Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-05-15
For the Standard


Mr.. EDITOR Another, the sixth great battle,
the severest it is again said of the war, has Just
closed its bloody scenes on the banks of the Rap
pahannock, and victory has again perched upon the
Confederate banner. Hundreds, perhaps thousands
have been slain, disabled, captured-munitions of
every description in abundance have fallen into our
hands,. The enemy has recrossed and taken the
position he held before, on the North side of the
Rappahannock, whilst Gen. Lee has also taken his
former position on the South side of that river
The two armies there occupying to day the
same defences they did month ago both claiming
a victory and seem well satisfied with what thew
have accomplished. The Confederate capital, how
ever, still seems to be the great object of attraction
for the Federal army, and it may be its object still
to persevere as did the Turkish army in its siege
against the city of ancient Crete 1t too may make
its fftysxth assault and nintysixth sally, before
the Gibraltar Of the South-spend millions of treas
ure-lose its two hundred thousand soldiers be-
fore its thirst for Richmond is slaked.
If such is to be the result in front of the capital
of our country, and thus promiscuous armies are to
be thrown upon our territories, "creeping" as the
Enquirer expresses it. finch by inch, acre by
acre." feeding and foraging upon the labor of our
husbandry, when may we look for the end of this
contest, and what will be that end ? Well may the
Enquirer say, this bloody struggle is convergng
into one of determination, and that the shortest
road to its end lies in the policy ofnvading the en-
Guy lOT we CaIl nave no peace so long
as we permit them to invade us, and feed them
selves upon our resources. Upon this principle
they can carry this war as did the Turks against
the Venetians, for twenty-five years, and feel but
little loss or inconvenience. Very soon too bat
tie in the west IS expected to be fought perhaps
the greatest in its proportions of any yet If any
battle can effect any thing towards the accomplish
ment of peace, it must be this one. If we can,
therefore, win decisive victory, and put the enc
my to rout in that quarter, take hold again upon
that Vast rich country south and south. west, We
may hope to lull at least if not cessation of
hostilites for a season. But on the other hand, if
we are beaten and our defences broken, and our
army has to fall back eastward and depend upon
the border States for supplies will be gloomy
and precarous situation in the future. We must
hope and look to the west for all that can materially
direct us for the present in our advance towards
our separate independence 1t is in that direction,
alone, we mustlook for blow taat will check the
advance of the Federal army to the rear of east
ern army, and that will hold the intermediate
country for our home supplies, should q siege
against Richmond begin, as l have intimated-
With this view of matters, we must look the thing
tull IN the face and prepare to stem the food and
first we must look to our future supplies, if we
would be able to endure as long as our enemies in
this struggle. We have nov left in our agricultu-
raj pursuits something in the neighborhood of enc
and half millions of laberers including white and
slave. With an average crop year they can pro-
duce four hundred aud fifty millions of bushels of
corn, and six hundred millions Of pounds Of bacon