The New York herald., 1862-02-03
THE REBEL FORCE IN THE FIELD.

THE MISTAKES OF THE NOkTH--fHE WAR POLICY o.
THE soUTH-PRoNPT LEGISLATION NEEDED.
[FFon the Richmond Dispatch, Jan. rs.
review OF the past history Of this brings out on
feature In bold relief which is that the people have
moment been wanting in the duty demanded Of them
There those who feel some apprehension OF trouble
on the subject OF enlistng Sufficient army 10 take h'
place OF the of twelve months who viii go out o
next spring. and fall but our own fears
on this account are removed by reconeoson VI tne
aacrity which has characterized the people IN meeting
every emergency that has arisen the course OF the
war Eveu this moment there are many OF
TROOPS enlisted for tine war; seeking ADMISSION Ia the
Coufsderae service who cannot yet be accepted
of the deficiency OF arms; ana We oeheve that
with proper effort ihe fact WIN conLnae 70 % ss nsre
troops Offer than hero to place IN their hands
The capacity of the Southern confsderacy in arms we
believe be from two hundred to two hundred and nifty
thousand This fu large enough force to keep IN the
feld and do not fear but that enough troops will
always be seeking admission into servics to give
ployrnent 10 this number Of arms.
The enemy have committed great mistake in bringing
largo army into the field as anything like their
boase hundred thousand II is too large force to
be employed tho best advantage and while producing
an enormous drain upon their Treasury supplies whole
sale food for death and camp disease They will break
down heir Treasury fghtea their people by heavy
taxation out OF all taste for the long before they can
bring their vast and cunbrous machiney for invasion into
South
The bundsr they are committing is apparent and they
have gone far in il erve it, although they have
plainly discovered the they have committed. We
copy their fatal mistake by bringing too large
and utterly unwisldy force into the eld Our policy is
employ smaller force and 10 husband men, sup
plies and finances in proportion as they lavish and waste
theirs. Those Of Southern people take very mista
ken view OF the who think is ruined if we
fail the hordcs OF the enemy with proper
tionate forces mighty army OF our own, dspropor-
toned to tho of country, would do US a
nely damage than like army OF the enemy invad
ing soil The invader may lay waste particular dis
trics Of territory but the support OF his army would
at last fall wholly on his own treasury while the loss we
would sustain would be huudredth part OF the cost
Of opposing f0rco placed by ourselves IN the field
60 confront his
Mat viz ia n mos
one which supposcs We must meet the North,
man with man, and copy the greatest biundsr
that an adversary ever committed, merely be.
be has set the fatal example No. two hundred
thousand would be force fully adequate to meet all
the requirements Of the South and to conduct this
to glorious conclusion. None can doubt that we can
bring keep that number in the fed throughout the
war without trouble, strain or exhaustion.
All that requrd at present is the proper legislation
nos s Sai s soud be EXACTLY
the best that be devised that it should be speed
~ maturod and put into operation Tho laws, whatever
they may be, should already bs upon the statute book
and the important siness Of cnissmsnts should be At
this moment in active progress Let the people
only know the duty required OF them, and, de-
pend upon it, they will do the rest. They desire Just
and impartial laws laying the burden OF SER
vice with even hand upon all capable Of duty;
win leave for nor appearance or favoritism All
that the people demand is Just system Of legislation
thesubject. and they viii engage 10 do the rest Ths
country has made no call upon them IS yet that they
have failed 70 respond 70 with aacrity In the matter
enstments they have always been ahead Of the capacity
Of tho government to arm them With proper Legislation,
they will continue So and the great desideratum
not soldiers but prompt and just legislation regulating
ths organization Of the military forces Of the States
portant subject and We trust that som and despst
will characterize their proceedings. The present wee
ought not 70 close without witnessing the consummatio
growing short for the organization Of the troops Of tn
State that any longer delay Of the requisite Legislation
would be most prejudicial 70 the public interests.