The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-24

There seems to be little doubt that one among tb
several causes which led 10 our failure ON the Wei
don railroad, last Sunday, was the extreme care
iessness with which the secret of the intended at
tack had been kept. If the enemy" says GU
correspondent, "X.," in a letter published b
ns yesterday, "were not apprised of our Mt
tack, 1t was not because the plan and time yer
not known, even to the very urchins of Peters
burg Whose fault it was that these matters leake,
out, do not know, but do know that eighteen
hours before, the time, place and character of III
fight were on the lips of ALL soldiers and citizens
Doubtless the enemy soon became as we'll informed
as the soldiers and citizens' in question and t.
this cause, than any other, We are inclined
to trace the painful result How can success b,
expected under such circumstances! How, indeed
en- anything but disaster be the result!
This is not the first time since the war began
that plans well laid, and promising the greatest sue.
cess, have been defeated by premature discovery
Our readers will recall many, and they cannot blu,
do it with shame and vexation The fault ALWAYS
lies at the door Of consequential aide-de-eap
or some leaky clerk, whom it has been found neces
say to entrust with the secret and who cannot keen
it without bursting. The law ought to provide a
heavy penalty for such offences, no less than instant
degradation from Office and forced service in the
rank and file Of the army. Somebody about the
person OF the General or the Secretary or the Pres
ident must always be the person to bfab otherwise
how is it possible for the secret to get out The
Secretary Is we'll known to be gentleman of great
reticence on all matters connected with his official
duties, while the President and General Lee are IA
secret as the grave. These matters must come ont
through other and inferior agencies and it is of the
last Importance to find them out and make An ex
ample OF all an aide-de-camp's accomplishments
we should think that Of knowing how to keen hi
own counsel, and that which is entrusted A, him no
others, the most important, as it seems to he the
rarest
While We are upon this subject, we cannot forbear
to remark the extreme want Of discretion ohsa,v.,,o
IN some Of the papers published near the seem. 90
General Hoods operations. Whatever the cons,uc-
tors learn with regard to the movements Of ,roons
they seem to pubish without the slightest hes;ta-
ton or consideration. 1t must be exceedingly diff
cult to conduct an enterprise requiring secrecy 10
successful issue anywhere in the neishborhood Of
any OF them. In the struggle for precedence in The
article OF the latest news they appear to care worry
little about the propriety of publishing IL II tho,
can get 1t, they publish it, let the consequence h
what they may. We have no doubt that 20 .h;.
source we may trace much Of the i,,-sneces.
that has attended cxertions in that o,a,4sr an,
sAe tact that our army Is now south of the ch.,,.-
hoochee, when it should be at least north Of the Ten
hessee Success cannot be expected when the newsna
psEs reveal every intended movement to the ene,nv
uenerais should be particularly cautious in Sc |
.sss4as 'near aids They should always choose men
~.,o = We some brains Brains, indeed, should be
r1A0psi requisite after valor. man without l
Us occupying place of trust, is the most dan.
, - : : ~ ANIMALS He always has il in his
- s.. Aaiin' and he sedom fails, to the extent
Ian. -. !. 70 trust such man with an impor-
'sh' secret Is Equivalent to PUBLISHING i IN mp
paper. The enemy win be sure % gst .a,s 1.~s
.oon = - passes his lips. He oarh. ~. !. = as