Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-06-09
Che Ohio 5tntesman
Vicksburg-The Military and Political
Bearings of the Contest, as Viewed by
the Richmond Enquirer.
IFrsm The Richmond Enquirer, May 80,

the Richmond Enquirer.
lFrsm the Richmond Enquirer, May 3O.I
All interest, military and political, ceuters this
dog upon the fearful and bloody struggle now
raging around the bluffs of Vicksburg. Il ia
the most momentous, and, perhap', the bloodiest
fight Of the campaign this year. If Grant's
dari1g attempt fail, and his a.my be DESTROYED
or ever dhven off with such plentiful carnage
and havoc AZ lur batteries are now making In
the ranks, then tho Mississippi and all the Wet
are GUS ior this season. Il Vickeburg unhap
PLY fall, the war is only beginning. But the
worst effect OF that disaster would sssuredy be
the removal of that miserable outcry for court.
ing and tamperiDg with the great Northwest
reunion With several States of the Northwes.
that is, submission to the Northwest.
VicksouFg, as we have good hope, will not
fall and cannot fall. We have there O fine army
brave TO desperation, and led BY able command.
ers. Every motive. every passion that can ex-
alt soldiers to the point at which men conquer
or die, is there present; patriotism and pride,
| the need OF fsustaining O well won renown, thirst
for public and for private vengeance upon the
desolation Of the land, the incendiaries of our
towns and cowsrdly oppressors of unprotected
women and children, all stir and madden our
men to daring deeds, and give zest to the
work of wholesome slaughter. Pemberton is
nobly sustaining his fame and ours; and with
Johnston and his gathering reinforcements to
strike In at the moment OF fate and finish the
terrible strife, 1t may we'll bo hoped that, with
Gods blessing on our army, those most formid
able Rrmaments of the enemy, by land and
water, will be ruined, overwhelmed and cent to
perdition.
Yet, If II be fated, that In spite of all human
valor and devotion can do, Vicksburg and its
defenders should become the prey of It's enc.
my, then indeed will come the tug of war
Then also will come the political crisis. What
ever of imbecility and faint-heartedness and
downright latent toryism and treason exists in
the Confederacy, will at once receive new ao-
cession of weakness; many will again begin to
cry out for "an honorable peace" as they call
1t, by means Of submission to one section of
our invading foes who are now raging over our
country with fire and sword. The doctrine Of
the necessary unity Of the Mississippi Valley
from Lake Itasca to the Gulf will be again re-
vived by political geographers Of feeble knees
AS If the Mississippi river were something
different from all other rivers; as ii there were
any more unity or continuity in its shores than
IN the shores of the sea; as If the Great West
had right to our country because tho water
flows from their lands into ours; all this sad
nonsense, which ia nothing but O cloak for
treason and excuse for cowardice, would be
echoed and reverberated over the land again.
And then the Northwest would not Listen to our
offers and overturee, If such should be made.
With the possession of Vicksburg and Port
Hudson, they would fancy themselves assured
of he whole Mississippi, by conquest; and
they would no longer dream of escaping il by
treaty. II our politicians of Tennessee and
Mississippi should, then, renew their helpless
talk of giving a favorable commercial treaty to
the upper Statea of the river, as an induce
ment to them to separate themselves from the
Eastern States and erect a ConfederSCy of their
own, such offers would be received with con-
tempt. The issue would be presented pure and
simple, naked and peremptory-submissio or
subiugation. Aud subiugation means eztermin-
alton.
Thus, Vicksburg is at this moment point
not only OF strategic but also Of political i'm
portance. While our Gag files defiant over the
great river, no party of compromise can venture
to raise its head; no man will dare to breathe
one word of reconstruction" in whole or in
part. All will be good Confederatea. The
cause which ia supposed to be falling and sink-
ing is the one which is likely to be abandoned
by the towards, and betrayed by the traitors =
To the cause that prospers we are always as true
40 steel.
For this reason, the result of these Virginia
elections, or any elections, is by no means OF 80
deep political Significance 90 the result Of those
battles round Vicksburg. All the gentlemen
elected the day before yesterday are to-day, we
hope and believe, faithful ana resoluts Confed-
eratss, whether they be late seoessionsts or
original ones, If any Of them have uncon-
sciously lurking within them come relic OF ten
derness for the old Union, some underlined hank
ering after peace by total or partial recon-
struCtion upon any terms whatever, Honorable"
or other Else, the successful deteusa Of Vicks-
burg will help to obterate the last tinge or taint
of such anti Confederate sentiment. This is not
said in disparagement of those who left the Un-
ion reluctantly aud at the last momeLt, but Whe
left il then forever, ami have since maintained,
on many bloody field, the sovereignty Of their
States against on invading enemy. We find it
impossible TO conceive, for example, that men
like Col. Wickham, who has led q Virginia reg
iment through two years of desperate war 10 do
fense of Virginia's right 10 secede-Or like
Alexander Boieler, whose homo mas been deso-
lated by invading barbarians, ami Shs has rid
den by the eide of Jackson through tho cam
paigna which illustrate his native State, and
gemmed it ell over with zelda OF glory like an
Emperor's shield-sbould ever contemplate the
sNSA1'As's w. "uJ SouPhSuAiop VI pON-
ereis tT * a., dnder any circumstances or any
presaure-V cS ourg or no Vicksburg. Yet
some there are, of meaner type--pray SOD
they be iew!-who would SEQ in the fall of
Vicksburg an occasion, perhaps even reason,
perhaps they might even see on honest ana pat
rio!io reason, for drawing back from the ex.
treme measure Of our proud position, and listen-
ing to compromise, and an "honorable peace."
We do assure them (if such there be) that they
are in the wong. Compromise there can be
none; nor medium. This Confederacy has be-
fore 1t one of two things; either to conquer its
full and separate independence by battle and
victory--or to yield itself conquered, and dreg
the bitter doom of an oppressed nationality"
under The basest Of masters; O naked, bound,
scouraged "Cinderells Of nations;" object-at
they very best-of all the worlds conie emptuCus
pity.
There are few, IL may be hoped, who are not
now up to the right mark; prepared In this mat
ter 90 make the right declsion. At any rate We
pray ior Johnston and Pemberton and the yet
Maiden City on the Bluffs
CasuaItias IN tho AHfh nhio