American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-11-07
Forced Inactivity OF the Army OF the
Potomac.

The Army of the Potomac cannot
make forward movement because the
soldiers of that army are destitute of
7 seasonable clothing Such IS the an
, nouncement that comes 10 ms from Wash.
/ ipgton. Gen Mcclellan is ready. the
men are ready to move, but the men are
without drawers. socks, overcoats and
shoes and to move without these would
necessitate the keeping up of an ambu-
lance train TO the rear greater than the
advancing train OF the army such
train would have TO be defended, and the
sick protected from capture medical
depots would have to be established ev-
cry few miles and guards left to protecs
/ them.
The season is drawing TO a close du-
ring which the weather will permit Of a
forward movement. So soon as the Fir-
ginia winter rains set in. the roads will
become impossible for the army. and
will remain impossible until next March
or April.
IT, therefore. the army shall not soon
be put in condition to move, II Is easy TO
see that the war will be prolonged anOth-
er year, at least.
II is of course the fault Of the admins
tration at Washington that the Army OF
the Potomac is destitute Of seasonable
clothing. No more obvious duty has
rested upon the administration in connec-
ton with the war than that of providing
such clothing. 1t only needed the fore
sight of fool TO see thenecessity Of such
provision. The country might contrib
uie two millions of men 10 the army and
they would be worthless without proper
clothing 1t has just contributed six
hundred thousand men. and they are
worthless for the want Of proper cloth
ing.
We submit that the imbeclity of which
this state of things has come is unexam-
pied. and that no language is adequate
to describe its originality. II the army
shall go into winter quarters on the Pc
tomac, the year will have been wasted.
and worse than wasted tens of thou
sands Of lives will have been sacrificed.
and hundreds of millions Of treasure will
have been sunk, a,el literally nothing
will have been accomplished. The rebel
capital will still stand, and at the open
ing of spring the same work will be be
fore US that was TO have been done
months Ego.
Discouraeement will overtake the pub
lie spirit under this load of adversely.
The country cannot. and every citizen
feels that il cannot. stand the strain of
prolongaion OF the war. It
cannot stand the strain of another winter
Of inactivity and of the prospect of an
other summer Of defeats, disasters and
humiiations The public heart viii sink
rs it shall contemplate the same reign of
mbecility. incompetepcy and rascality as
Washington that has prevailed hitherto
ince the war began.
Had the Secretary of War devoted
me half the energy 10 providing the
lrmy with clothing. and otherwise pre-
,aring il for forward movements. that he
las to arrestng and imprisoning loyal
itizens. and overriding the sovereignty
f the loyal States. Mcclellan would
ave been in a condition TO follow uP his
uccesses in Maryland by an immediate
dvance on Ricomond. 1t has been
gainst northern loyalty and not against
outhern rebellion. that the Secre'ary of
Var has waged an active, unreleniing
nd damaging crusade. = Chicago Times.
The Contemplated Negro Equality.
That negro equality is contemplated by
bolitionism we have abundant evidence.
/ is, indeed. avowed by many abolition
is, and the whole abolition policy pre-
opposes it. We are more especially
ruck with the fact now by the publi-
alton in the Michigan democratic pa
ers of a report made TO the Legislature
that State three or four years ago 10y
ustin Blair. now Governor and can
date for re election. and certainly one
the most prominent republican lead
s in the Northwest The report was
, elaborate argument IN favor of admit
ng negroes to the privilege of the elect
e franchise, and concluded as follows:
Believing most fully that the time has
ONE when the colored men of America
houl1 be allowed to assume their right
al positions citizens of the Repub-
c, upon an equality IA oil respects ,cith
lesr White brethren. and especially thar
tchigan ought not longer to permit in
er constitution a word which creates an
MUST distinction between her citizens.
nd denies that great principle which
es at the very foundation of her whole
,bric, | can come to no other cons
usion than that the Pint resolution
ught to pass The joint resolution
as to the effect that the word white
ould be stricken ost of that provision
the constitution prescribing the quail
cations of electors.
When the aboltionsts of Illinois shall
we flooded the State with negroes, the
aking of them voters will greatly
-engthen the abolition party Chicago
mes.
ne Evacuation ofthe Kanawha Valley
The Wheeling Intelligencer, speaking
the abandonment OF the hanaWha
alley by the rebel force recently there,