The New York herald., 1862-07-27

amount from three to ten dollars. inflicted.
ana the prisoners released. with caution to pre-
serve 'ee peace in future. Those convicted of
petty larceny were sent TO the City Prison for short
terms.
Yesterday Judge Belts granted an order to sell
the prize schooner Albert, pending the proceed
ings for her condemnation.
Gold was ra hsr higher Yesterday There we're sales
at ll7s5 but in the aern NIX the best bid.
Exchange closed about 100 1870 Stocks general
ly from 4 10 4 per cent lower. Money was easy at
per cent. The bullion export Of the day was 81 ,a34
SIG.
The cotton market yesterday was again irregular
and sales limited. Large holders in most instances
withdrew their supplies from the market, while pur-
chascrs only operated as they could pick up small
necessity losn at smart concession in prices gene
rally within the range Of 44c. q 45c for middng up
lands. The transactions in small parcels footed up
about $50 bales Flour in consequences Of higher rates
of sterling exchange advanced about Sc per bbl, with
moderate sales. Wheat nrmer, and 1c. &c. high
er, while sales were active. Corn improved 10. per
bushel. and tosrably active, the sales including
sound prime old Western mixed at Soc. . SIC,
Pork was unchanged, while the demand was fair The
sales embraced mess at $40 Is $40 SIX, with some
heavy barrels reported at SILL and prime at rs
Lard firm and active. Sugars were In great de-
mand and prices frm with sales Of $500 5000 hhds
and $50 boxes. Coffee was quiet, but nrm Freights
were stir with fair amount OF engagements, at un
changed rates.
Our Civil war and the Development OF
Military Talent.
It has been frequently observed that hitherto
the war has produced no very high order Of
military talent-no man who, like Saul among
his brethren, towers head and shoulders above
all others, and of whom the government and
the country can say with confidence, "That Is
the man to lead our armies to victory" There
is much truth in this observation. Mcclellan
has exhibited great prudence, caution and or
ganizing power. But Halleck is the only man
who has displayed much comprehensiveness.
In the Southwest, away from the malgn
influence Of Washington, he has been success
full. What he will effect in his new and diff
cult position remains to be seen. Several
generals have shown ability on a narrow scale
and as leaders of small bodies of men. But as
yet no overshadowing strategist has doomed up
who can plan and execute great and decisive
battles, by giving the enemy checkmate; nor
have grand tactics on the battle field received
any signal illustration from any of our generals
in the present war; What General Mcclellan
is capable of doing, or may do hereafter in the
field we have no other means of forming a
judgment than in the splendid handling Of his
army in the seven days fighting on the Chicka-
hominy. In Western Virginia he made
brilliant beginning, and his antecedents are
highly favorable to him; but there he was un-
trammelled by politicians. Since that time, in
Eastern Virginia, he has not had fair play. His
excellent army was divided and diminished, and
in the recent battles before Richmond he was
served by cooperating generals as Napoleon
was served by Grouchy in the battle Of Water
loo, and as Mcdowell was served by Patterson
in the battle of Manassas. Grouchy permitted
Blucher to reinforce Wellington, but did not
come himself Patterson suffered Johnston to
reinforce Beauregard, and was non est inueatus.
And Fremont and Mcdowell allowed Jackson
to slip through their fingers and assal the rear
and flank Of McClcllan's army, whilst they
never appeared on tine scene at all, though the
battles continued for seven days. On the
whole, it must be confessed that the South, so
far, has outstripped the North in generalship;
and the reason is that the whole talent and edu-
cation Of the Southern States have gone soul
and body into the war.
Yet it cannot be doubted that in the Union
army and even among civilians at the North
who have not hitherto entered the service, there
is an abundance Of military talent, which only
requires to be brought out by time and cir
cumstances. At the North talent is attracted
to business pursuits more than to the profess
sions or to craftsmanship. 1t is different at the
South. Our navy has exhibited splendid abili-
ties, as it always will do. But it must be re-
collected that we have never had standing
army Of any account, and never any protracted |
war since we became a nation, and that we
have cultivated the arts of peace instead of the |
art of war, being too strong to be attacked by |
other nations, and too prosperous and possessed |
of too much territory of our own to covet the |
soil of our neighbors or wage wars of conquest.
But change has come over the spirit of our |
dream. Civil war has broken ont, and If it |
should be prolonged the most brilliant gene
ralship will assuredly be developed.
The Romans had almost always able gene
rails, because they were always at war; and in
the last days Of the republic there was galaxy
of military genius, including Octavianus, An
tony Marius, Tulla, Pompey and Caesar. In
the history Of England the csee is different. At
the time Of her civil war, which commenced in
the reign Of Charles l., the cavaliers defeated
the roundheads at first, and it took nine years
10 produce general who turned the tide Of
success, trained and disciplined an army which
never lost a battle, and finally overthrow mo-
narchy and rendered the commonwealth tri-
umphant. That was the renowned Oliver
Cromwell. In the wars which attended and
followed the French Revolution the armies Of
the republic were frequently defeated, owing
to bad or Indifferent generalship, and 1t took