The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-25
For the Richmond Dispatch
THE SECRETARY or WAR.

A story is told of Zsntippe wife who,
Whenever any accident befol their property,
was In tho habit OF bsrattDg her unfortunate
husband with the exclamation, IL told You
s knew 1t would happen !" with accom-.
panylng objurgations upon his stupidity for
falling 70 see what che pretended was SC
plain 70 her comprehension. Somewhat
doubtful Of this wonderful preseience, and
Wishing to put 1t TO practical test, he rush
81 into the house one day, and, with great
apparent excitement, infor med his vito .. the
rw had eaten up tho grindstone ~ ~ told
you 50, yon stupid old foo" said his Affection
wond cat up that grin ds,one, -
Two events have lately occurred that have
,7rprissd tho people Of this Oonfedsracy as
mach rs the famous feat OF the cow in swal.
loving the grindstons. Roanoke Island and
FORT Donelsen have fallen Kvery body is
wonderfully astounded; yet almos: every
body seems to have foreseen that theae were
ias idsntc2, erindstouss to be first swallow
ed by the voracious Yankees, and who are
ersrwnslmsd with wonder that the Secreta-
yof War could not Bse what Is now cope.
s.I apparent. We hear also that Fort
D0nslson was point Of immense strategic
importance; but who ever heard Of its great
impor.an oe mill II fell, or ever mentioned,
tho.p' With the remark that 1t would never
be ,akelS
There Is nothing SO natural as that we
shosld endeayor 10 find scape. goat for orr
zlsiortunec. Let our favorite riding horse
HAmuio thnu k0ION Us III 10 the N 10, and we
curse him as the meanest horse In existspo.
alhough he has never faltersd before. Let a
bridge tun BILE down with us, and we bestoW
upon Il any quantity of anathemas, although
Il has carried Us thousand times safely
oTsr. Let friend refuse to lend US ten dol
lar, and We denounce him for a Close. listed
haylocf, although he has granted the same
favor hundred times previously. Psrha DIS
tie better the horse, the stronger the bridge,
o. tho more ssif-sscrihcing the friend, the
more bitter our anathemas!
smarkng under uneXpec ted reverses II r.
not s matter Of wonder that the comm unity
sAesld endeavor 70 make scape. goat OF the
government ofncials al the head Of the " ar
sad Navy Departments. But what rig ht
tsIe these gentlemen to claim the wonder full
Feknowledge OF these disasters they init.
Eatef What proof have we that they know
hsse particular grlndston es were to be eat.
'l Where and how did they raise the voice
uvnntng' Well moving as they seem.
Ngy profess TO have done, that these Very
ctasisrs were to happsn-giftsd with a pre-.
science far above and beyond the mental Wis.
'ohs or the Seeretaries, whyldid they not pro-
taiE the danger from the house tops, and
tRown 70 all the people! II they indeed
new what was 10 happen, their silence was
ofsi very unfortunate. If they did not,
aeir sumption of the knowledge now, is
10 similar to common habit to b com.
Fihentsry 10 their originality; for It Ia as.
Nnlthing TO see the immense number Of
Fsihumous prophets that spring up after
very disaster, who knew precisely what WAS
snapP.n, but who unfortunately kept their
1IoW edge TO themselves NJ til the mischief
ley ioFesaw was contaminated. Let any
nm become eminsntly great and successful,
"a itgious OF men are ready to swear that
p aao foreseen and prophecied HIS gran.
e'1' Irom Ibs earlie est period. Let any man
snt'. ana every body, and everybody's wife,
..aldfen, and friends. are ready to show how
-. 49, paeK, and how clearly, they had foreseen
90 lae' now accomplished
~ isr as the Secretary Of the Navy is con-
i, ea mo writer has nothing to say. lie
nl,.aaSea with falling to use tho money
s1ITedat his disposal for the construction OF
ss, o'aH and other material for his depart.
cay nothing
ss su. can such charge be fairly brought
Tha the Secretary OF WARY Let as sec.
ths h WIT was inaugnrated in April last by
linz S'ta oafdmeut OF Fort Sumter. At that
maaz we Confederate forces mum bered q
Unvsr 40" thousands. AT that time the
ranc. t nenl mad neither army, arms, ord
~, w. Iorts, or ether military appliances,
n~ Las money TO procure Them, Il had no
49, or Powder factories, or guns or gun
,,Tno within the ensuing period the
s,o h. a' Increased TO nearly half million,
arm.d ns zen a, raised organised. cflicered,
ssi ous o. cannon have been made :: nowder.
M Tue and sulphur factories And armories
go sprung 10 70 exigtHr ce under thu = n.r;cs.
d., VIC government, and the whole ssrri ice
S,. Placed in condition Of efnciencv thai
VOL sAci,sd the surprise Of the ciyili,sd
VA. The position Of eecretary OF War
rs.sdered one Of the most arduous And
b. s .reu nder the old 0ovsrnmsnt. Yet
u, ,parmsnt had under Its oontro oil an ar
~ =. soafesiy sixteen thou hand or less than
Se.ss,asA OF that now under the control of
asm - bsnjsmini Again. We must re-
wiiA CIV EN- that army was already provided
s,ms nmPeent and trained ofac&rs, with
ALTAR uons. ordnance, forts, and Other
liza ~. aPpiiances, with abundant armo.
ion powder factories, and with evory
elsancs ,itary necessity within Ysechtng
bscrstsrv any moment-asns Of which our
spn,,S.,ss Aad fake all these things into
uNr n.an and we easily zee that tho task
E~ i. nJanin 10 At lssst strfy-Jsld syeatv
ss~,~.u, Sss ~sdU tAe Ss~asviss Of Eks old
sma. cannot with hold AZ s.nreSston Of
sasrin. ,hI 70 much has been done ., and con.
'~!ivslyt A"'' ~ hAs osen oons 30
AZ. h., rue u that the Secretary Of War did not
bs n pace until some time in the autnmn-
THE lon.' aiso be remsn bered that. ovinT
sG.as.. - Illness Of Secretary walker, the
s.;,s srrssrs aad Ia many mst,sr. ' w. s.oy
klassiiy deficient. That he has sdcrs.sed
asav,ss ~ Asse dia3oalues with almost su-
xgtssssa si.Ig oaAAot Dc Z o ast.oasI. Fully
Ia Ssn,' N'st Vac 9Iduoss rospon sthsiftv -
81 aai sa, as EaS tcilsd from IN ssrIv hnur
IL g Sss sssslsf 10 Aad bsyoAa UidSieStt
Y & kSS.sSSs Alowca AtAssif eve1 20 rs.t
IitAout $3.50 Hcs Aa1 thi1 bsea asro 1oll
a sx nj ~ sssAAsaH Tor he has noo mn.
NV a snesAssf Laser truly