The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-20
NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, MARCH 70, 1864.

Thc Calm Before the sso~m-The Com.
tng Caapaiga.
A dead calm prevails around the entire circle
Of the rebellion bat it is the calm which pre-
cedes the darkeniug Of the sky, the crash Of the
elements. and the sweeping hurricane. The
armies OF the Union are mustering their forces
with the determination to bear down all OBJ
structions. while the leaders Of the rebellion,
on every side. are desperately preparing for a
bloody resistance. A terrible struggle is i'm
pending. IT. In the pride Of superior strength,
our soldiers await the order to advance. the
euemy. from his very weakness, draws the Zero
cious courage Of despair. JET. Davis and bis
ruling associates have literally resolved TO
succeed or to Idle In the last ditch" while
they confess that ell their forces and all their
means will be involved Ia this coming cam
paign. II they are defeated. therefore, they are
destroyed but Il not defeated, what then :
Another year OF war. with all the hazards to US
Of financial endorsements, foreign complica
lions, domestic discords and political con-
fusion.
We must, then, prepare to make sure aud
decisive work Of this campaign. The national
treasury, the financial and business interests
Of the country. the unity of the loyal States,
aud their internal harmony, will hardly survive
afailure We have the men, and we have means
essential TO complete success; but the task upon
which we are about to eater. we repeat, will
be no holiday amusement Our recent military
expeditions, reconnaissance aud raids have
shown that the rebels are armed and ready at all
points from Richmond to Florida, from Dalton
to the northern frontier Of Mississippi. and
thence down to Mobile II is. indeed, sus-
pected that Longstreet in the West and Lee
in the East, are preparing for another. dash
across the northern border, each by way Of a
diversion, aud for the purpose of procuring
supplies. II would thus appear that, although
General Lees invasion Of Pennsylvania cost
him forty thousand men. it STILL in the matter
of profits and losses, left an Inviting balance in
his favor. or that dire necessity suggests an
other effort in the same direction.
In any event, it is manifest that necessity has
constrained JEFF Davis to fight to the death for
Richmond and Virginia. General Leo and the
Virginia contingent of the rebel army will be
lost to the rebellion with the loss Of their State,
aud Davis has had to take his stand according
ly. In this view the importance Of strong aud
vigilant guard over Longstreet in East Tennes.
see, and of an early movement against the rebel
army OF Virginia, are of supreme importance.
AS firmly as We believe that at this stage of the
war the rebellion will collapse and fall to
pieces with the loss of Richmond we believe
that Davis is gathering his forces for decisive
struggle for the defence of Richmond. We
shall not, therefore, be surprised, with no
general engagement in the interval, if Lees
veteran host exceeding hundred thousand
men, and for the purpose Of defending Rich
mond by another offensive campaign.
Entertaining these views, we attach the high
est importance to the order Of General! Grant
which fixes his headquarters with The Army
Of the Potomac. In the tenacity with which
Longstreet covers the western flank of Rich.
mond, Ia East Tennessee, and in the vigilance
and enterprise lately exhibited by the rebels in
North Carolina. aud on the Peninsula and
around Norfolk, General Grant has doubtless
comprehended their designs, aud that they call
for his immediate attention with the Army of
the Potomac The peculiar feature OF his
strategy is to "moye upon the enemy's works"
and in good season after his return ito the
front" in Virginia we shall expect this strategy
to be tried again with his usual success, stimuli
ta1eously with an advance by General Sherman
from Chattanooga.
But, whatever may be the Developments of
the coming campaign the appointmentof Gene.
raj Grant to the command Of oil the armies
Of the United States has given more satisfac-
ton to the country than any other act Of Con-
gress or the administration since the beginning
of the war. The people Of the loyal States
feel easy and confident now that the manage
ment of the war is 10 the hands Of this able,
energetic and victorious soldier. But still, In
contemplating the exhaustive efforts of the
rebel leaders TO meet the coming shock Of
arms, we must be prepared for the most obsti-
nate fighting on their part since the war began.
Our federal and State authorities, our politi-
clans aud the people Of the loyal States, drop.
ping the Presidential question for season,
should now 10 every useful way devote their
energies and influences 70 strengthen the hands
OF General Grant and the armies under his
control. II the public mind is now diverted
from the momeutous struggle before US in
the Geld OF the war 10 the squabbles
Of parties and factions over the spoils and plum
der Of the next Presidency, the wants Of our
armies may be neglected, and disasters, instead
Of victories, may follow
Providing the men and means to General
Grant. let our statesmen, politicians, officials and
people assist him first TO administer decisive
blow at the heart or the head OF the rebellion,
and then we shall have q fair field and q free
course for the Presidential campaign. As mat.
ters now stand, the question who 10 70 be our