Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-07-02
NOW WHAT'S TO BE DONE?
This is the time of highest peril;

4
rebels should prove their certain dcstruc-
ton. And so it will, unless the Ameri-
can people have fallen too low to save
themselves and the nation is foredoomed
to destruction. Pennsylvania alone has
able-bodie men enough, if only one half
of them are loyal and have the courage
of mento expel the invaders from her
soil and follow up and destroy them.
the army of the Potomac is strong enough
to defend Washington and to defeat and
dispense the army of Lee. If led with
sagacity and courage it will do it. The
rebels are emboldencd by the distraction
and weakness they see in our councils,
and the incapacity and vascillation of our
commanders Now is the time, if ever
and it is probably the last opportuni-
ty--to recover ourselves from this state of
confusion and disorganization, and to
show ourselves men, worthy of the cause
we maintain, and able to use the advan-
tages we possess for achieving a sweeping
victory.
The change in the command of the ar
my of the Potomac, at this crisis, and in
the face of an advancing and confident
foe, is only disheartening as showing the
confusion and imbecility that prevails at
Washington. Gen. Meade, the successor
Of Hooker, is true soldier, and has done.
his duty well and Lravely in subordinate
positions, and there are at least fewer rea-
sons for distrust of his ability to lead
the army than almost everybody has felt
as to his predecessor. 1t is true that the
invading army has the advantage of our
own in marching under tried leaders who
hold their implicit confidence, in the
prestige and assurance of success growing
out of previous victories, and in the ex-
pectation of rich and abundant booty if
they win. 1t isstrue also that our army
of the Potomac rests in some degree under
the disheartening consciousness of series
of reverses that can only be lifted by
great victory and though our veterans
will fight faithfully from a sense of duty
they cannot help remembering Fredcricks-
burg and Charlottesville, and will find
it difficult to arouse themselves to any
great degree of confidence.
We suppose Gen. Hooker would not
have withdrawn from his position at this
most critical emergency but for the most
influential reasons. He must, evidently,
have differed with the military authori-
ties as to how the present campaign
shall be conducted, and the difference was
so wide as to be irrecopcilable. No 9TH
err supposition can account satisfactorily
for his withdrawal. He may have dis
covered his own incapacity to cope with
the military genius and science of Lee,
and thought it best for himself and the
country that he should retire before anoth-
er defeat only that we do not look for
such modest self appreciation in a man.
of Hooker's calibre. He differs wholly
from Burnside in that quality of charac-
ter. The situation is so apparent as to
need few words. If our strength is now
put forth under wise leadership we can
destroy the invading force, and the re-
bellion with it. The opportunity is all
that could be desired, if VIC have the pat
riotism to accept it. If not, if the reb-
els are allowed to succeed in this final
and most desperate venture, the game is
up: we shall have proved ourselves un-
worthy of our country and of liberty,
aud shall henceforth only desire to forget
that we are children of the self-sacrif-
cling men of '76
What shall be done ? Whatever it is
it must be done quickly. A days delay
may hazard everything. In the first
place we should like to see President Lin.
coin place himself at the head of the ar.
my, and assume the active duties of CON-
mander-in-chief in the field He is not
skilled in military science 1t is true, but
attended by Halleck and such other adj
visers as he might summon around him,
he could direct the movements of the ar
my as well as any man he is likely to find