Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-02-18
The New York World, in some comments on the
new draft ordered by its President, says:

Inc New OK " ora, IN some comments on The
new draft ordered by its President, says:
K But this new, enormous and un-
expected call for troops, while it stimulates exerton
should also awaken thought. In the light OF this &C.
knowedged and unforeseen necessity, what are we to
think of the rusecoored representations with which the
Administration and its partisans have been amusing
US for the last six months? IT. as they have kept as
SURFING Us, the rebellion is totering, its
hausted its hopes blighted, IFS subjects discouraged
and its inevitable end approaching, there should be
necessity tor this new drain upon our population aid
resources. The truth is, the Administration has sud
denly aWaked to the truth taat we are, now, in
the midst of mighty and doubtful crisis. The Ad
mnietration has been deludng itself with groundless
hopes it has been misleading the country into false
estimate of the situation That the Administration
has been itself deceived we must in charity believe
for mental mbecilty is less reprehensble Though
this case not less mischievous than moral dishonesty
Assuredly the President must have believed that the
rebellion was rapidly waning when be offered to the
rebels amnesty terms calculated to repel them
unless the Contederacy was manitestly in the last
agonies of dissolution. His partisans in Congress
must have entertained the same belief they would
have spent much of the zine of this session in
discussing emancipation and conhscation in tone
if these strong had actually become practical
ble and Congress sort of surrogates court grant
ing letters OF administration on the estate of the de
fuuct rebellion.
The men entrusted with Cur. destinies, 4 have
at any time, had satesmanlike comprehension
OF the present reasonable foresight OF the future
They have organized great campaigns against Rich
mond, and Richmond is not yet taken. They have sent
great land and naval ornaments against Charleston,
but they have just abandoned Charleston hopeless
job. They have recovered the Mississippi, but they
have not opened it to They have conquered
Tennessee, but they hold it by so insecure tenure that
they expect 1t will cost great aud bloody campaign
in the spring to retain it.
This new call for half million of men may be in
keeping with the actual situation AMI the thpeatened
dangers of the spring campaign, but it is inconsistent
with the credit claimed for Mr.. Lincoln in the fall cleo
tions, with any pretenson bis part to staesmanke
forecast and especially inconsistent with any hope that
under has management, the ever result in the
restoration of the Union He feels less assurance that
these FIVE hundred thousand men he now demands will
suffice than he felt that his first draft of three hundred
thousand would consummate the work; TOR the
levy is not only numerous, but the men are held
to term of service precisely four times as long as was
then thought necessary II the tQhlment OF our hopes
is to recede at this rate, when will the Union be
tored We are like Tantalus in the Internal regions
as often as we stretch forth hands to pluck the fruit
it retires and eludes our grasp.