New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-26

and W-tTT7pdIN UTU1
Prom the first day OF the this point has been nau'
rally regarded by the enemy the key OF the
ton known as the Southern Confederscy. Richmond
was their first word and Richmond VIII be their last in
this war. They have sent each year an army always
greater thar that which they sent the year before.
Defeat and disaster have hitherto been the inyarahlc
result But perseverance ia quality IN which the
Yankee was mover supposed 10 be deficient and III nd
don t. the reasons manifest that they need no re-
eapiulGsion, why that whole country should regard
the caIsu re of Richmond achievement worth tie
dot bic OF all their barren conquess in the West Grant
and the Generals who have distinguished themselves
under his command have added the weight of their au
thory in the fullest extent 10 those who now. ever
regard Richmond as the Alpha and Omega Of Southern
conquest. Grant and the Western Generals have dis
covered that they cannot advance further into the
Southern COUNTRY while Richmond stands. without Icy
ing their heads block over which is upliited
They feel Longstreet on their lnnk and rear, and
know that they penetrated Georgia the forces irt IN
Virginia could sever their lines and destroy them be-
tween two upper and the neither nlilstones All the!
do ia the West is Ia defend what they have
taken. That this may be done with few men, they
aud Mssi siIpi Leaving the requisite BubOc1s u L0u
them, the rest Of their troops viii be thrown on N:r
gina and the first steps of the concentration have PROB
ably already been taken.
Tho rIny Of the United States is not what IL has
been. In 1853 tie most prodigious Effort Of which that
country IL capable made AT the beginning OF that
year il held million of men under arms. its finances
were hrm. and the brilaLcc Of assured hope slh
spanked on its sword.
fredericksburg and Charlottesville Winchester and
Getty burg, MuTfreesboro and Chekamauga, ana
Vicksburg, unsuccessful campagDsin exas in FLORIDA
in Ms sss pri in South Carolina, the salient points IN
II me- fine of fighting which stretched from tho Atlantic
to the Rio Grande, marked with thousands OF minor
ombats with innumersbie skrnishes, broad trml oil
bood the losses in these and the still larger losses
from disease hardship and desertion, have brought
down that huge mass into very narrow limits. he
new lcSies even the negroes included have been but
drops into the empty bucket. The military fecundity
Of the nation exhausted to the armies Of 1858
If u bring iOOOOO effective men. all told into the
campaigns Of this year that v IL be greater number
than We have apparent reason 10 expect
But setting aside half of this force guard its
GA sta the United States may still send hundred and
seveEtyve perhaps two hundred thousand men against
Richmond. What are our means Of resstanoef There
are two means Of resistancotho first which occurs Ia
many is an offensive movement on a grand scale into
some part Of the onsIays own territory. But tbs
is the least probable of adoption II has been
deemed the best poDcy OF inlcrs 10 SIT still NJ home
and wait for the enemy to come when, where and how
ne may think best and this policy viii be- or less
consistently pursued by them 10 the end Of the
The only other plan 10 be adopted IL defense of
Richmond. 1t was most successful in 1902, when We
had jackson to drop from the clouds Oh the flank and
rear of Mcclellan.
IL may he successful again without n jackson, pro.
yded We get hundred thousand troops here in
time and maintain them through The Summer Dis
irbuted in the Notifications Of Richmond from PcteIs
burg 70 Fredericksburg, NAV wca- cut all the
armies OF the United States. after another. But IL
this is 10 he done now Is the tine when the real defense
of Richmond-which j. the defense the only possible
defense Of the whole Southern country. must BE- made
Success depends entirely upon the preparation made
now-now-in this and the coming month. A vast
depot Of army provisions and military stores s an inds
petsabe requisite TO the undertaking II icrtih.
