The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-14


some thirty or forty thousand men. But
it appears that his available force was too
small and that to furnish for South Caro-
lima this insufficient army for any agrees
sive enterprise General Foster was 90 weaken
ed in North Carolina as to place him in the
greatest danger of d disastrous capinlation,
which may involve the loss of every foot of soil
we have recovered from the rebellion along
the shores Of Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds.
The feet of Dupont and the army of Sber-
man, which went down to Port Royal some
eighteen months ago, we believe, were strong
enough to take Charleston, limited Is were its
defsnces and open as was its channel TO the
city at that time. But the War Office and old
Mr.. welles, of the Navy Department, thought
otherwise. Eighteen months have since elapsed,
and during all this time our land and naval
forces in South Carolina have been only strong
enough to keep the rebels actively engaged all
the time in every possible way to prepare
Charleston against q threatened. attack. Thus
the purposes Of the enemy in that quarter have
been better served than they would have been
had Secretary Wellss, in November, 1861, off,
oislly annoupced to the rebel chiefs at Charles
ton that he would not be ready to settle with
them until about the middle Of April in 1868.
But what is the prospect In every step
taken against the enemy since the battle Of An
tietam We have had some fresh development
of the incompetency of the administration to
bring this war to successful issue. Where
are all our seven hundred thousand SOL
diers, when we have an insufficient force in
South Carolina, and when we aee In danger of
being driven out Of North Carolina by less than
fifty thousand of the enemyi Can any one
tell! Or why does General Hooker continue
stationary, with "the finest army on the
planet" Or why is General Rosecrans COM
PEELED to stand rigidly on the defensive! The
answer is very simple. Our repeated and still
continuing military blunders, disasters and fail
ures are due to the strange infatuation Of Pre-
sident Lincoln.in still retaining in authority .
set Of military advisers who have over and over
again been weighed in the balance and found
wanting"
The results are an incompetent administra-
ton, an exhausting war, wasteful expenditures
Of men and means, time and money, with no
compromising results. Nor can we promise
anything better short Of reconstruction of the
Cabinet, or short of the political revolution
which Is sure to come in our next Presidential
election. The choice is with President Lincoln
and upon it depends glorious renown or
lasting disgrace to his administration.
The Sumter Anniversary Meeting and che
Philosophy ~ ths Proceedings.
The oopperhead journals, in commenting on
the loyal meeting held in Union square on
Saturday to commemorate the second ami
versary Of the capture Of Fort Sumter by the
rebels, take exceptions to the sentiments ex-
pressed, particularly in the letters Of members
Of the Cabinet. and say that we are fast hasten
ing to despotism. That is perfectly true. A
despotism has been established in the South,
and we are following the example a. fast %
we can. good despotism would be inlnitely
better than the inbeoility which now rules the
country, and II the present condition of things
prevail much longer despotism would be
welcomed In preference to President ANY
thing to deliver Us from existing degradation
and the anarchy which threatens us in the fi-
ture. All that il wanting to consummate q
despotism is the man who can do and dare. There
is no such man in the Cabinet, nor, as far as we
can Judge, in the army. There 10 no Cesar, no
Napoleon, nor even q Cromwell. Fighting
Joe" Hooker is not of the right grit; for his
combativeness Is chiefly directly against news
paper boys and reporters; and the same may be
said of Sherman and Grant. A military despot
is not likely to arise from such stuff as those
men are made Of But the progress Of the war
may develop the man sooner than any one
dreams Of. In the present temper Of the pso-
pie, and in view of the sad condition and future
prospects of the country, any change would be
deemed for the better.
On the whole the meeting in Union square
was a remarkable specimen Of the figure Of
speec b they call rigmsrole." The only 'speech
which amounted to anything was that Of
Fremont, who hits of member of
the administration who had dubbed him
and others political generals" because
az citizens they dared to express their political
opinions. Fremont stands up like'a man for
the right of free speech, and very properly
draws the distinction between our republican
system and European governments, where dis
cussion lie not allowed, and where the popular
will can only find expression in bloodsbed and
revolt. Mr.. Fremont has a right 10 complain
that On attempt should be made to gag loyal
Unionist like him by sheer at political gene.
rails" This IL not fair mode Of getting rid Of
candidate for the next Presidential term, H.
indeed, we shall have any republic to be pre-.
sided over in the year 1865.
As regards the letters read at the meeting, II
is worthy Of remark that others wcro received
which the managers did not think proper Ia
publIsh--letters from Governor Seymour and
othsrs, giving their views Of matters and
things. Why we're they not permitted TO see
the Light They could not be worse than the
letter Of Mr.. Chase, which is the evident emana