Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-02-11
The Prospects CT the Coming Campaign.

some CT our contemporaries, specializing upon the
prospects and probable course OF TIC war during the
present year. lean to the opinion that 1t will witnt8s as
many and glorious victories for the Confederate arms
as did The opening campaign In 1861. This view is
based upon the calculation that, whether by draft or
otherwse, the Lincoln armies viii be made up to q
very considerable extent Of cVicg which of course
could not, n their frs. campaign, cope successfully
with the tried veterans Of LEE or JOHNSTON.
This we think is true to some extent, but not, we
fear 20 tie extent which s2nguine friends cal
culae upon Tor the reason that nearly ell the regular
forces OF the North, forty Thousand are composed
Of foreigners AMI are than the called VOL
unCers IN the service, essentially nercenares
hired soldiers, who in great measure untitled
Tor the pursuits Of civil le and apt 10 be attracted by
the large bounties in brought up by local
appropriations and subscriptions 10 the neighborhood
Of Il thousand dollars. Even the socaled volunteer
armynuoh the largest portion Of the Northern force
is mainly composed of this element, OF natives
similarly situated. Besides the hope OF punder is
bcId out farms promised, to be carved out of tie
plantations from which the rghtful owners are to be
driven. This will not be without its effect in inducing
establishments and combined with the bounties given
and taken in connection with the fact that the last
campaign closed with the prestige OF victory for the
Northern arms, that effect may be, ard probably viii
be, greater than ne are prepared to admit willing to
contemplate.
Still in spite OF al these things, The fact that the
LINCOLN Government does not rely either upon enlist.
ments or reeustmants is evidenced by Mr.. L1NcoLN's
recent proclamation ordering draft for FIVE hundred
thousand men to be made en- the goth of March This
movement derives its main significance from the fact
he NJ
n orth, aud that ABRAHAM LINCOLN is well known to
be candidate for reelection. Under these crcum
stances nothing but pressing necessity which could
not be tvaded could have necd him. or rather forced
him to resort to unpopular expedent as drafting
just on the Of the assembling of the different poi-
cal conventions CT at least in the midst of the agitation
and wire-workng which form the premiaaries to the
meeting of such conventions, when it is known, too.
that not only is there party cowed for the time, but
strong in itself and likely be strengthened by circum
stances anxious TO Gust Ar. LINCOLN aud all Others Of
his political stripe, but that even in his own party
there wiley and ambitious military and political
leaders on tie alert 10 saPplau him. and yIuIt into the
seat from which they 5ndy hope he is 10 be deposed in
their favour.
Whether, uu1Cr tn Sc circums ouCcs, the draft can
be, viii he vigorously enforced appears to u very
doubtful. We should think that it would not. The
limited success CT former drafts is we'll known and must
have convinced every one r LINCOLN included of its
appropriately. II unpopular 1T first it may fairly be
presumed 10 be Odious row, and this consideration
leads TO regard resort 10 it, especially at this time
as not far removed from act OF DESPERATION This
draft failing, il tie first place. in its enforcement at the
North, Or in yielding The desired number Of men. or
finally il the field at tie South in occurring the deside-
rated military advantages viii probably end the whole
business Of drafting at the North for we doubt if the
present any future Northern Executive would ven
ture upon q repetition Of the process.
We have then the fact that he Northern armies |
will be composed to considerable extent Of fresh eves
although not to the extent that some imagine and we
have the further fact that LINCOLN finds himself forcod
to resort TO the dstpsteu measure Of drafting pending
PRESIDENTIAL campaign, indicating comparative fail /
Ire OF enlisments. AS the parakes Of the ma
uye of DESPERATION ne must not shut our eyes to p
act that is certain TO be followed by desperate efforts
o be made with all the force that LINCOLN can draw
no the field, either by bribery or force. That such eff
orts are TO be dreaded is fact that history and ex
erlence ooth tell Us, and to which we cannot at
ord to be either bind o. Indifferent We ought to be
'arned, and brace up every nerve aud string every
luscle to meet the issue.
Ii dangerous to US, these efforts of L1NCoLNs are self
zhausting, and, successfully met can hardly be soon
eneWed,-can never be renewed in the same force or
nth the same'energy. ii
II won't DO to expect plain sailing and easy victories
Ills season. On the contrary, every effort must be put
oth consistent with preserving the life of the Copfede