The New York herald., 1862-03-16

tls eT1S and at $40 rs $40 S7k for new prime su
gars we're steady, while the sales embraced 742 hhds
Cubas at full prices Coffee quiet, and sales OF
moment reported. Freghts steady, while engage
ments were moderate.
The War and the Great Results OF Conn
prehensive Plan and Ample Prepara-
ticns.
1t is remarkable fact that, down to January
last, we had accomplished nothing in the prose
cution OF this war in the way Of decisive blow
against this Southern rebellion. Many bloody
battles and skirmishes had been fought in Vir-
ginia, Kentucky and Missouri; We had conquer
ed lodgInent on the North Carolina coast, and
solid footing on the "sacred soil" of South
Carolina; but still Big Bethel, Bull run, Spring
field, Belmont and Balls Bluff were boasted by
the rebels as presenting satisfactory balance
against us. Apparently we had gained nothing
in general summing up, and the reason was
that while preparing for grand and systematic
campaign, we had been pursuing desultory
system of warfare along the frontiers of the re-
bellon.
But in January our brilliant little victory
near Somerset, in Southern Kentucky, created
panic throughout the rebellious South, in
Guiding South Carolina, which was really as
tonishing. And why this wonderful panic over
this incidental rebel rout down among the
woods of Southern Kentucky The rebels un.
derstood it at once; for in looking at our armed
forces of seven hundred thousand men, which
by land and SEQ, had meantime been drawn
around Secessia every intelligent Southern man
saw in this little affair nearl Somerset the first
blow of systematic Union campaign the
breaking>of the defensive line Of the rebellion,
and the beginning of the end. The general
campaign thus actively begun has been follow
ed up by such succession of positive victories
by land and sea, that within less than two
months of this systematic warfare we have de-
stroyed the prestige, the plans, the defences, the
boundaries and the hopes of JEFF. Davis and his
Southern confederacy.
Our rebellious States had been armed by the
dougs of Mr.. Buchanans Cabinet traitors in
their appointed work Of disarming the
government before this rebellion broke
out. At the bombardment of Fort Sum-
tey there were probably not less than
one hundred thousand Southern rebels,
armed and equipped for war, against an avail
able United States army Of less than five thou
sand men. For immediate fighting, therefore,
the rebels had the great advantage over US Of
deliberate preparation and organization, against
q government betrayed, disarmed and so de-
plorably unprepared as to be incapable Of de-
Tending our national capital against revolu-
tiOnary raid of ten thousand men. Surrounded,
a. lie was in the outset, by traitors in every de-
partment, with the regular army broken up by
rebeliious defections, designations and capituia-
tions, with a skeleton navy scattered all over
the world, and with the Treasury reduced by
treason to bankruptcy the one months
grace allowed to President Lincoln by
the rebel leaders to organize his adminslra-
ton was the salvation of the country. The
rebels, with their warlike preparations. be-
Ieved they were strong enough to frghten the
new administration into q satisfactory treaty Of
peace; and strong enough, in any event, with
the aid Of "King Cotton" to 6ght out their
Southern independence, or this one months
grace would never have been granted.
Impatient at length Of Lincolns delay in re-.
ceiving the Montgomery ambassadors, the i'm
perious jeff Davis and bis conredcrates resolved
upon war; and Fort Sumter was bombarded in
order to bring Virginia and the other border
slave States 10 the direct test Of Northern or
Southern confedcracy. Thus, by the terrorism
of an armed mob, North Carolina, Virginia,
Tennessee and Arkansas were secured to the
rebellion; Missouri and Kentucky were made
the battle ground, and Maryland was saved
from the abyss of secession only by the season.
able presence Of an overwhelming military
force. Thus the border slave States have been
made to feed the rebel armies, and under the
hope that, by December next, England famish-
ing for cotton, would come to the rescue. In
this brief review Of the leading events of this
war; the necessity for great and comprehen-
sivs campaign by land and sea, on the part of
the government, will be fully understood, as
we'll as the utter uselessness of an ire
gular and disconnected system Of war
fare Hence the time expended in
organizing, equipping, building and fitting
out our immense Gordon Of fleets and armies;
and hence, with this preparatory work com
pleted, the decisive results of our advance
upon the s!rongholds Of the rebellion in every
quarter.
Captain Wilkes, meantime, in the Trent af.
fair, has hurried up definite settlement with
England, which has put an end to all the hopes
OF JEFF. Davis Of European Intervention. But,
notwithstanding this settlement, we have been
taught by this rebellion the exact value Of
British negro philanthropy, and which of the
great Powers of Europe are our friends and
| which are our enemies, waiting for an opportu-
nifty to assail or to serve us. The enlightened.
sagacious and powerful Emperor Of Russia was
as prompt with his assurances Of sympathy for
our Union cause as we're Lord Palmerston and
Earl Russell with their proclamation of "bel.
ligercnt rights to band of iawless insurgents.
We are also assured by the Gar OF the i'm.