Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-04-18

work to create an army fit to contend against
the formidable preparations Of the Federal Gov.
eminent. A former pupil of West Point, a
former general of volunteers in Mexico, a for
ner Secretary OF War in the Union, he had
all the qualifications requisite for the proper
performance of his task. He applied to it his
rare capacity. He was seconded by the
flower Of the former Federal staff, by the
more military spirit Of southern men, and by
tho aid of all the adventures. flibusters, and
others, whom the South had always Hurtsred
in view of the continual invasions to which
slavery condemns it. do not intend here to
sketch tile secession army; l wish only to
point out two important differences which
characterize its organization compared with
that of the North The officers were chosen
and nominated directly by the president they
were sent to the regiments to take command
of them. There was no intimacy between
then, and the soldiers, who did not know them,
and for that very reason thought them supe-
ri0r. They were not afterward to be their
equals in private life. In short, these officers
belonged to that class of Shareholders who,
living on the labor of their interiors, and &C.
customed to command them, and being at
tached to the soil by the hereditary transmits
sion of the paternal estate and of the black
serfs who lived on it, had, to certain extent,
the qualities of aristocrats. In their hands
the discipline of the army was safe; numer-
Gus shootings inspired respect for it, and on
the day of battle they bravely led their SOL
diers, and were bravely followed by them.
In the second place, Mr.. Davis soon found
that the volunteer system would be INSULT
Gent to furnish him enough men to maintain
the fratriSidal strife in which he had plunged
mis- country; and he soon resorted to conscrip-
ton, to recruiting by force. 1t was no longer
contract between the soldier and his colo
mel, or between the soldier and the state,
which would always be liable to abrogation,
and would involve no absolute obligations. 1t
was law, authority, supreme power, which
seized on all able-bodied men, and made them
march blindly to what they We're told was
the defense Of their country. Hesitation was
impossible. Bourd by the obligation of duty,
the soldier became, therefore, both more SUBJ
nissive, and more resigned to the sacrifice.
In the situation Of the South at that time,
these measures were good and they doubtless
Mt the beginning of the war gained great ad-
vantages for its army. Yet we are very far
from reproducing Mr.. Lincoln for not having
had recourse to means as violent. The lead
ers Of an instruction know no obstacle and
are checked by no scruple, when they desire
to secure the triumph Of their ambitious views,
and above all to escape the consequences of
defeat. They rccoil at nothing, and have no
repugnance to revolutionary expedients. But
Mr.. Lincoln and his advisers were the lawful
representatives Of the nation, and if it was
their duty to repress revolt, they did not
wish, without absolute necessity. to touch the
guarantees which, till then, had made the
American people the happiest and the frcest
people on earth.