Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-12-08
FROM Tns RICHMOND sxAarxEs.


FROM the RICHMOND EXAMINER
It is an unu.yual spectacle, when whole IA
tion thinks and stBdies If each indiyidua
were entrusted with the solution Of the same in
tricate problem. That this earnest reflection i
beginning to be dissipated that every one i
turning to his own way ; that while men shoy
much love with their mouth, their heart goeti
after their covetousness, IS one Of the worst sign
of the times. Still there IS patriotism enough
left to keep large proportion of the peopl,
alert to the dangers, the dlfhcultles, the neces
sites OF our position. -
OF course the army is the great theme; self
defence is the first necessity. Had we foreseen
the magnitude ard duration OF the conflict we
might have been better prepared; Dut have
managed, after many blunders and through much
tribulation, to bring together aid organize IN
armed force, sufficiently numerous aud effective
to keep any reasonable number of unreasonable
Seventh Regiments from making holiday excur-
sions at will over Onr omain. Sufficiently nu-
merous and effective that force must continue to
be, If We wish to maintain and establish our na-
tional independence. Bnt what is to be our
standard of a sufficient number? Evidently not
that of onr enemies; for II We had believed in
the doctrine of the New York ssI'ribune,'' that
.in all appeals to arms it is numbers that count
and M ney that sustains,'' it would have been
prudent in rs to have followed the advice OF the
N w York ssTribuna" and to have relrained from
resistance. N or is our standard of number to
bs pushed to The ismitssof possibility. No SEN
sihle man thinks that every one capable OF bear
ing arms ought TO take the field. That is but
the rash conclusion OF some hot-headed old gen.
tlemen, beyond conscrpt age, who see many OF
their acq1aintances shirking the duty which they
owe TO their country. We do not want men Ca
pabe of bearing arms SO much as fighting m IN
and il wond be Loor policy which should gath
er in hordes of boys AMI grey boards, consump-
my. As it is, the dIsproportlon between the
number OF the enlisted men and the number of
men VITO engage at any time in battle is glaring
enough; ami if this is true OF aDle-bodied sol
ders in the prime of .Ife, how much worse would
it be in class composed wholly of those who,
rom inirmIty OF age or of constitution, are
fitted for active service Every one who is too
old, too young, too weak for tie hard work of a
soldier is dead weight on the movement of our
forces, a serious item IN the budget of our Gov
ernmeDt- Of course, age Is not aiwayS counted
by years, nor is rhy scal weakness incompatible
with the loftiest military genius; but in these
matters We must be guided by the cosrse aver
age OF mankind, and not by the splendid excep-
,ions, which too often make US forget the rule.
The simple truth is, We have no standard !;
neither system or settled rule. The whole war
has been conducted by IL series of makeshifts !;
and though We have had ample time to equip our
vesse irnm maintop to keel, we are still labor
Il
feet cf water IN the hold. The first call was for
100 few; the next call was for everybody Asno
one seems t. know anything of the material re-
sources OF tpe country, as We eat to-day and let
tomorrow find it's own meas - bacon one year.
,.aof nother, and after that mamma aud quails if
they come so there is no where shown any
satisfactory knowledge of the resources OF the
count in men-there is no provision made for
the maintenance of normal effective force, and
:,4, G.N;f M 10 coll
the militia, and occasional futterings of the dove
cotes of the detailed men, e4empts aed Govern
ment clerks will cot suffice. Like the sudden
and arbitrary impressments of tue Qnartermas
tors and Commissaly's Departments, these ir
regular proceedings do tar more mischief than
good.
But is there no such thing as due balance be.
tween the civil and ths militarJ spheres of ma
tional life? This is wcrth considering fer we
have passed the period, if there ever Was such
period, when Leree maSse would nave been
desirable; and 1t mus be rem moerod that we
are engaged III struggle OF iniedaite duration.
Are We to have the same uncertainty and confu-
sion, that have been the banc of our finances,
perpetuated In the recruiting of our armies Is
the same bad faith, which was shown in the VIZ
tuai reputation OF the eight per cent Treasury
issues, to be exhibited in the clnceiling OF the
obligations of tue Gcvernm3ut to those who have
furnished substitutes I Ii was iIj1dlclous to is
sue the eight per cent. notes lat once ISSUED
they ought to be redeemed on The or-glnal terms.
1t was, perhaps, wrong to allow sn bstitl ltion; 1t
was certainly iD'poitic ss;ffsr it TO be made a
matter of private contract; for, if tho Govern
ment had retained the control of this whole mat
ter, and regulated the communication of military
service, all the abuses TO which substitution is
liable mi ght have been prevented. But the naTIn
has b zen done, and IL cannot be undone by q
| breach OF pubic faith. Are we to have another
| Of w
tempt on the part OF the Military Committee to
sweep the whole male population, with the ex
| ception OF members OF Congress, into the vari-
Gus camps Of instruction? We hope not, and
| yet our hope is not uninlnged with fear. Ii Il
| SO pleasant to resolve that everybody else shal
do the WORK, and that the resofutionists shall en-
| joy the profits lit is SO cheap to DO patriotlc a.
the exrense Of the rest Of the world, and thing
which are at once cheap and pleasant are so rar'
| iii Richm0nd, that We should not DC shocked a
any measures which the next Congress may pass
Exemption from military service Is privlieg
I-graIted to tn. exempt because his work Is
bent fiji to the nation ii would be cant to den,
lIt; out it is a privilege which becomes dis
grace sooD AS the exempt iai.s to perform ID
/ part Of the contract. We care not how muc
/ this is insisted on. Let every sham preacher
every untaught teacher, every Swindllng coD0iel
/ every detailed man who does not fulfil his dut
! be forced into the service. But let US nave n
more meddIIng Wltn the iiStS uhiii ~ 10 aSooAtaA
ed what the requirements OF civil life afo. DIS
abied soldiers do not straightway become gem
uses OF the first order, although We acknowledg
hat proportion OF congressman might be ad
vahtageously replaced by jadlcious selectlo
} from the number of our mutilated soldiers. Lt
tie conscfiptlon act, as it is, be fully carrie
ont. But let US have no hasty measures for II
creasil the size Of our armies until our suba
tern officers briag all the mon ss!Or duty In tn
feid-untll We get rid of Generals who do NJ
kaow how to nandle all the forces at their dispt
ISal.
1t is clear that we, as web as the Yankees, nee
eff ;iency rather than mere number; and, unliR
nnm GER, efficiency admits of indefinite incress 8
) 1t would not be an inactive winter which Snoul
. witness thorough revision OF the deoar
: ments Of our army. A wholesome course
cashierng through all the grades oi the serVis
IA rigid reorg ganlZation OF Tue picket system ID
entire remodeiIng ot the cavalry --afe among u
urgent necessitities winch must be met Dei0
7 another spring summons US to meet agalnthe
: crulted hosts OF Yaukeedvm.
:, CONFINEMENT IN WEALTn. Agar said, "gi'
, me neither poverty nor riches AMI this W
ever be the prayer of the wise. Our incom
should be like out shoes; if too Small, they W
gall and pinch us but II too large, they "
| cause us to stumble and trip. Wealth. alter a
is relative thing, since he tnat has little, a
xvantS loss 10 rii.nar than he that has muCh a