Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-05-28


ceptien Of the rebellion ;-criticisms upon
the civil and military management of the
Administration; criticisms upon our gene
rails, and upon the seeming slow progress
IN crushing out the rebellion, large aum-
Der OF the people of the free States, we
presume, have come to the CONCLUSION that
the rebel government and military leaders
are entitled to the credit of superior activ-
ity, sagacity and daring in the conduct of
the war. This question we do not pro-
pose to discuss, nor to deprecate any crit
icisms which are made in proper and 10y
al spirit. Criticisms so made, even, are
100 often open to the charge of having but
slight foundation upon ascertained facts !;
but, altogether, they are the best we pre-
sumo, the nature of the case will admit
of; and they constitute right and safe
guard which free people are entitled to
exercise over the conduct of their public
servants.
But every day brings to light new
evidences of the necessity that the people
should exercise the greatest care in de-
termining that the proiessed critics are
building IA each instance upon a reasona-
bly, certain foundation. OF those called
s'copperheads, Whose business is denuncia-
ton and depreciation of every loyal effort,
nothing need be said in this connection, as
their occupation, in the midst of the ma
tons struggle, is hunting after political
capital instead Of the truth. But the
most Loyalty disposed, in their impotence
to see the emo of the war, are prone to be
misled by that prevalent fault-6nding
style OF newspaper writing, viii s by
far the easiest, as it is the most tax -
Nothing requires less labor than tlipr Mt
and untounded criticism; nothing requires
more, than TO work out the truth.
For example, we presume, as we stated,
that the conviction has become general
among large number of our people, that
neither our government, nor our generals,
are to be compared with the rebel, in ac-
tivity, energy, ability and daring. 1t will
doubtless surprise them to learn that just
the converse is held by rebel writer, not
newspaper, but in what at least ought
be the more authoritative form of a
history. Edward A. Pollard, somewhat
knewn as the author of g Black Dia-
monds," intended as counter-blast TO
Mrs. Stoves Uncle Tom,n recently
published at Richmond rebel history of
the First Year of the War; The book
has been repubished by G. B. Richardson,
of New York. A very few extracts, by
way Of specimens, from it, illustrating
the subject we are on, will be of interest
Thus the author of this rebel history
writes.
In the progress of the history of the
war we shall meet with frequent repeti-
tons of the lesson of how the improvident
spirit Of the South, in placing small forces
in isolated localities, was taken advantage
of By the quick strategic naevems,stS and
the overwhelming numbers of the North"
And again he speaks of the North as
"a nation which had given upquestionable
proofs of quick and abundant resource,
mental activity and unfagging hope"
OF the results of the Monitor and Mer-
imac fight, he says:
stAs an example of the sharp and prac-
teal energy of the northern government,
and its readiness to avail itself of all
means in the prosecution of the war, it
may be mentioned that in FIVE days after
the occurrence of the Confederate victory
in Hampton Roads, bill was introduced
into the Senate at Washington, appropri-
ating nearly fifteen millions of dollars for
the construction of additional irou-clad
vessels"
He thus compares the merits of the
Government and of the rebel leaders
aThe Washington Government was &C
tually collecting an army of half million
of men. The Richmond Congress replied
to the threat of numbers by increasing its
army, on paper, to four hundred thousand
men; and the confederate government, in
the midst of revolution that threatened
its existence, continued to rely on the
wretched shift of twelve months volun-
teers and raw militia, with a population
that, by the operations of consumption,
could have been embodied and drilled into
an invincible army, competent not only to
oppose invasion at every point on our from
tier, but to conquer peace in the dominions
of the enemy.
"The universal mind and energy of the
North had been consolidated in its war
upon the South. The patriotism Of the
nation was broadly invoked; no clique
arrogated and monopolized the control OF
affairs; no favorites closed up against the
million outside the avenues of patronage,
of honor and Of promotion. Ii ans a re-
az L.