The New York herald., 1863-07-17

of the draft, which removes the cause of the
present excitement, and the consciousness that
there is sufficient power in the hands of the
authorities to quell any further violence, will
have the effect of putting stop to the dreadful
scenes which have for some days past kept the
city in a state Of terror and alarm
General Meade's Now Campaign-The
Rebellion Fairly Within Our Grasp.
We find the opinion aaoat that, inasmuch as
the rebel army of Virginia has slipped through
the fingers of General Meade, the active pur-
suit of General Lee will not be resumed for
some time; that the Army Of the Potomac, in
fact, will for some weeks to come be held in
comparative idleness as an army of observa-
ton. We hope there is no foundation for any
such conjecture, and we cannot imagine that
General Meade is the man to give up the chase
until the fox is captured or fairly driven into
| his den.
Mr.. Secretary Stanton describes the retreat
| OF General Lee as a rout; his losses much
greater than they were first supposed to be, and
his army in a dispirited and demoralized con-
dition. Under such circumstances every days
| delay in following up our advantages is day
lost to us and day gained to the enemy in
bis retreat, or day for the all important
work of reorganization. General Meade is
strong enough to push directly up the
Shenandoah valley after Lee, and to
drive him out and scatter his forces
to the winds. Experience has shown that It is
next to impossible to guard all the passes of
the Blue Ridge, and head him off by short cut
on the eastern side. 1t is to be hoped, there
fore, that either the simple plan will be adopted
by General Meade Of pushing after the army of
Lee as fast as possible, till brought to bay or
dispersed among the mountains, or that our
victorious and powerful army will be moved
by the shortest route direct to Richmond. A
crushing defeat to Lee viii give us Richmond
without another blow; but so will our occupa-
ton of Richmond dispose of the army of Lee.
What New Orleans was in commercial and
financial view, Richmond is in manufacturing
view, to the rebel States; for nearly all their
foundries Of cannon, shot and shell, and facto-
ries Of small arms (Harper's Ferry machinery,
and -four and woollen mills, and clothing
shops, and military stores of all kinds, are in
Richmond. It follows that the loss of Rich
mond will be as fatal to the rebellion as the
destruction Of the army Of Lee. Let the War
Office only determine whether It shall be
Lee or Richmond, and the Army Of the
Potomac is now in position from which
1t may move successfully to its object.
Our most serious apprehension now is that the
rebel army Of Virginia will get back TO Rich
mond, and that then, under cover of this army,
the rebel government, JEFF. Davis, Cabinet, Con-
gress, archives, Confederate scrip and scrip
page, bag and baggage, will be slipped out Of
Richmond and well ON the road to Georgia
before the news is known beyond the rebel
1 lines.
Unquestionably the only chance now remain
ing to Davis for the maintenance six months
longer Of his Southern confederacy is to reduce
1t to the limits of South Carolina and Georgia.
Rosecrans, having disposed of the army of
Bragg, and having liberated East Tennessee,
may now strike for Richmond or Raleigh, as
he may deem most expcdient. Grant aud
Banks, and Porter and Farragut, having CON-
pletcly reopened the Mississippi, having dis.
| posed of one-ffth Of the armed forces of the
rebellion, in their recent splendid operations,
| and having started Joe Johnston on his travels
in search Of place Of refuge, can now proceed
deliberately to gather up the remaining rebel
dctachments scattered about here and there in
Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and
Alabama, so that nothing may be lost.
| Such Is the prospect to Davis In the South
west; and in the East his untenablc head
ouarfers In Virginia and b;s nracar;ous root;,r.
In North Carolina, admonish him to be
on to Georgia. Let him steer clear of
Charleston; for the engineer who battered Fort
Pulaski into capitulation is now operating
against Fort Sumter, and in way which must
inevitably succeed. The administration at last
and without any extraordinary activity or
energy, can surely bring this rebellion 70 On