The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-08

i AAoM AScW oAlcuLisg duu boWCu tuCm oh OhS "
one as they approached, by boats full of brave
men; and how, after securing them in safe To-
calities, they left them there to burn and blaze
away, harmless and innocuous, and waste their
| fury son the desert air." 1t appears that
nothing was neglected to be done which pru-
dence dictated to secure the victory. Alto
| gether, the nation has cause to be proud of the
deeds Of its brave defenders The lombard
ment and capture of the two rebel forts, st.
Philip and Jackson, forms great event in his
tory, among the many brilliant exploits of this
great war. The incidents attending the pro-
longed engagement are deeply interesting, and
will well repay perusal. Honor to the brave.
Shameful Mismanagement OF Rcpubli-
can Journals.
| Ecclesiastes assures US that to everything
there is season, and time to every purpose
under Heaven, and adds, with special refer
ence towards this crisis, that there is time Of
peace and q time of war, time to keep 81
lence and time to speak, q time to build up
| and time to break down. It il q very great
pity that, during this season Of religious ami
versaries, our republican contemporaries do
not devote q little time to refreshing their
Scriptural "reminiscences, and take the hint thus
explicitly conveyed, .t..-.-.. :.
No constant reader of either of the f0e re-
publican organs published in this city would
imagine from their tone and policy that this
was time Of dreadful civil war. Unable to
appreciate the Importance, the responsibilities,
the necessities and the proprioties of such a
crisis, the republican editors indulge in daily
| abuse of our government officials and our gene
| rals-each lauding his own favorite to the
skies, and attacking every one who appears to
interfere with his plans, present or future, mill
tary or political. The Tribune sneers and carps
at General Mcclellan and glorifies Secretary
Stanton. The Evening Post follows the exam
pie of the Tribune, and adds buncombe lauda-
tions of the great Fremont The World be-
rates Secretary Stanton, and charges that he has
dislocated the vertebre of McClellans ana
conda. The Times is equally severe upon Sec
rotary Stanton, but discharges its heaviest
| flying artillery at Secretary Welles, who keeps
his eye and his gunboats on the watch for the
| Merrimac, and cannot see the chance to go up
the James river and aid our Peninsula Army.
| The Commercial Advertiser treads, Indian file,
| in the footprints of the Times and World, and
does its little best to add to the confusion.
! Thus, with occasional skirmishes against Hal
leck, Buell. and Grant, these five republican
journals continually strive to breed jealousies,
Engagements, suspicious and discontents in
our councils and our armies.
Whether or not the facts stated to support
| these criticisms are true has nothing whatever
| to do with the case. Perhaps General Ere
mont, like second Alexander, could conquer
| another world if it were made to order for
| him, though, thus far, he has done very little
| in this. Perhaps General Mcclellan may be to
blame because he preferred the slow and sure
| method of victory, instead Of rushing heed.
| lessly onward to Richmond or ruin. Perhaps
Secretary Stanton may be at fault in relying
| too much upon the Spirit Of the Lord and red
| flannel trowser, and too little upon conjunc.
ton of the corps darmee of Mcclellan and
Mcdowell. Perhaps Secretary Welles may be
! modern Rip Van Winkle and firm believer
| in Noah's ark as model for vessels-of-war
! Just ct present we care neither to assert mol
deny anything in regard to these matters, and
| we think that the republican journals will gain
very little credit, either from their own party
or from the loyal public, by constantly discuss
| ing them. If our officials and our generals are
really guilty upon these charges, the time will
| come when they will be arraignsd and pun
ished; and, great or small, they will find that
though the mills Of tho gods grind slowly, they
crush exceedingly fine. We have on record
the facts and the proofs in. regard to the con
duct of this war, and we know how to use
them when the proper time comes. The present
we hold, is not that proper time. This is q
season Of national peril, not of Presidential
aspirations and political controversies time
to build up the Union, not to break down repu
tations time to maintain discreet silence
and not time to speak without regard to con
sequences.
Taking all things into consideration, it seems
| to us that the affairs of this nation have beer
managed thus far with singular wisdom and
| with remarkable sagacity, prudence and fdeli
ty to the constitution. No other nation in
such terrible straits has ever been so well
cared Tor and so triumphantly rescued. Let
each one review for himself the momentous
events which have crowded upon us since Fort
Sumter was attacked, and he will find that the
great test Of success declares our administra.
ton admirable and our generals skilful and
brave. By and by, when the war is conclsded
and we have free license to place all the facts
Of the case before the public, we can fairly
discuss the question whether such and such
officials or such and such generals deserve to
share our praises or our blame. To discuss
these questions now is species Of moral trea-
son, of which we believe our republican con-
temporaries to be designedly guilty. Its effect
can only be to weaken our forces, by exciting
discussions among our leaders in the Cabinet
and in the field; and whatever weakens us
strengthens the enemy. 1t is perhaps too much