Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-11-21
Tho Proclamation a, the south.
ITs ErrECTs AS ToREsnApowEp BY THE RIcu.
NoND ENQUIRER.

Tho Proclamation nc the south.
ITS ErrEcrs AS TonEsnApowEp BY Tue RIcn.
NosD ENQUIRER.
The Richmond Enquirer of Nov. 9th has
the following article: #
The enormous and rapid increase Of the
enemy's naval power in this war is one OF
the most painful subjects of interest This
arm has grown to such size as to threaten
US in many respects more seriously than the
eEcmy's land forces. The Yankees have
now afloat at least two hundred vessels of
war more than they could boast when the
war commenced. Large and active prepar-
ations have been made for naval movements
this winter, and it is generally estimated that
there are now about fifty iron clad men-of.
war building for the Yankee government,
beside those afloat. lrs
I There is good reason to suppose that the
Yankee fleet, which is to fall upon our coast
this winter, will be stronger in point ofarma.
ment and class of ships than any which has
yct.cmbarked on q offensive movement The
objects to be accomplished by this naval de-
inOnstration are of the most considerable i'm
portance. They are to capture our sea- ports !;
to make their blockade effectual; and to open
avenues Of invasion to those districts of the
South where the emancipation proclamation
can, with the beginning OF the new year, be
put into practical effect a.
) 1t is useless to deny the advantages which
would ensue to the enemy from the capture
Of our remaining ports, or to slight such a
misfortune to us by the consolation that we
can still whip the enemy by interior warfare.
The warfare of the enemy is essentially as
ISOLATED with the protection of what ports
we now have and il there is any reason to
fear that, through improvidence or imper.
feet foresight on the part of this government
Charleston, Savannah and Mobile are to fall
into the bands of the enemy this winter,
then we may prepare ourselves for q train of
disasters that will reach the heart of the
South, and fearfully try the foItitudc Of our
people.
With these ports in the hands Of the en-
emy, the blockade could be enforced with
strictness anG rigsr of which we have yet had
no experience in our sufferings from this
Source. We would have to abandon all ideas
of building navy on this side of the Allan.
tic. We would have to repeat the hulnilia.
ton Of giving up to the enemy or destroying
what few naval structures we have. We
would lose, to great extent, our vast sys.
tenn Of railroad communication in the cotton
States; and we might realize, when it was
too late. that the interior warfare of which
such hopes have been INDUCED, would have
to be conducted under circumstances, in this
section of the confederacy, which would rem
der the sustenance and preservation Of q
large army almest impossible.
These calamities threatened in the capture
Of our ports are grave enough. One graver,
however, and more terrible than all these, is
to come if the enemy can get hold in the
cotton States, for putting into operation there
his emancipation scheme. Great efforts will
naturally DO made to keep this pet measure
Of the Abolitionists from falling to the
ground, and to see that the wrath which Mr..
Lincoln has bottled for the first of january,
Dies not 60 into harmless fzzle of soda
powder So far in the war the enemy's scheme
Of servile instruction has proved a r,dicu-
lous failure. The attempt is now to put it
into operation where We are least defended,
to try the poison at the heart of the South.
Prediction of future disaster is not pleas.
ing tale to that portion Of our people who
are never questioning what the government
does, and take for patriotism a blind and
laundering trust in the future. 1t is Tor fear
Of the consequences of this wretched self
conceit that we have pointed out the impor
tant results involved in the naval movements
Of the enemy on ourscoast and rivers.
The practice Of shrouding all military mat
ters in mystery, and requiring the people to
believe that all is safe without their trout
ling themselves with inquiries, has not act d
well in the South. 1t may to some extent,
have served the purposes Of authority in
throwing a vail over the eyes of criticism
and conccalng, though imperfectly, It's faults.
1t certainly has not blinded the enemy. 1t
appears curiously enough, that he has kept
himself thoroughly informed ofthe condition
of our defenses. while our own people know
Of weakness only when the intelligence
reaches them that they are in the hands of
the Yankees. That we shall not have re-
petition of this sad experience of the past at
Charleston, Mobile, Savannah, and other
places on our coast threatened by the enemy,
we continue to hope; but it is hoping in the
dark, aosz-s -