The New York herald., 1863-11-14

The Administration and the Proiongs.
tiou Of the War.
Does the administration comprehend the
dangers which are threatened to itself and to
the country from feeble and indecisive prose-
oution Of the war; We fear that II does not.
We are apprehensive that the Cabinet, relieved
Of the late menacing dangers Of foreign inter
vention, satisfied that we have the rebellion
upon the hip, and deludsd with the idea of a
boundless financial prosperity, Is relapsing into
. deceitful slumber.
The abolition idea is that, while the prolonga-
ton of the war will inevitably destroy the institu
ton of Southern slavery, an early peace may re-
establish some remnants Of the system under the
protection of the Union and the federal consti-
tuition. Hence we may logically assume. that
the game Of the abolition faction has been, and
is, to proloug the war, In order to secure the
be the consequences to the government and the
country at large. We know, too, that this abo-
lition faction has exercised, unfortunately for
us, q controlling voice in the councils of
the administration in the management of
the war, from the first battle of Bull run
to the late defeat of General Rosecrans on
the Georgia border. We know, on the other
hand, that the policy Of President Lincoln has
been to put down the armed forces Of the re-
bellion, and to let Southern slavery take its
chances in the restoration of the rebellous
States. We believe that this is still the policy
Of the President, and that If he is now slacken-
ing the rcns little in the matter Of active mill
tary operations i is under the impression that
If our armies can hold their ground through the
winter the rebellion will die from exhaustion in
the spring.
We incline, also, to this opinion; but the
dangers to q stationary army in the heart Of
the enemy's country are chat its communica-
tions may be broken, and its supplies cut of,
and that 1t may be fanked and defeated by su-
er.or numbers, or be compelled by forced
marches to abandon a region Of country which
it has required the strategy and engineering, the
manifold labors and many severe battles of a
whole years campaigning to conquer. Such are
the dangers to which Gen. Grants armies and the
army Of Gen. Meade are now liable from
policy OF masterly inactivity. 1t is probable
that the weather and the roads in Eastern Vir-
ginia will be favorable for active military ope-
ratons till the middle of December; but from
and after that time till the return OF spring
Gen. Meade, il caught on the Rappahannock,
will be held fast in the mud If, therefore, he
t;ons before him on the Rapidan, why not try
some other route to Richmond! We believe
that II is still within the power of the Army of
the Potomac to bring this war substantially to
an end in a decisive movement against Rich
mond before the cad OF December, and that by
either Of the two great nayigable rivers OF tho
peninsula now in our possession this thing may
be done. .eoar
Time is precious. Every day gained now in
the work Of bringing this war to satisfactory
conclusion is, beyond the daily expenses Of the
war, equal to The saving OF millions of dollars.
The difference in value between the paper
money OF the government and gold is begin
ming TO tell in all our business and Industrial az
fairs. Provisions, groceries, dry goods, and every
thing that is bought and sold, command from
week to week higher and stli advancing prices
The strikes of tie mechanical and labnring
classes arc the unavoidable consequences Of
this general increase Of the cost Of living.
Prolong the war another year, and 1t may take
two or three dollars In lreenbacks to buy rs
much OF bread. clothing or labor as one dollar
will now procure. Thus the cost of subsis.-
ing our armies will be doubled, and financial
revulsion will next follow compared with
which that terrible paper money collapse OF
1887 will be accounted q mere bagatele. The
banks, the capitalists, the merchants, manu-
facturers, farmers, DC, Of the loyal States are
all committed to the maintenance Of tho federal
Treasury; but there is limit even to their
capacities, wonderful as they are.
Give us decisive victory, satisfy the coun.
try that we are near the end OF the war, and
gold, from l47, will speedily decline TO where
1t fell to last July; but If, Mr.. President you
keep the people waiting and still waiting, from
month to month, into another year, for some
decisive steps towards an early peace, gold
will continue steadily to creep upward, until
the problem Of maintaining the Treasury
will be our greatest dificulty and our
greatest danger. The negro question has
ruled the administration in its conduct
Of the war long enough The money question
now demands vigorous prosecution OF the
war. But to secure this object we think that
the first essential Is . reconstruction Of the
Cabinet, involving the removal OF Secretary
Stanton and his chief adviser, General Halleck.
The war might have been ended In thirty days
AFTER the capture OF vicksburs and Pert Hud-
son by simply reinforcing Rosecrans with City
thousand mea from the armies Of Grant and
BAu&s. But instead Of this the War Once scat.
tered the forces Of Grant and Banks In number
OF secondary expeditions on the west side Of the
Mississippi still adhsring 10 the extremities
when IL might have struck through the heart Of
the rebellion. Again, when General Meade
held the defeated rebel army Of Virginia within;
The grasp Of his hand on the bank Of the flooded
Potomac. the decision Of the War Once DELAYED