Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-04-18

OF energetic and immediate repression to pass
by. On both sides the people armed for the
struggle which had now become inevitable;
but the South had the warriors, the arms, the
organization, the will, and the passion. The
North was powerless to provision Fort Sum-
ter; and its volunteers, raised for the three
months, as if the campaign would not last
le.ger. were beaten at Bull Run, not through
want Of courage, for instances Of individual
courage were numerous, nor through the fault
Of General Mcdowell, who commanded them,
and whose plan deserved success, but for want
of organization and discipline.
After Bull Run there was no more room for
illusions The people had great war before
them. Intoxicated with pride, encouraged by
all who, for whatever reason, wished i'll to the
United States, it was now evident that the
South would not consent to return to the I'm
ion without first suffering rcverses. The
hopes OF the ambitious men who directed its
affairs were more than realized; they had
struck vein of success; They would not
abandon it at all risks. At the North, on the
other hand, humiliation had opened the eyes
of all. They felt that, having justice and law
on their side, together with superiority of nun.
hers and of riches, and having the trust of the
Constitution to defend against factious mi
nority Which, after ALL had only taken up
arms for the extension of slavery, they would
become the by-word of the world If they did
not resist. They felt, too. that If the doctrine
of secession was admitted and sanctioned, it
would be susceptible of infinite application;
that division after division would lead to cha
os, which would soon Introduce despotis,n.
Finally, they felt that it was chimerical to
suppose that two Powers could live in peace,
side by side. who had not yet really tested
their respective strength. who were radically
separated, in spite Of their common language
and origin. by the institution Of slavery, the
one wishing its development and the other its
abolition, and who were also separated by in
trrcsts which no custom-house line could ever
reconcile. and by the impossibility Of settling
without daily quarrels the numerous questions
connected with the navigation Of the western
rivers. All these reasons, promptly consid-
cred, added to the pain of wounded self-love
and to the novelty OF war in peacsful coun.
try, resulted in the creation Of the immense
armament with which tho Northern States
have heretofore carried on the war against the
powerful efforts of secession.
Before passing to tho numerous criticisms
that we shall have to make, let us here nd-
miro the energy. the devotion. the courageous
spirit Of selfdcnal, with which the popula-
ton of those States-leading their Govern
mcnt rather than led by it-has Of itself, and
solely under the impulse of patriotic good
sense. given uncounted men and money, sac.
riircd It's comforts, and rpnounced voluntarily
and for the public good its tastes, its habits
even to the liberty Of the press. and this, not
under the influence of a momentary passion,
nor in transport of transient enthusiasm, but
eooiy, and for a remote object of national
greatness.
The work of creating an army. great ar
my was then seriously begun. Seconded by
public opinion, Congress resolved to raise five
hundred thousand men, with the necessary
funds. Unfortunately, it had not the power
to decree the traditions requisite for organic
ing and managing such force 1t was able
to assemble masses of men and M immense
motfricl, as If hy cnchantment; it was not
able to create by vote the spirit Of discipline.
of obedience, Of subordination, without which
there may be- armed crowds, but there can be
no army. Here is the rock on which many
generous efforts have been dashed to pieces.
Here is the original vice, the fatal influence Of
which WE shall everywhere see. We may
discover its germ by rapidly examining the
mechanism by which this first creation was
effected.
According to American laws. the Federal
Government maintains in time Of peace reg.
ular standing army. 1t can, moreover. in case
of emergency, war, or insurrection, enroll as
many regiments of volunteers MS it thinks pro.
per. The regular army, formed hy recruit
ing, numbered only twenty-five thousand men
before tile rebellion. The corps Of officers. all
trained in the Military School, was remarka-
able. Very well educated, practically versed
in their profession, understanding the necessi-
ty Of absolute command, they maintained in
their small force the strictest discipline. This
nucleus Of an army was excellent: but the in
surr-ction had caused its dissolution, as have
Just said. The majority Of its officers (about
three hnndred) had gone over to the South.
The soldiers, all Irish or Germans, lost in the
solitudrs Of Texas were dispersed. Only
about two or three thousand men from Cali.
fornia and tho Mormon country returned to
take part in tho war. This was important
chiefly on account of the return Of certain
number Of the officers who could direct the Or
ganization, such IA it was, Of the volunteer
army about to be raised
In my country, where we have learned to
appreciate the comparative value Of tue regu-
lar soldier, and Of that amateur, costly and ca
PRECIOUS soldier called volunteer, we would
have deeply regretted to lose the aid Of the
regular army, no matter how small, and we
would have undertaken 10 to increase II byex-
tending its organization and by Incorporating
recruits. An army Of sixty thousand rrgu-
lars would have accomplished more than dou.