The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-07-28
!. WANT OF MEN.

Every reverse and disappointment the Confed-
eracy has ever sustained has been occasioned by
immense superiority of numbers on the part of the
enemy. For want of men Gen. Johnston found
himself powerless to relieve Vicksburg. For the
same reason Bragg has had to abandon Middle
Tennessee and fall back on the Tennessee river
For want of men we have been unable, here at
Richmond, to keep the Peninsula clear of brigands
and save the crops negroes and houses of the citi-
zens. If Lee had had twenty thousand more
troops to preserve his communications he could
have followed up Meade's army and taken Balti-
more and Washington. II the heroic city of
Charleston should fall now, it will be solely be-
cause Beauregard has not force enough to defend
its lines of Notifications.
Yet there are actually fighting men enough in
the country to drive out the enemy if they were
only organized and armed. There has been 100 much
slackness the result of overweenng confidence, In
the whole of our military operations. Not only re-
peated successes have caused to dsdaln the
prowess Of our enemies, but the absurd and con-
stantly and confidently repeated statements that
the Yankee army was tired Of the war, sas " de-
rnoralized," was depleted by the mastering out of
service of troops enlisted for limited time, and
soforth, have brought the public mind into most
enervatng condition of vague expectancy of peace;
so that the immense armies of Yankees, which are
always in front of us at every point, are an ever
new surprise to us; the continually increasing fury
and perseverance Of the war of invasion has
amazed US, as if it something unexpected.
We have always, in this journal endeavored to
bring home to the hearts of our people, the true
proportions Of the war now raging, to dissipate
those delusions about the Yankees being tired of
the war; or unable to recruit their armies, to i'm
press the fact that every effort of the country will
be not too much for our ultimate triumph and
that the war must be made according to the phrase
of monarchcal countries) toto corp0re regni: that
is to say, that the Confederacy must become one
camp, and the whole force of the people be con-
centrated in the hand of the military chief.
Our people have gradually and reluctantly learn
ed many things in the course Of the war. They
have not yet fully learned this one great fact.
But learn it they will and We trust not too late.
The Confederate newspapers are even now awaken
ing to it. Says the Savannah Republican :"
eThere are as many able bodied men out of the
army as there are in it. We proclaim the fact,
even though it may be to our shane-the shame
of both Government and people. 1t should not be
so; and it will not, unless we have made up our
minds to rot in Abolition chains. We believe the
people as body, are ready ifthe Government, Con-
federate and State, will only take the proper steps
to arouse them to action and bring them into the
field Let this be done without another days de-
lay The man who stands between the citizen
and the service Of his country, whenever he may
be needed in times like these, be he Governor or
peas.nt, should be branded as traitor and drag
eed to traitsrs DOOM