sSymo cutlery or IE which tie -neneiIs can
negro hands from all parts Of the country TO do the Work
with speed
IL Is Idle 70 listen to the voice Of individual sefahncs
now az hitherto. Too much depends ON IL. II Rich
mond is taken what will those forms and negroes be
worth In that case. no corner 81 the country VIII bc
EXEMPT from the iavnges Of the Yankee; Ike great
food through the gap of broken dyke the enemy WIZ
pene ate the Southern land. The Confederate armies
fy.N 10 OH rap1 utU
the plain down river. through every city village,
hamlet; and up every selfish Ilnntels door, viii the
torrent of lava stream and dcvonr- Nothing that Is
property will be worth one straw-not the snap oi
nuger- this city falls and the enemy passes the James
From IRE Richmond Dispetch. l7h
PRUDENCE OF THE TBBSS.
The prudence and discretion OF the COnfpde-
rate press IN general dining the present has been
something remarkable, and in distinguished contrast 10
the perpetual babbug Of the Yankee journals, which
down to the present hour, indulge an Irresistible pro-
pensy 10 let the world know what their Generals in
lend u do. But it is almost as important TO the IL
terests country that its journals should be cautious
in their comments upon the past as their speculation OF
the future notable iustTation Of this las been fur
nished of late by TheN T. Herald That woBld-be 1hun
derer Of tie Yankee press for once managed 70 hold ais
tongue while Kilpatrck's numbering expedition was
i'm preparatiOu: but when the raid bad got LARRY
starred The Herald could longer contain itself, but.
cumpmentng its marvellous secretiveness III foIbeaf-
ing to tell all 1t knew while such disclosures would DC
injurious announced that IL could without danger
reveal the tnc that the object Of tie expedition the
capture and sack Of Richmond.
Little did the caLny Scot Of TIE Uerald imagine that
in that bold confession he putting beyond dispute
the damaging documents found on the dead BODY Oi
Dahlgren, and which lie had reason to suppose would
never see the hight. II the raid had been successful
the atrocities committed here would have been aclo
eized for on the ground that the officers were unable 10
restrain the troops If successful, nothing. IT was sup
posed woud ever be heard Of tie papers OF the e1ed
ton But, unluckily for the Yankees the documents
Jyege found; and nov. when their moutLpiocc, Ia
Herald would pronounce them Confederate forgery
has spiked its own guns by its own impIudent ana
b0asiu declaration OF the purposes Of Kipatiinks ca
pedItiOn.
The Confederate press with all its caution has not
vet seen the danger u publishing statements and com
ments upon events which have transpred especially IN
regard to the numbers engaged side In battles
and combat. 1t Is natural that correspondents and
Others should desire TO with iaures those heroes
who gain victories against three times their numbers;
hut Is the obvious dictate OF prudence 10 let tho enemy
Femain in the dark AS ~ our actual strength and draw
his own conclusions from results Otherwise III order
~ obtain knowledge OF numbers, be has only Ia
make demonstration. retire, and await the announce
meat by journals Of the exact number IN his
front lie then repeat the experiment with force
hl &c enough to OyerwLel al Resistance. In regard
to lie dcfcnses Of Richmond IL has been stated that but
for the Ere Of Major Heneys battalion they would have
onteTed the city.
Ut is perhaps fortunate for M that the enemys spice
OF whom there doubt scores in this city, have
probably given him by this time accurate infUra
ton and that he il that If Heneys battalion had
been driven back be would have upon succession
Of sl,ags, which would have sent him in doubiegulck
time 10 the bottom. We apprebend, however injury
from lsNrecton now If it should tempt hnfo repeat
the experiment Bot general rule u Is beet 10 say
nothing OF the numbers BY which victories are nc
cOmpiisbed. Let him console himself II he sees fit with
the idea that he 10 defeated by overwhelming numbers
The great object todeieat him. and the accomplish
ment o. s1at uus To satisfy us for the ptesenL
From TIE Dispatch. lgh.
LINCOLN's ANXIETY
The only reasonable explanation OF 1lDcolns