Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-14
The Approaching End % the Amer
ieaH War.

a
3 Rfon the London Daily NtW'.
The most ardent ltiends Of SeCessio
are admitting that the project Of establish
j. lug separae government 10 The Suuu
9 never was 90 gloomy Rs now. Even Ii
Tunes seems half iHClined 10 sound the 70
treat, and seek refuge in tho Federal lines
J, The period has nearly arrived Tor rsSortinl
10 the well known eIpsdlenl Of publlShinI
0 contradictory articles 10 contiguous col
umnS, with the cORSoling certainty lha
, some ut least Of The views advocated viii
; turn out tOlerably correct The riots |,
New York will serve 10 dlltFaet public at
Ishlion few days; but ulleSs w greatly
mistake the character Of theeVenlS which
have lately occurred in AmericA, the fail.
ure Of the South 10 due not to any tempo.
Fary difficulty, hut to permanent causes. -
Aud, therefore, no time should be lost
BY those who have hitherto supported the
South 10 this county iu placing them
selVes where they may see things 10 their
true light.
1t Is tact universally admitted that the
Southern rebellion bSs been admirably
managed, From the time when the trst
gun was fired against Fort Sumter Hntil
the present moueat the very ablest men
in tue South have been AT the head Of at.
fairs. No oae deni0s the remarkable abil.
ity oI Jefferson Davis and his colleagues,
or that the military npd naval officers Sc
lected by him have amply justified the
| wisdom Vt his selection. The Dlaus Of the
COntederaCy have been most sagaeiously
formed, and the best use bias been made Of
such resources rs they could lay their
hands upon. On the other hand, the
Northern Government has been guilty Of
gEeVious mistakes. 10 the beginning they
had no serious belief in the reality OF gi.
gantie rebellion. An army was be created,
and tue officers who were to command
were without experience.
No one who looks back upon the man.
uer in which the war has been conducted
By the North can fail 10 admit that there
has been the grossCst mismanagCment of
great resources and the most unfortunate
selection OF officers to command the troops.
The natural results OF iucompeteucy fol-
lowed. Armies have been dp.eated-the
territory has been invaded-aud the cap.
ture Of important points has been delayed.
Bot the Northern people, in spite Of every
thing, persevered. The result now is that
their armies are commanded by such men
as Grant, ROseCrAns and Meade, all Of
whom have proved their capacity, and
that instead of suffering defeat or being
compelled to stand fast, the armies Of tae
North are constantly Advancing. But how
is this?
The Southern armies are still command.
ed by Johnston, BeauregsryI, and Jefferson
Davis. The lines which they have to de-
fend are more restricted, and therefore
they are in better position for rapid cou.
centraVion, while the Northetuers are fur.
ther removed from their base, and there.
fore more exposed to be attacked separate
ly. Nevertheless, we find that almost on
the same day, and that the 4lh Of July, the
whole Confederate line, from the Potomac,
on the east coast, to the Mississippi, has
been compelled to TALL back. BY no iu-
glorious tuse, BY no sudden surprise, but
by months Of warning, as to where the at
tack was to be made, has this calamity
fallen upon the South.
The same generals and tho same states.
men who planned the rebellion, and whose
ability, perseverance, and gallanlry have
extorted the admiration of their enemies,
are still at the head Of affairs. And yet
they have failed to arrest the Nor:h-the
men who are said TO be merely fighting for
IN idea, or for the vain ambition Of extend
ed empire. How is it that the arms Of the
South have thus suddenly become para
lyzed2 Had it been possible, does any
reasonable man suppose that Gen. john
ston would not not have relieved vicks
burg or Port Hudson? How. was it that
Bragg should should hAve chosen the same
mOment TO retreat before RosecrAns, and
thus place the chief line Of communication
between the East and West in the hands Of
the North!
How was 1t that At the same moment al :
so BeauregArd should have found it i'm
possible 10 prevent the landing OF the Fed
erals on the island near Charleston? ? How
is 1t, finally, that ut one point at least the
Coniederates, under their Rblest General
Lee, should not have succeeded in defeat
ing the army of Meade, inferior lu number
and inferior in discipline? II the past
history Of the civil war proves anything,
it proves that SO long as the affairs Of the
South are conducted by Jefferson Davis
and his friends, failure, II failure comes
cannot be due TO any want or ability, or o.
the knowledge how to make the best use
OF resources. The weapon may break IL
the hand Of the South, but so long rs II
can be welded 1t will be welded with tht
most consummAte skill.
But the simple truth is that the weapon
has broken-the resources are exhausted
Aud the ability Of the Southern leaders Il
the most conclusive proof that such is tht
fact. Recmlsr pour misNr sGWtsr is Nu ex
Cellent maxim, but il has no application
now.
1t has often been said by those who ha,
most profoundly considered the peculia
characteristics Of the two rival parties Ii
America that the break down Of the Con
tederacy would not be gradual but suddep
1t would be the failure Of thoroughly ablt
men, who perfectly understood their owl
plans, and had perfect command of thei
own resources. They would fail, not be
cause they had taken false step, bu
because they had no means OF carrying OF
the struggle. The Ahlest General in th
world may be compelled to surrender be
cause lie cannot obtain men, food or am
munitiOn; and the Hbler he Is, the NOR
sudden aud unexpected should be bis Gu
, pIluIatiOn. 1t ID thus with the Southern
Government,
So long as they bad the meaue Of re
cruiling their armies they stood thei
1 - 1 l.