sides It is
only little by little that the truth oozes out; and
only those who patiently watch for and sift it are
able to perceive the net residI,ns Of the fact in
the mass of falsehood and contradiction. on the
whole, we generally find that!the Gonfederates
States are under Infinitely better guidance, both
10 policy and in war, than is svouchsafed to their
enemies. 5.5s s s3s5 -
Mr.. Davis message is a proof of this. In COM
pars0n with the Tnanifestoes of the Northern lead
ers, from Mr. Lincoln down to Mr.. Summer OF Gen.
Dix, tits calm, statesmanlike temperate and cred.
table TO its author and his Cabinet, Without IL
during into his antecedents, we should haveformed
higher opinion of the Southern President from lis
eondnet and language throughout The time during
which he has held his most difficult office. Jud gine
him only from the history of the last twelve months,
we shond De disposed to pronounce him not merely
a adigmfed statesman and capable administrator,
but an honest, well-bred gentleman. We do not
remember that he has done one foolish or uniigni-
ned act, or utter one incorporate word, while fill
ing post Of the responsibility and danger
and reyilea by the Northern press in the most in.
sulting and eXasperating terms. His tone, while il
has been that of o man determined to maintain to
the last the independence Of his country and the
honor OF her flag, has been marked by an absence
of all yndictiEe feeling towards the Invaders, and
by an earnest desire for an honorable peace.
In his present message be speaks with sober and
dignied satisfaction OF the victories achieved by
the Confederate arms, and with iustifable pride
points to the advantages gained over an enemy
already possessing at the outbreak of war navy, I,
an. army, and ample artillery and war material, as
evidence Of the spirit Of the people who hays
augnries for the future The grave sobrietg Of his
tone, beftting the leader Of gallant, hut not n,
merous people in struggle Of life and death, az
tonishes the journalists of New York, accustomed
to the bEaggart extravagances Of such men az
Messrs. Seward, Cameron and Fremont. They who
raise a shout of triumph over the heroic act Of q
captain who stops and rohs neutral vessel on the
high seas, cannot epmprehend the calm tone in
which the President of the Confederation, which
has beaten them in great battle and half dozen
important actions within d few months, speaks Of
achievements which would drive them frantic with
vanity. I, 5.5 s553 li gl5s5@
Accordingly, they seem disposed to treat the
message as indicative of a sense Of hopeless infe.
riority, and triumph over the expected humiliahan
of the rebels. We, used to English 'sobriety ana
disgusted with the New York Herald and the
Washington Cabinet, less by their insolence and
outrageous violence than by the conceit which
.'c1saa e plus fort Qua,ad est bien batsu'ifnd in
MIR. Davis dignity and reserve reason to hope that
the Government which we may be forced ere long
to recognize possibly to accept as an All US one
of which no nation need be ashamed. IN q word,
we hold the message worthy Of the chief Of gal
liant people, and recognize in it the modesy Of the
soldier and the reserve OF the statesman. 5.'
X The GENERAL ORDER CoNcERNINa BRIDGE Bury
(,iRpr,snl Iottaru