Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-09

WASHINGTON. February 3

Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Times.l
WASHINGTON. February g.
Its said here that Gen Halleck has a plan for
the winter and spring campaign all marked out,
and that it will be put in execution Immediately
There those here verdant enough to believe
this. | am not one of them The events of the
last six months have proved that Gen. Halleck is
utterly incompetent OF forming any plan for
campaign so extensive as this war requires. The
events of the last eight months have proved the
cOrsectneSs of what said eight weeks ago: that
winter campaign in Virginia WAS a physical
impOssibility; and OF the real Virginia winter
there remains eight weeks vet. During the next
eight weeks no military operations can be under
taken in Virginia with any hope of success Be
sides, the Times said long ago that any cam
paigus planned by Gen Halleck in his closet
would be failures; and every one of the cam
palgns undertaken under his orders has proved
the correctness OF this remark
But. whether plans for subsequent campaigns
have been formed. either by General Halleck
General " Stanton, or General" Lincoln,
(and one member of the triumvirate is quite as
capable of forming them as either of the others)
events are so shapInglt themselves that they cannot
he carried into execution The war is approach
ing its termination. This could rot be said two
months, perhaps one months ago. Certainly
there indication that such was the fact
three months ago. But this revolution is hurry
ing us along with fearful rapidity. The events
of the past mouth plainly point to a speedy
termination OF the war, thatno observant student
of history can fail to see it.
Prominent among the signs of the times is the
recent extraordinary action of Horace Greeley
and the New York Tribune Greeley has been
in perfect accord with the President ever since
the 22d of September. On that day Alr Lincoln
threw himself into the arms of the white coated
philosopher, and ever since has been his Obedieni
n H.
been the master and leader ~fthe Administration.
He has been more than that Since that day.
Horace Greeley has been the master and leader
OF the American people. Their rights, their lib
critics, the security of their persons and propesty,
have all been at his mercy. Whatever he has
commanded the President to do, that the Presi-
dent has done. The will of Horace Greeley has
been made the supreme law of the land For the
President has been pleased to do whatever Horace
willed him to do, and the Attorney General has
declared, - Whatever pleases the President, that
is law"
Well. Horace now wills that war shall stop
He has been here to see the President; he and
his friend and co laborer. Wendell Phillips They
have become convinced that the South cannot be
conquered. Fearful, therefore, that the conserv-
atves will also become convinced, and that the
latter, uniting with the conservatives of the
South, will devise some measures to restore the
Union. they have determined to avert that calam-
ity (as they consider it) ut all hazards and by
every means Their followers here boast that
Mr.. Lncoln's ideas on the subject are the same
those of Mr. Greeley; that he. too, is convinced
of the uselessness of prosecuting the war any
longer, and that he will faithfully carry out Mr.
Greeleys programme in May next, namely: a
separation of the North from the South. and the
recognition of the independence of the Southern
Coniederacy.
But the plots of Greeley and the radicals are
not the only causes that are Fastening the termi-
nation OF the war. The national finances will
not much longer bear the tremendous strain to
which they have been subject for the last twenty
months. No man in his senses can rise from 4
candid examination of the national finances
without being convinced that the nation is On the
verge of ruin. We are staggering under load
of financial embarrassment, such no nation
ever before experienced. All the schemes of
Mr.. Chase have been no more than the temporary
shifts resorted by spendhrifts, who put off the
evil day from time TO time by raising loans on
exorbitant and compound interest, and who find
themselves ut last bound hand and foot. and at
the mercy of their merciless creditors. The crash
is approaching, surely, but not slowly. 1t may
come before the ides OF March are over. And
when it does come, the war is over.
Another cause that is Fastening the termination
of the war is the disgust of the people at the
hideous complexion which it has assumed and
that has been practiced upon them by their rulers
They never would have given their sons their
brothers, their husbands, to be butchered in war
the sole object of which is now disclosed TO be
the abolition of slavery and the determination of
the Southern people. They were assured by the
Administration, when the war began, that il was
war to restore the Union. They see noy that
it is a tc0r to prerent the Union from being re-
stored. Mr.. Lincoln assured them that he had no
desire, no intention. and no power to interfere
with slavery in the States where il exists. They
now see him 'procIaming away twelve hundred
million dollars worth of slave property. They
have seen all the good Generals whom the war
has produced smitten down, one after the other,
by the hand of arbitrary power at Washington;
and thew have seen the conduct of the com
United to the hands of politicians. lawyers, char
latans. fanatics. and UPSTAIRS. Such they
will not support
The conservative statesmen here are in favor of
bringing the to immediate termination.
They see that, in commencing the at all, the
Administration committed four great blunders:
l.. In thinking that revolution undertaken
by twelve millions of people could be crushed a.
easily, and by the same means. as an ordinary
insurrection.
2 In undertaking the powers and resources of
the Southern people.
g. In thinking that The people Of the Northern
States, when once eDtrapped into what they
would believe 70 be war Tor the Union, would
be willing to continue it after il should become
evident that it really war-to prevent the re
construction of the Union.
A. In forgetting that the internal tranquility Of
both France and England depends upon their full
and regular supply OF American cotton; and that
tbSe countries will not permit to continue
long which would deprive them of it,
The conservative statesmen here also see that
for reasons set forth at length in my letter OF
January 81, the Union can never be restored as
long as the war continues; while. on the other
hand, as soon as the war is stopped and guaran-
tees for their rights offered TO the South, the
Union will be restored. Anxioas therefore, to
repair the plumbers Of the Administration and TO
restore the Union, the conservative statesmen
here will oppose the further continuance Of the
war
Mr.. Conway, Of Kansas. Republican member
of Congress- and heretofore supporter of the
Administration, made speech in the House OF
Repres entatiges on the 9th ult.-a most able
and eloquent effort IN which he set forth the
doctri1e that the war ought 10 be stopped at once
Mr.. VaIlandigham, OF Ohio, conservative mem
Der Of Congress. and an opponent of the ruinous
nolicv OF the Administration, had made speech
In the same House on the 18th ult., even more
eloquent and logical in which he, too, set forth
the reasons why the war ought to be stopped al
once. The reasons for stopping the war, brought
forward nv the member from Ohio and the mem
Der from Kansas. were widely different. But
when men Of such opposite views both agree tna
the war must be stopped, II indicates mat 'n'
leaven Of peace Is at work
But that Is not all. The soldiers want the wal