Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-17
The Relative Strength of the COntsndins
Forces.

The Relative Strength Of the COntending
Forces.
The Mobile REGISTER thinks that "all the movements
Of tie opening campaign show that the enemy is den
eiept in the numerical strength which alone ever gives
him confidence in his C.nsive operations" In the Ad-
mirabe letter Of Mr.. Rives to Nc. Deans Of Lynch
burg published generally in The journals of the cOun-
lar, last September that distinguished gentleman used
the folosing language: II am hrmy Persusoed tnss'
InotvIbstaadipg the immense difference IL the pOpua
ton Of tie two countries We shall hencslOr~ard have
an army In the field at all times fully equal in number
20 theirs" The energies Of the South, said Mr. R are
lust beginning to be thoroughly aroused de anuci-
mated the enlargement Of oOnscrpton, which has been
made aud felt no doubt that the spirit OF the people
would nObly respond to such legislation Looking to
the other side, be said
uThe situlon Of our adversary presents very dii-
fsrent picture The popular fsrvOr for the var, ms.
a kin.led and for some time kept up BY deudte pre-
" texts. ia Abated and abaing. Tee difficulties and
general repuguAnce opposed to their recent draft
have converted it into very little more than barren
moekery No large accessions to their amy, already
" much reduc d BY the eIpirat on OF enlstments aud
the e.suau es Of war; can new be had by force or by
persuasion The cordial support of public opinion,
- in the present age OF the world is indispensable TO
the effective prosecution Of every war Great as mas
been the amount Of pr idice and delusion and bad
falling among the people Of the North towards Us
"a baotilV reason hath not a.d to brut al b,asts-
MANY of them now see that the present war is, almost
without disguise, a war for the determination or de-
gr,daton Of the white race by the installation OF the
blacks in virtual dominion themi and, in such
var they have no motive Of sympathy or Interest to
epssg, them. Others, rrc6ing, at last of the ga
" eaciOus lessons Of Chatham, Burke, Fox and that
noble band Of patriots and statesmen 10 England, who
m ,nfay opposed the wAr:upon tho American colonies
fran, the start begin to see thAttbe triumph Of lavless
despoti.m over the independence Of the South would
be equally fatal to their remTsnt of constitutional
" liberty At home. From the operation of there and
other causes, the military with the moral strength Of
the North in this contest viii go on decreasing, while
ours will as certainly increase" aa
The opinion expressed By Mr.. Rves to the iu ure
relative strength Of the two armies vas strongly cor
roboaei by an artc in the Nav York Times not long
leruard, in which the ssiy Of striking 6srcely
during the remaining fall months epo!ned, for the
reason that next Nay he YAnkee) shall lose at
stroke all the white in army except those who
are being raed under the present draft and the few who
have voluntarily entered during the past WINTER
With December, the Times says the South will have
the aid Of its old ally, the mud, (which has already
tEiee paraly1ed our (YAnkee) movements for months
tc gsthe. at apparently critical periods Of the war.
Once the winter rain set In active operations will be
" all bu. impose BILE along tn, whole theatre OF war
both in Virginia, Mississippi and by ROseerAna"-
" We should in May be able to OptradOns--the
state of the reads would not permit any soonerbut
By this time the largest and most valuable portion Of
" the army in the 6eld-that which recruited from
" the very AJuer Of our population, aud has served
Z" through the whole WA-Would be on the eve Of re-
turning home, and We should be left with nothing
better to finish cur work with than the 100000 COM
paratiyey raw substitutes whom We are now raising
lis tue thai. since this article published, Lincoln
has made several additional calls f troops-but each
new call served only to shoS that the previous one bad
failed The pretended re-enlstmsnt Of old regiments,
under the stimulus Of the high bountes offered vel
understood 10 be Of those ruses without which the
Yankees have attempted nothing sIcs the war began.
Many have gone through the form Of re-enlstng that
they might receive the promised bounty and furougb,
but when Cay Of return comes they will move to-
wards Canada Instead of the South. The conscrpton
has produced intsmlnAble rolls of names, tus quite
contemplate number Of men, and they have for the
most part been compelled to make their way to the
fields of their future glory in handouts Lncelns
mics are less formidable than they have been at
auy time within the last tuO years but more isrmda
bic than they will be at any future time.
The reason assigned BY the Register for the conclu
sou IL expresses is the complete discontinue of the
enemys plans thus FAR Grant, says to advance
on our Georgia army this spring with column Of 100,
600 men, while cOnd Of Ike strength was to march
By way Of Knoxville 70 Virginia, and third to be held
in reserve We believe it safe bet, that In all of his
lines be will NOS be able Of these columns
sherman has to dragnet long line Of gAIrsons here
toiore thought important, % 600 for bis
expedition Texas has been abandoned for want Of
men TO keep up the invasion. Bnks Is far more fright
ened by Dick Taylor in the State where he is establish
ing his masters "tenth.vote" Government than he Is
able to frighen u With any force at his disposal
We have pretty positive information that the enemy
force is almost nothing in Missouri, and that GenefHl
Price believes this his opportunity 10 march bis vet
Grams homo 10 arouse and redeem their State. GeneFa
Meade's army Is not only below its usual complement
in numbers but is sadly demOraTE.d and the Yankees
are specializing upon an eaj visit from Gen. Lee across
tie Potomac force must be kept in Kentucky, for
the Yankees know that Morgan is free, and mounting
with his troopers each armed with pair Of scissors in
addition TO their ra and revolVers. Meantime, Yam
kee enstments expiring and tho veterans are sea.
orally tired Of the aad going out while the last draft
has not supplied their pace and the drAt not yet
executed How then can the Yankee armies be strong