New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-03
OPENING TIE MlssIssIPpI.

The Mississippi, below the mouths of the Ohio
and the Missouri, though its average volume
may be less than that of the Amazon or even of
the Gauges, is doubtless the most important river
on the globe. Its nayigation-never INSTRUCTED
by drOuth, or food, OF frOst-Las probably en-
ployed larger steamboat tunnage than that Of
any other river; the country drained by it above
the mouth of the Ohio covering moro than one
million square miles, lying wholly within the
Temperate Zone and being unsurpassed in aver
age fertility by any other equally extensive por-
ton of the globe. And, great as has been its i'm
portance in the immediate past, it bears no CON-
parison with what it must be in the future. The
Valley of the Mississippi is capable of sustaining
in comfort q civilized population of Three Hun
drcd Millions, while it has never yet numbered
Twenty Millions. Not one acre in twenty of its
arabic surface has ever yet been traversed BY the
pillow.
The Mississippi is itself the strongest possible
Ieiutation of the monstrous heresies which have
eliminated in the bloody saturnalia OF Secession.
II is prominently and emphatcally river Of the
UNION. Every foot of its immense Valley lies en-
tircly within our undisputed area--or did until
the Shareholders Rebellion. 1t was purchased
we speak now of the lower Mississippi-not by
the States lying on it's banks-which then had no
existence-nor by the South, nor yet by the North
West, but by the UNITED STATES. The Federal
Government purchased tho vast region then
. \ ts,riep had
proved that treaties, however solemn could never
secure to us its uninterrupted and free navigation.
Spain stipulated this but did not-perhaps could
nOt--secure it. The Republic bought out the ad-
verse holder, because she felt that tho free navl
: CATION of the Mississippi was vital element of
her integrity, her prosperity and her greatness
Every owner of q quarter-section in any State of
the great Northwest has q direct interest in the
preservation of our National control over that
river. And the National right to the Mississippi
denied and deGed by the Shareholders Rebellion
the free sOns of the West are now in arms before
Vcksburg TO assert and make good.
Jef. Davis, in bis War Speech nt Jackson, vir.
tually proclaimed that the retention of its clutch
on the Mlssissippi was question Of life or death
to his Confederacy-that il must hold the Missis-
sippi or die. He is right so far. If we open tho
Mississippi and keep it open, Louisiana, Arkansas,
Texas, arc inevitably regained to the Union, and
the last guerrilla in Missouri may As well simplify
matters by considering himself shot. If we hold
The Mississippi, JEFF. is cut of from the vast re-
sources, in men and cattle, that be has hitherto
drawn from the Southwest mainly from Texas
If we hold the Mississippi, his empire must soon
collapse and he be wanderer in exile.
But, before we again hold the Mississippi, we
must take It; and this work is now in the hands
of at least One Hundred thousand Western Vol
unteeTs. led by Gems. MClernand Grant, and
Sherman. Our gunbOats on the Mississippi prac
ticaly add some thousands to their numbers. We
opprehend that the aggregate is still too few, IN
less the thousands commanded by Gen. Banks in
Louisiana can be added The " mediation"
suited to cur present needs is that which cuts the
Rebel Copfederacy through the middle, and We
trust the mcdiatorS may be- found not too few. 1t
would DO dcplorablo should it prove that our
armies arc attempting so many enterprises at once
that too little force has been allotted 10 the most
important and necessary OF them at all.
| The Rebels have able chiefs, and as yet un-
limited supply of raw material for soldiers, COL
lected by means Of their sweeping conScription
But in everything else they are deficient, especi-
ally in munitions of war. They have many can
non well planted at the most defenslble points;
but we believe q few days careful Smelling will
run any of them short of ammunition. We OBJ
tain our gunpOwder cheaper and in greater abund-
ance than they, and should compel them to use
theirs rs layishly as possible.
The river is now in full stage. though not in
flood, and is likely TO remain so for the greater
part of the next six months. The effort of last
season TO open il was made with too slender
forces aud too late. Gunboats, ut the present
stage OF water, may engage most OF the shore bat
teres with advantage; with the water twenty or
thirty feet lower, they have no fair chance. Nechs
Of land may now DO cut across, saving miles TO
the yoyagcr, and in time taking tho channel away
from the vicinity Of high placed batteries Us we
trust ia now being done opposite Vicksburg. That
city taken or reduced to insgniicance, We trust
the rest of the work may be far more easy. And,
were Vicksburg thus reduced or turned, our
troops might be conveyed to Port Hudson before
the Rebels in any force could reach that point
We anticipate stirring news almost daily for the
next month.
NATIONAL BANKING.
Our latest advices from Washington indicate