The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-02-13

posed by the radicals that Napoleon could
| easily induce other nations to join him in an
offer for interventionif they were aware be-
forehand that our government would accept
their proffered services. It is intended by the
radicals that. as condition Of their recogniz-
ing the South, it shall agree to plan Of gra-
dual emancipation, the North making a. like
agreement as to those portions of slavehold-
ing territory which, by the division Of the
country. would remain. under the Washington
government The abolitionistss deem that
were the South to refuse such conditions it
would be placed without the pale of civifiza-
ton, and that then an effort to conquer the
Shareholder would snrely succeed. The sps-
pense will be but. Of short duration. Between
now and the month Of May We shall know
whether we are to have q peace conquered by
our arms Or a peace by the mediation OF to-
reign Powers. 3. {
The new commander Of the Army of the
Potomac has certainly one great adgantage:---
! The plans laid down by Gen. Met lellan have
only Is be properly carried our for success to-
ensue. w hat these plans were Gen. Hooker
of course, is now well aware He thus has
his course marked ont beforehand. Our peo-
pie appreciate that had Gen. Mcclellan been
suntrarnrneled BY the schemes and intrigues Of
ignorant civilians, he would long ere this have
ended the war. Gen. Hooker will, to great
extent, be free from the obstacles which rem
dered all of Gen. cgIellan,s well conceived
plans unsuccessful, as the radicals are aware
that this is their last chance. Tie new COM
smander will thus have one great advantage
over bis predecessors, and. from the mere fact
that he will be allowed to act according to his
own Judgment, he will the more likely sue
coed. s. - ~ 81
Should bis ef,,rts prove unavailing, or
fresh disasters osertake our armies, the hopes
of the radicals will centre upon Napoleon,
whose mediation they will then accept. There
is one feature in this plan that must not bes
overlook edit rids Napoleon Of a great dam
ger; that's, Of recognizing the Southern Com
federacy even at the risk Of 4 war with the
North. OF course, the moment he foresees
that within a very few months. he may be Z
saskedsto mediate, he will, before precipitating
events, await the results Of the vigorous cam
paign which the radicals have decided upon.
He will let the Spring pass by, as ut its ter-
mination either the South will have been CONF
squered or the North will be ready to accept
his intervention. ~
That the radicals haye but little faith IN the
results Of the campaign. may be presumed
from the fact that they lay so much stress
upon mediation. They have already decided
upon what portions of territory now ia our
possession should be ceded to the South in
return for cessions to be rnnde by tile Davis
government necessary to the satisfactory ar
rangement Of the division line. The radicals
count upon the resumption of commercial
transactions between the two countries the
moment the mediation is accepted, and ina
CINE that the people woald easily fall into ths )
proposed arrangement for the sake of peace
and its consequent prosperity. They hope
that After the separation Of North and South
their tenure of power in the North would be-
frm- AS regards the debts contracted by
both parties, in ease of separation, each
government would attend to its own indebted
ness Of course S.
From these plans we may safely venture
to predict q cessation Of hostilifies, at least.
by midsummer. The radicals are aware that.
unless this campaign succeeds The means for
any farther prosecution of the war would be
outsof their reach; added to which, they are
In great fear Of a revolution thronsh the
North and West, the people BY this time be-
ing tired Of abolition and the shining marks,
and unwilling to do.any thing more for them s
OF their idol--the negro. IS