Smyrna times., 1862-10-02
MISCELLANEOUS
CHEER UP,

In the midst Of the roar of the storm
that IS passing by. we can discern on the
horizon that yellow tinre Of light, that
pure blue. that clear SKY. which. gradually
emerging from the dark clouds around. be-
tokens the coming OF a bright and beautiful
day There is no night so long to which
there is not morning. There are reasons
for the recent rebel successes, and causes
for our reycrses. In the first place, the
Government at Washington apparently took
10 notice OF the two most important statisti
cal facts. viz: the rebel conscripton. doub-
ling the strength Of their army. and the i'm
men>e reduction OF our own by battle. cap
tnre and disease. The consequence was.
that our actual fighting army became re-
duced below that of the rebels. Now tho
great fault Of the Government is exactly
this: They should have known these facts
and called out an army three months eQyli1.
In the month of June last there was not a
regiment cJ go0ct troops beyond the Ohio. The
same thing was true in Virginia. Here.
then, were facts which occurred five months
ago, to which all subsequent events were
mere corroHares-the wam Of reserves and
the diTaoo Of MeClellan's army. We have
now been employed two months in endeav-
ing to save McClellan's army, to raise 4
new army and to save Washington. in which
time there have been by necessity. series
ot retreats, battles, victories and defeats
The real point Of interest is, uAot IS Me M
shOt' Have we lost anything? Have the
rebels gained anything. Is our position
any worse! Can the rebels maintain them
selves An intelligent writer in the New
ork Times, in reviewing the present condi-
ton OF affairs sums up as follows:
am convinced, and have 50 said mi
formly-that the rebels have lost their on
Portunlty, andhaving lost it will never have
another. l think their race is rapidly draw
ing to a close. Your readers may be in
tereSted IN brief summary Of the reasons
winch induce this opinion, perhaps contrary
10 Their own. 1t is sometimes a erreaf nd
vantage to look at things from 4 different
point of view.
First, then, hold, that in 4 military nor+
oi we" the rebels have gained absolutely
nothlng by their recent progress. They
Iti'e run over great deal Of ground. but
nave they taken-east or wcst-a sinole
important position? Certainly not. Gan
.hey occupy and maintain the ground tbov
nave gone over! Certainly not WIFI
tnen nave they gained! They have oainod
t.le eecat OF having advanced into loyaI to.
rl.ory and alarmed the loyal States Rnt
Of what value Is that eicaty Notbinc, s;noo
1t Is certain that neither England or France
VII interfere, without measure Of poroI
insanity which 1t is not to be supposed thew
can possess. On the other had has not
this very audaciOus advance of the roboIs
reused up the loyal people-increased VOL
linteers, and demonstrated that nn;thnr
.Iaryiand nor Kentucky can be brought to
"he aid OF the rebellion.
now let us look at the military aspects
"d Ille case L hold that the rebel armv
rl'p'o' oe materially increased bevond its
present magnitude. All the abje-bodied
wmtes, irom sixteen to thirty-fve. are. to
the last man, in the army. So all above
mat are who would volunteer. A newcon-
fcriPnon, therefore, can bring out but few
more more, except old men, unfit for service
Lhe amountofnewrecruits in the South can
ny no possibility, much exceed. hereafter
the wastage of the war If we sunnoee +bo
llrgest possible number at one time 4 COW oia
not exceed 100000 The rebels. therefora
lave drawn out the last fibre Of eT.rt' streno,tb
Their raid into Maryland is the last des1er.
afe bound of the wounded lion.
Now look to our side. We count d.
sAd army at s0O,0OO-no more. The nee .~e
P'VN v'ooo We shall have in the ag-