The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-05-22
The Case Fairly Stated.

We are apt, after such battles as those that
have just TRANSFERRED on the Rappahannock,
- become dishealtened and despoldent. and
think that even if the Lord is not on the side
of the confederacy the devil certainly is. 1t
will do us all good at this time to read the
following remarkable production from the
Richmond Enquirer. Out of their own
mouths the rebels are condemned to final
defeat. We have never seen the comparison
more strongly drawn against the rebel cause
in any loyal paper, even. Read, reflect, and
take courage every loyal man and wo-
man: -
/ There is evidently to be an active summer
campaign. The plans of the enemy seem to
be to keep our attention constantly excited
at every point at once, so that no part Ct our
whole width of frontier may be free from the
urgent and immediate apprehension of an
attack then they can strike where they
think our lile is weakest, or where our de-
lenses are least prepared, and if repulsed
they can retire and direct blow at some
other quarter; in the meantime they can bag
much plumber and cause much sorrow and
neart-breaklng to our posts, by expeditions
through thinly peopled regions destitute of
/ troops. They can also force more of our
people within their lines to take their hated
oath, for quiet life and to save their proper
! ty from conhscation. Thus they can both
demoralize and rob us within our own borders,
preparing all the while for serious assaults,
and delivering them just when they are ready
and where they choose. 1t is hard to say at
what point they are most actively engaged just
now.
If one looks South westward it would seem
that the state of Mississippi is the region of
most exciting reports. Immense armies are
gatheri in aud around Vicksburg, and
while preparations are in progress for new
assault upon that place, the back country is
devastated aud people haunted by cavalry
raids. But at the same moment Charleston
is kept on the qui vve 10y preparations for
another attack by sea or land, or both at
once. The object may be only to prevent
Gen Beauregard from sending away any o.
the troops which now defend Charleston. AT
the same instant Burnside threatens East
Tennessee. Hooker, largely reinforced, is
expected to cross the Rappahannock some
where or anywhere from Culpepper to Port
Royal. To keep some of our forces en-
ployed in the defense of Richmond, reinforce
ments are sent to Fortress Monroe, and lest
any part of the country should have rest the
enemys gunboats are harrassing North
Carolina. III the Raleigh Progress of the
18th inst we read: "Gunboats continue to
prowl up and down the Chowan and Par
quomous rivers. They steal negroes, silver
ware, jewelry, an everything they can lay
hands on, and have broken up number of
fisheries. They stole some $1,000 worth of
jewelry from man named Cook, breaking
u? his furniture and committing other de-
predations. In one instance they entered a
soldiers house and broke up his crock ery.
furniture, &c. Five O: six thousand Yankees
are reported in Plymouth and several gun
boats are in the sound. There is no enemy
az Edenton Or Elizabeth City. They recent,
burnt a mill on the Chowan river and the
property of MIR Hays situated mile below
Winton."
We entertain the idea that the force at
Plymouth meditate an expedition up the
Roanoke. The great numbers of the enemv's
forces and the multitudes of their shipping
make it necessary for them to carry on
simultaneously all these operations, and they
do not care for delay. for it is our people who
are suffering, not theirs. The longer this
style Of warfar lasts, the greater the mass of
plumber carried North, more of our mills.
machine shops and IA lroads they will have
destroyed, more Of our national resources
they will have ruined and wasted, and the
better chance they VIII have for an irresisti-
Die advance at last. They are in no hurry.
Last year, indeed, there was urgent haste to
get the rebellion crushed in 80 DAYS, or in
90 now we hear much less of That vehement
urgency. and the whole Yankee nation seems
10 have laid out its accounts for war as the
settled buiness of life. Rather than consent
to peace and separation. they are perfectly
willing to fight upon the present system for
twenty Years or forty They arc willing
during all that time to go on submitting to
such defeats as they have sustained at Fred
ericksburg and on the Rappahannock, be-
cause by these defeats they lose not foot
Of ground. They lose nothing, and men are
of less value to them than to US. To kill
! 1000 southern soldiers, the would be willing
at any time to sacrifice 5000 Hessians to
sustain republic, which they would, how
ever, represent as mere retreat for strategic
reasons, and rather honorable than otherwise ;
and they would regard the transaction as a
rather paying one on the whole a thous-
and gallant soldiers lives lost to us are i'll
balanced by killing 5000 of their hireling,
Jackson alone is dearer loss than Hooker
and his whole 10000 would lie to them, and
inca speculate that it may be Lees turn next.
" Longstreet's and that at any rate they are
killing US slowly off, and they are in the
meantime stealing much and running more,
and their women and children are safe at
home. many of them dressed better than ever
before, in the spoils of Our homes, while
confederate women and children are routed
out of house and home, and chased like wild
beasts. In short, if we can endure the war
for the next half century, they can, and they
will wish us joy of our victories and our
glory. We urge nothing, suggest nothing,
hint nothing, only state the facts. Such is
the policy of the enemy, such are his cal
citations, such is his interest and intent.
No Buying of from Conservation.