The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-17


the Present Csmpaign.
We are convinced, from the necessities Of the
rebellious States and the developments Of the
day, that JEFF Davis and his confederates have
invested all their forces all their available re-
sources, all their energies and all their hopes,
upon the present campaign; and we believe
that, with their dislodgment from Vicksburg,
or Tennessee, or Virginia, without the recovery
of any lost ground on their part they will,
under the pressure of starvation and exhaus-
ton. be prepared for submission to the Union
In support of these opinions let us group a
few facts together. In his late address "to the
people Of the Confederate States JEFF Davis
says-"The very unfavorab.e season, the pro-
tracted droughts Of last year, reduced the har.
vests on which we depend far below (mark the
words-far below an average yield, and the
deficiency was, unfortunately, still more marked
in the northern part of our coniedcracy the
grain producing section), where supplies were
specially needed for the army, IT. through
confidence in an early peace; which may prove
delusive, our fields should now be devoted to
the production Of cotton and tobacco, instead
of grain and live stock and other articles ne
cessary for the subsistence Of the people and
army, the consequences may prove serious,
If not disastrous. especially should this
present season prove as unfavorable as
the last" Here we have the key to the
late bread riots at Richmond, Petersburg,
Atlanta and other places in the impoverished
South. Everything else, therefore must be
sacrificed by farmers and planters to the impe-
rious necessity of subsistence, or famine may
seal the fate of the Southern confederacy.
But this rebel confidence in an early peace:"
how has it been created? The intercepted let
tiers from the rebel mail bag-extracts of which
We published yesterday-are full of this idea
of an "early peace" One writer, for instance,
to come OF, "then blessed peace 80 unexpect'
eddy delayed, will finally dawn upon US. If
victorious peace, we shah certainly have cause
for rejoicing" But peace is his great object
victorious or defeated-and he believes that
this campaign will secure peace. Another rebel
soldier says, "The general opinion is that the
war will certainly end this year. God grant 1t
may; for it has almost desolated our once happy
| country" Still another rebel soldier, and of
Lees army, says:-"We look for an early peace;
and that is all the cry at this time" aAll the
cry" This is very important fact. Peace
TALL the cry" In the rebel army. How sos I'm
doubleday 1t il the Last desperate trick of the
rebel leaders to hold their exhausted, half
starved and disheartsned soldiers to their guns
few neaths longer, In the hope Of Micawbsr,
that something may turn up' 10 save King
Davis and Company. "
! y What next. Davis, IN his Aforesaid address,
says Eat no previous period Of the war have
our forces been 80 numerous, 20 we'll organized
and SO thoroughly disciplined, armed aad
equipped Is at present" He might have said,
too that In accomplishing I'll this the confede-
racy has been drained Of Ito consctipts and)its
supplies, and that everything depends upon this
army, inasmuch % we have no reserves Of
young men or old men from which 70 raise an
other. But. this rebel army, and The people
from whom IL il drawn, also entertain the idea
that with proper energy and akin they may
conquer the pQpce Of an Independent Southern
confederacy in this campaign. vicksburg, Port
Hudson and Charleston have become powerful
words of encouragement to this end Accord
ingly, there is degree of activity in the several
grand detachments of this rebel army which we
have never seen before. In the East they are
evidently moving for the recapture of Norfolk,
Newbern and the whole North Carolina coast;
In the West they are very active all refund the
army Of General Rosscrahs in the Southwest
while vigorously defending vicksburg and Port
Hudson, they are gathering large bodies Of
troops within a convenient distance of New
Orleans, rs if meditating desperate attempt to
recover that important city.
In word, the forces, the resources and the
fortunes Of the rebellion are staked upon the
present campaign, as completely as were the
fortunes Of Napoleon staked upon the battle of
Waterloo. 1t is equally evident that the gov
eminent is fully convinced that il has the game
in its hands; that President Lincoln believes he
has soldiers enough and sailors enough to do
the great work before them, or surely he would
have taken some active steps ere this for rein
forcements through the CONSUMPTION act. We
believe, too, that If Gen. Hooker, Gen. Rose
Grams and Gen. Grant are not crippled or en-
barrassed by stupid orders from the War Office,
we shall soon have the satisfaction to know,
beyond doubt, that the whole shaky fabric
Of the rebellion is tumbling to the ground.
Our only weak point is Washington. 1t has
been from the beginning And in this weakness
at Washington lies the only danger we have to'
fear. Hoping. however, that henceforwsrd
President Lincoln will enforce fair play to our
generals in the field, we admonish him that even
the Jews Of Wall street anticipate the most
glorious results from our impending military
operations.
JEFF. DAVIS LAST APpEAL FOR SUPPLIES
The address which we published yesterday
from Jefferson Davis TO the people Of the
Southern States seems TO be neither more nor