Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-02-07
?EE AMERICAN Var.
!SH AHEI1IVAN TNE, y
ACCOUNTS OF THE NORTHERN PKEEs
rME CONFEDERATE STATES.
pREaTnENr rnvrS

the III OUF cRlei d!1uoQlties ID attempting y"
form q fair and impartial judgment on the posi-.
ton and prospects of the American oeilige-
renta has been that nearly all our information
came from the North. In no qusrrel in which
bystanders feel an interest do they like to hear
| only Que side. We have been doIb!y ua1or-
tunste, too, iE regard to Cur chiof sources O.?
information. To judge Of the conduct snd
progress OF Il wsr from the accounts Of one
| side only, world Be to misjudgs it grossly,
e7e1 where thosa accounts were not inten-
tionally dishonest or exaggerated. But our
| principal inforiusnts concerning the American
| war haze been necessarily our New York con,
teupo.arieS, OF whom it is sufficient 10 sag tina.
no parec in England approaches them in Is
norsacc, folly and Tu'garitY that only one
| violence Of language and m~alignity Of temper;
and that even tho devoted and insoired's
organs of official opinion, in countries wsero
the liberty of the press is a actiop, fall far
short Of thoEn in enbluEhiag neudacity.
@: thepo;:;tal nerits Of the Southern cause
we--ha7irg tia American Constitution. the
! republican Iasaiicstces, and the history Of
john Browns invasion Of Virgins fresh ia CIR
mcnory-ver0 happily able to form an indie
pendent opinion. But With regard to the mil
itarT resources IS tic two parties, the situa-
tion Of > fairs 10 The border States, Inc feeling
Of the Southern people, the events Of the war,
VIC hare bean almost entirely dependent On
Nav ToIk and Washington reports. We aoed
rot saTT that those reports hare neeu Us E,ends-
c'aas as tho bulletins Of tha grand sTny IN tic
early years OF this century. OF every ha';;a
fought no have generally received three sue
cassiye accounts in an almost uniform dunn
uOudo scale. First a grea: hsttlo has taken
place, tha OoEsedsratrs outtumbeTirE the
| Fede.a,s 20 ;nrec to ooc; the North has g&ined
q great victory thousands 81 rebcis killed,
wounded and prisoners; loss Of tho Fedcrala
| threa rarn killed, ten woundsc and q dozen
! missing. BIZ the next mail i:o Importance Of
the action and tho numbers OF the enemy are
! q coad C;cal reduced; g2d 81" hear doubts hint
| ed IS 10 Tho completeness CT tho victory: it
appears, too, tEat,the. conaueTsrs have retreat
ed
4 week o. two later the trltc onzes out
The armies have been tolerabiY equal ir fo7cc,
tho Northern generally superior ii s.t;lisry;
the ConfcdeTatcs hive put their adreEseTies to
isEominiou= rou', ard il the Federal less has
not beer heavy II is because the Federal sclo
aie7s have made excellent Use, Let SO 'Eucii OF
TIE arms provided oy go7eTnmane, as oy ths
legs given them by beneficial saiure Aud
thsn conias out tue cue bi, Of truth @:;!ch tbs
Nss ynrk papers ever willingly publish nn
thsse cccaSlons-'It was the fault CT lhs
officers" Like the accounts Of actual battles
arc all the statements made By the Northern
press concerning toe political. financial and
ofaar s;v!i or military operations OF both sides.
It IS o2iy little CO little that the truth cozas
cut; and only those wiz patiently watch for
aad sit it are sSle &c p%a!caiTs The net resiauum
Of fac: in the mass Of iaisshood and coatradic.
tio0. On tho 1holc, VIC generally find that
the Confederate States ere under Infinitely
better guidance both in policy and IA var,
thar is -ouchsafad 10 their e%emies.
~. Da7is message Is s proof 9: this. la
comparison rith tao lcgR;iest32s Of tho North.
cru ieaasrs, itcG MIR. Lincoln down to Mr..
