The New York herald., 1863-08-21
THE AMERICAN QUESTION.
The Late Federal Successes.
TFrom the London Daily News, August 8. |

FROM the IOnQ0n Daiy News August d.
s'The CLEAN OF federal which could scarcely
be dscerned by people In this country has terribly
dazz!ed the eyes Of tho sonth Prom Richmond Charles
rcss which SHOWS the sober opinion entertained by tho
Confcderates OF the imminent danger which sbreatens
them There is no complaint against the generals, or
against the government No ventures assert that
II different policy had been pursued the present crissl
would have been averted the contrary southern
journals loud in praise OF their leaders, All that
could done has been done with such materials they
had in hand But these materials have been
the Sorth has been outnumbered and the only thing
10 b done is TO recruit the ranks OF the South
sru armiesN by every possible expedient. That ex.
Nodeut Il >nothiug snort OF q levy mdsse.
tJerv mai Che ages Of eighteen and forty five
NV ,Sss 'etvs service No kind Of exemption Is
henceforth 70 be a na ~ ". IN pnhna nss -
uo0o @ @ man ne hsdre sessand persons claiming TO DO
foreigners have presented n ~ n,nnona M y, M sons,
in order 70 obtain passes Jor his coeaSues arc nst
fed in the step which they kAve !sSen lne soa,nesn
rebels have placed these men ~ rrssi slave con-
federacy 1t Is their duty thereto use % rs's ~
they possess TO attain their OBJ, The rnvern
the new Confederate constitution author. Confederate
ment "to raise and provide armies and IN. uuent 10
Congress has passed law enabling the COVE sSere
conscription for this purpose In ordering, ,Aa
FORE every man between eighteen and fortyl to
the conscript camps, jefferson Davis is clearly acting
within the authority conferred upon him But the
doctrine must be applied to the North The federal
situon OF 1881 confes precisely the same powers on
President Lincoln Indeed the very terms OF the called
Confederate constitution are copied verbatim from those
OF the constitution OF lT7 and the Congress at Washing
has authorized the President 10 "raise and provide
armies" by conscrption. IL has been confidently as
serted that President Lincoln Is exceeding his by
ordering the draft. II Is with equal ndencc asserted
that the onederatcs justified n Imposing the draft
Roth propositions cannot be except upon the suppo
silion that different Interpretation put upon the
same In different sections Of the people But
the federal President and his legal advisers agree
in opinion with the Confederate President and his legal
advisers that opinion is IN all human probability unim
pehchabe.
geyertng to the military situation is now clear that
there are bat in the southtne army under
Johnston the army under Bragg, and the army under
Lee Ii s abundantly clear that army Johnston,
which 4 now marching eastward rs n position TO or
pose even division n Grants army, which, IL may be
observed has been rcocod BY troops drawn from that
OF ton burnside. VINO commands in Ohio Bragg now
appears 10 be in the pcghborhoOd of Atlanta tie can
tre OF Georgia And although he has been censured by
some of the southern papers for rereatng from Tuiaho
ma the probability IL that he found himself too
oprose the advance OF Roseoraus II Is said that
Bragg and Johnston. are endeavorng to operate q
junction. Such a result is not easy TO attain.
| But even II II possible there s no reason 10
suppose thar both armies united would be able oppose
any ecctua resistance u the combined armies OF
Grams Grant and such OF Burnsides troops as can
spared indeed the southern journals are compelled to
admit This; and II be true they assert the
federal force amounts some lso 900 men i, is clear
their fears reasonable Sme OF these journals
talk loudly Of guerilla warfare But their efforts IN
The last attempt under Morgan has been defeated and
when the great lines OF railway are In possession Of
| the fedcrals, any desultory warfare viii be ot no
great importance Indeed, those who LOOK forward
| 10 such a system msapprebend the nature OF tho
intention Of occupying every town aud village IN the
South They will probably content themselves with
cupyng the Mississippi the chief seapors and one or
straieeical points the centre OF the country This
done the Confederate States may left 10 govern them
| selves as they sid before the civil war
OF these seaports the chief Charleston Situated as u
IA tongue OF land between two rivers Il offers pecu
liar facilities for Investment and even that should for
present prove impossible, there can be little doubt
OF Morris Island will enable the fede
rails destroy Fort sumter TO take possession Of the en-
trance the harbor ard ultimately OF James ainnd
Such would enable the federaa 10 plant their
guns within reach Of the city Under these
II not surprising that The Charleston journnis sod Be
urgent thek advice 10 send away tho woman and chill
4 dren 70 some place Of safety In the interval
Ths movements 0 the army u Geserai Lee are sti
shrouded m mystery. II would bs absurd 10 rey upon
the tsegAphc announcement that the asrsnsemeats q
Gsosra Meade have already insured bis rivals dsuaruc
tson. BY no eans clear that Meade has snvthnr 70
gain BY making IN attack Lee untH he ean se akeo
utely certain of tne victory On The contrary 30 por q
Lee remains 10 The valley Of the sAsnandosk - kesue
large army unemployed, and gives the fedsr ccsrsin
the West 10 their armies snd 70 osre
their plans, whist A. the same time eaasiss General
Mea 10 obtain new recruits and 20 discipline them II
aim certain hst the army Of lee must bc dcfrated
before tho Confcdc will slesor peace b 4, sec Ire
this result u may probably he better 70 dispose rss OF
the other ARMIES ths edcraes. in ordss % launch