Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-07-12
wanted-A Change OF Policy.

before the country Is the raising OF the new Z
Ievies called for. The papers all over the
country are full of it. Many are urging an
immediate draft others express every con-
fdence that the response of the people will
render such step unnecessary. The great
argument in favor of CONSUMPTION is that
men are wanted immediately. That is true
but they have been wanted for months al
most as badly. And even if drafted, it is
impossible to put them into the field at
once. They must be trained first so that
it would be something else than butchery
TO bring them against the enemy. Our
own conviction is that CONSUMPTION will be
unnecessary, if the government chooses to
make it so. We are compelled 10 believe
that the President or his advisers, or both,
have committed some grave mistake, so far
il the conduct of the war We have ad-
verted to some of them more than once
The first was in calling out only $4,000
volunteers, and for only three months in
stead of the war. Half million would
have volunteered for the war when the first
call was made, and though they could not
all have been equipped at once it is easy to
see how different would have been the re-
suit Another error, and it seems to have
been Camerons, was iu rejecting further
offers of volunteers after the hext call had
been made and responded to. Probably
a million of men could have been had then,
and how valuable they would have been
we now see. Another error was in refus-
ing the two or three hundred thousand
Iueu offered IN response to Stauton's call
for troops to defend the capital in view of
Jackson's raid.
Now 1t is thought men will not respond
with such alacrity to this new call of the
President rs they have responded hereto
fore We do not see any good reason to
think so. In all the loyal States, as far as
heard from, there has been generous as
surance of the forthcoming quotas. The
Governors have issued their calls; in
some the Legislatures have pledged them
selves TO MI them members OF Congress,
Senators, and others of wealth and iufu-
ence, are actively at work the States are
distric;ed and systematically canvnssed,
and every possible influence exerted to
bring out volunteers. Enlistmeuts are
going on, too, very fairly, though not with
the same spirit that marked the first and
second uprising of the North. Something
seems 20 be lacking. 1t is not that people
are doubtful of their ability to whip the
rebels into subsection not that they are
dishearteued over the late reverses to our
army; not that they have single thought
of abandoning the contest or deserving
their country. Not that,-for the Ameri-
eau people are not poltroons. What, then,
is the unfortunate influence that weighs
down popular enthusiasm 1t must be
the palpable mismanagemeut of the war
1t must be the white kid and rose-water
policy of those whose duty it is made to
conduct it,--because we are compelled to
fight under such disadvantages, and, there
fore, unsuccessfully.
We do not remember ever to have heard
any earnest loyal man express any opin-
ion but the most unqualified condemuu-
tiOn of that military system by which a
very great per cent of our effective troops
has constantly been on detail guarding
the property of rebels. They indulge in no
such foolish maguanimity as protecting the
effects of Union people in districts through
which their armies march. Listening to q
conversation the other day between two
men, one of whom is apt to be very plain
spoken, about the retreat of Gen. McCIeI-
lan's army-"Where," said one was Gen.
McDowell's splendid army all this time,
that he did nothing to help Mcclellan ?"
where ?" burst out the other indignant
ly-"why, all around the country, down
there about fredericksburg guarding the
fences, pig-Eens, chicken coops, corn-cribs
and duck-puddles of the rebel soldiers who
were driving Mcclellan into the swamps.-
They had no time to fight
If the American people are in any sense
disheartened about the war, it is because
they are compelled to carry it on with their
hands tied and their feet hobbled. They
have been obliged to fight the rebellion and
protect it at the same time-to make it
strong and then overcome it. Having seen
this for months and months, we have con-
stantly protested against it, and felt all the
time that we would not succeed until
driven by very desperation to such a policy
of fighting as the God of nature has by in
stinct implanted in every living creature.
What is needed now to again arouse the
latent energy and determination of the low
al North and West, is not change of men
but change of measures The whole mol
icy of the war ought to be changed, and the
change ought to be determined on and an
nouuced at once, with decision and intre-
pedity that would command universal con.
fdence. II men stand in the WAY move