The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-09

| The spring Campaign-Davis' Last
| @ Dodge.
The movement Of the Army OF the Potomac
illustrates the view taken by us few days
since Of the advantage Of Grants present posi-
ton. On the Rapidan, at such distance from
his objective point as would necessitate many
miles marching, be would not dare to move, even
in pleasant weather, until the season was so
advanced that he might reasonably expect it to
be settled" But here he moves in February,
with the hard frozen roads Of winter under his
feet. and the balmy breezes Of spring in the air.
1t is not probable that the present movement
is intended to open the campaign. II is more
likely aimed at some Of the enemy's nice little
arrangements in the neighborhood, and will
perhaps accomplish its purpose if it dstresses
Lees commissariat by breaking up the wagon
lines that connect his army with depots on the
Weldon road lower down than the points occu-
pied by ua
| But the country may be certain that the
spring campaign will open in that quarter early
and in earnest Grant, on the south side, and
on the high land north Of the James, and Sheri-
dan, in the upper valley, only stand and wait,
holding their blows, ready to cooperate when
events elsewhere shall have como to the proper
point. Thomas meanwhile advances to take an
effective part in the same theatre Of operations,
and Sherman, to the enemy's dismay, = at the
very doors Of that city that the South Carroll
mans think ought to be made the last ditch. And
what measure has the enemy taken to oppose
us. They have appointed Lee generalissimo,
and he has called for all the old rusty muskets
and horse pistols that are hidden away
in the garrets Of the confederacy He is
short of arms, and shorter still of amm'l-
milton, and the rebel Congress is quarrelling
over whether or no it will arm hundred thou
sand negroes. What will it arm them with
since Lee is thus compelled to solicit the rusty
muskeis for his white men? But another reason
than this viii prevail against tho proposition.
The Southern Congress dare not arm the ne
groes, simply through fear of the negroes them
selves; and even such fellows as Wigfall who
wants to owe his social superiority only to the
law, can see very well that when the negro is
armed the law is set aside, and the superiority
no longer exists.
That class of rebel strategists who urged that
the rebel government should give up all its
seacoast cities and retire to the interior of the
country, and concentrate all its power at one
place in that way, is still alive. The argument
of these men for the REIMBURSEMENT of the cities
was that the attempt to hold them was q waste
of power, since our navy could in fact take
them at any time Events have proved the
truth Of the argument; but events have also
shown that the confederacy, without the COM
municati0n with Europe which its seacoast
cities gave it, would have been dead three
years ago. Now, however, the same argument
is applied to Charleston and Richmond, and the
rebel government is urged once more to retire,
like Foote, to s'some sequestered spot" Such
an act would take from it the last pretence in
virtue of which it claims o national existence.
1t has only two facts Of nationality capital
and an army. To give up the capital would
cut the connection between the army and the
Southern people, and the soldiers would be q
mere horde of marauders They would be
exactly similar in status and character to the
black bands of Bourbon the R0ver-the Free
Companions who scourged Europe in the mid
die ages-keeping up IN army organization,
but the general enemies Of society. Could any
Southern man seriously expect recognition after
that?
The measure that the enemy most counts
upon for success in the struggles of this year is
the elevation Of Lee. This is one Of Davis
dodges-a way invented by that arch deceive
to get out of q tight place. Davis is poll
nd 10 fha mis- IF
career that he can never openly retire. If
politician commits himself entirely to line Of
action, and does not succeed, there is no open
way out. He must die in it If he cannot dodge.
But 1t is not so with the soldier. War recog-
nizes that soldier may get into positions from
which there il no exit but by surrender; and
in such surrender there is no loss of honor.
1t is a radical and natural distinction between
the two careers. Now, Davis, as politician,
sees that he is in such tight place. He cam
not fight il he stands still he and his confeder-
acy are crushed. He cannot surrender, and SO
he dodges-that is, he shifts the whole trouble
off his own shoulders on to the shoulders Of
soldier. Lee is now the supreme power. He
can marshal his utmost force, fight as long as
he can, and then honorably surrender. In this
there will be no disgrace; and in this way the
confederacy may yet go out in blaze Of glory;
for, brought to his last fight, the generalissimo
can propose terms that will be accepted. He
can propose to carry his arms across the Rio
Grande; and where is the government that will
dare to refuse him such good Monroe doctrine
terms.
POPULAR GYTs TO POPULAR MEN.-We have
received several more five cent pieces (paper
currency towards the subscription for that
elegant copy of "Colburn's Primary Arith-