$ncnar OF General Dig. i Is cain, statesman.
lie, temperate and c7edis:hie &c its aSthoz and
his Cabinet. Wilton, ;lqGii!a.g inro his an
tcSei5a;s, ~ should i.ass fc7iaed : higher
neirina 81 the Scai2:rn President from MS
conduct and language throughout the sime
during =hicn Go las held bis inost difficult
Office. Jiasing him cplg IRON the history .:
the last s1si7a months, VIC should oe disposed
to pronounce MIN not merely q digni6sd states
usn ga6 capable administrator, but SO honest
and weIi.brcd geut:snsr- We dc &c: zemeC.
Der that co hcs GoHs can foolish ~ undigniEsd
act, c.. uttered one Incorporate word, while
filing ? post OF toe gra7est responsibility and
danger, and scYiiei IS tho Northern press IN
tho most insulting snG eScspsTsting TERMS
His tone, While it has boon that OF s Tsn de-
tsrmined to maintain to tho last tho iadePon. |
deEco Of lis country aad thu ho1oS of hc- Gag,
has been marked hy On absence CT I'll cinG;c.
tive feeling towards ths invaders, end by ca
earnest desire for an honorable pesca.
In big present message Go speaks with sober |
and digGitied satisfaction OF tho Victories
achieved by the Confederate arms, and with
justiiabis pride points TO the advantages gain
&C ogec an elcmy already possessing at tho
outbreak ct war a navy, an army, sad ample
artillery and war n%asterial, as evidence Of the
sni. it Of the people who have chosen him to bs
their chisf, and Rs hopeful suguries ioT the fu-
TUE. The grsTs sobrie.7 OF lis tons, betting !
the leader Of r gallsat but not 3 numerous |
people in q struggle Of life and death, sstoai3aes |
the journalists OF New York. accustomed TO |
the bIasgaTt eStTa7sgaoce Of such naE Is
hassTs. Seward. Cameron end Ffemons. They
who raise e shout OF triumph oTar the heroic
scs CT E captain VIC stops and ro5s . neutral
vessel on tho high seas, cannot comprehend the
cam toaa in which the President CT tee Con-
federation, which has beaten them il e great
battle cSd a half 8 aazsE inpcrtsn: actions
within EeT months, speaks Of acaie7rsE,s
~Eirh wori& dire thsn frantic with TaDitT.
Accordingly. :hay 6seE disposed 60 treat tea
nessaes as indicative Of = sense OF hopeless
;eEe7io7itJ, ana triumph OVER the o6reo:ed
humiliation cf tie rebels" N3-@ssd TO
Eas!ish s~Ghr:ety. ehd d:asr5tad viii: tae N5w
York 'Eersid" sad tic Hoshiugtc" Cabinet,
ltss oy shelf ranlencs end outrageous NO
lence than b. the cancrit which "chGna te
plvs fort qaaad IL est 6iea tett@'-6ad 10
Ar. Davis dignity aud reserve rossan to ha2e
tast. the go7arnEaeat which TO may be I;cel
e7s long 10 recognize--poas;hly to accspta ne sa
ali?-is one of which no batic5 nsed &c
ashamed. In i wcId, ne hold the massage
worthy Ct the chief Of a gallant people, cad
recognize ia 1t tho laodssty of lEo soldier snd
the reserve Of the statesman
why E19lend Is Sonad 90 Recognise she
southern C~onfederacT.
From ,as London le.sld.l
We do not desire, by any attempt al PERSIA.
sion or our part, t1 hurry this Government snd
teople into q prec;pitsto resolution en- SO mos
neatoas a matter. Eat tE0 question that lies
before as, aad che that presses foT = speedy !
answer, is, whether ii De right or not that ne
should, without delay, recognize The indeFaE>
dencs of the Southern CoufodeTacyg We say
without delay. That sooner Of later it will
hare 10 be recognized ia ins7itahlo. The gazE-
ticn il, whether il should not &c a05e C.: ulce I
We are LETT to CIR free cloice il the rrcsts7.
Wheaton, Cooke. ys,i=l aad al! international
juri.:iy, ta7s clearly laid this duw1. Wheaton
afirsas that, in the case Of the revolt Of & pro
vince, Of 10 empire o. State, The drst thing for
states to do is &c ulicE bslligerert
rights 10 both parties in tic cona:ct. Ia :he
next piece, g foreign Go7GTnmsa may, il IL
pleas>a, recognize tho independence Of the re-
volted people, o. sntnc into t~ree!;e7 Of e5n-
IL arnicsh;s relations With It, Tne mere