The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-28
Nichmunh 4ispatrt.
pr,m,, ny,l,,ary I,..,,,a,,.n.

M A0As =. - -
PrsMps military L%gtsl a,isn.
A review Of the past history Of this war
brings out one feature in bo!G relief; which
10, that the people have at no moment been
wanting in the duty demanded Of them.
There arc those who feel some apprehen-
sion Of trouble on the sub)ect Of enlistlng
saiicien army 10 take the place Of tho men
of twelve months who will no ous OF service
next spring, summer, and fall; but our own
fears on this account are removed oy re-
collection Of the alacrity which has chsrac'
terized the people in meeting every ehisF'
ueucy that has arisen in the course OF the
war. Even at this moment there are many
thousands Of trocps, enlisted ior the war,
seskipg admission into the Confeesrate ser
vice. who cannot yet be accepted on account
Of the deficiency of arms and we believe
that with proper effort, the fact viii continue
20 be ss il heretofore has been at every mo.
ment Of the war, tina: more troops offer than
there are arms 70 place in their hands.
The capacity Of the Southern Confederacy
In arms We believe to be from two hundred
20 two hundred and fifty thousand. This is a
full large enough force TO keep IN the field,
and we do not fear but that enough troops
will always be seeking admission into the ser
vice to give employment to this number OF
arms.
The enemy have committed great mistake
IN bringing 50 large an army into the field as
ANYTHING Ike their boasted six HUMID ed thou
sand. II Is too large force to be employed
70 the best advantage and while producing
m enormous drain upon their Treasury, sup
plies Wholesale food for death and camp dis
ease. They will break down their Treasury
and frightsn their people by heavy taxati On
out Of ali taste for the war, long before they
Gan bring their vast and cumbrous machinery
for invasion into play, and long before they
can succeed in subJugating the South.
The bluDder they are committing is appar
ent, aud they have gone too far in it to re-
trieve it, although they have now plainly dis
covered the error they have committed We
must not copy their fatal mistake by bringing
u too large and an utterly unwieldy force
into the field. Our policy is to employ =
smaller force, and TO husband our men, sup.
plies, and finances, in proportion rs they
lavish aud waste theirs. Those of our South
ern people take very mistaken view of the
war who think our catIse is ruined If we fail
TO meet the vast hordss Of the enemy with
proporlionate forces. mighty army OF our
own, disproportioned to the res ourees OF our
country, would DO us iniin itely more damage
than u like arny OF the enemy invading our
soil The invader may lay waste particular
81 lint ba a
his army would at last fall wholly on his own
treasury; while the loss We would sustain
would not be u hun dredth part OF the cost Of
a vast opposing force placed by ourselves in
the field TO confront his own.
That view, therefore, is most erroneous
one, which supposes We must meet the North,
man with man, and copy the greatest blunder
that al adversary ever committed, merely be-
cause he has set US the fatal example. No !;
two hundred thousand men would he force
fully adequate to meet all the requirements
} of the South, and to conduct this war to glori
Gus conclusion. None can doubt that we can
bring, and keep, that number in the field
throughout the war without trouble, strain,
or exhaustion.
All that Is required at present is the proper
legislation looking to the organization Of our
military forces. 1t ia not so essential that
this legislation should be exactly the best that
can be devised, as that it should be speedily
matured and put into operation. The laws,
whatever they may be, should already be
npon the statute book, and the important bu-
siness of enlstments should be at this moment
In active progress Let the people only know
the duty required of them, and, depend upon
it, they will do the rest. They desire just
and impartial laws, laying the burden of SER
vice with even hand upon all capable of duty;
and such a system of impartial drafting as
will leave no room for, nor appearance Of,
favoritism. All til at the people demand is a
Just system of legislation on the subject; and
they will engage to do the rest The country
has made no call upon them as yet that they
have failed to respond to with alacrity. In
the matter of enlistments they have always
been ahead Of the capacity of the Govern
ment to arm them. With proper legislation
they will continue SO /; and the great desidera
tum now IT, not soldiers, but prompt and Just
legislstion regulating the organization of the
military forces of the States.
Our own Legislature is now engaged upon
this important subject and we trust that wis
dom and dispatch will characterize the ir pro-
ceedings. The present week ought nc. 70 close
without witnessing the contamination of the
proper laws for this purpose; because
the time is growing 30 short for the
organization Of the troops of the State, that
any longer delay Of the requisite legislation
would be most prejudicial to the public in
terests.
We{ghta. MeAaurea. and Caina.