The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-07

.ention carried their retributive experiment too
FAR II was certainly not way TO improve 4 gene
RAJ 70 cut on MS head nor was there street jus
tce IN 80 severely furnishing q man for Disasters
whih NO human forecast skin could have avcrted
Bot, afser all disaster rs disaster, from whatever
cause orig naes and as 10 the consequences Is Just
az bad 70 be vsiutky as TO be crmsai The guilotne
had me effect Of saving the Frcnoh armies nom pre-
sumptuous and incapable comma ndcrs: and this was an
ndisputable benefit IT. on the other hand ,hs conyen
ton, In the latitude Of lie indulgence had amably over
ooxea ana recompensed every nder by pro.
conquered by the allied armies in one camnagn Il
seems that only this can stand up this
the usefulness Of fortunate skilfu otcer ana in re-
warding the failures Of the incapable and unucky The
charity have avishly squandere ON our
~ command ~, have operated standing premium to
incapacity ana presumption II needs argument 70
establish the injurious consequences Of such system
Tho acs OF the situation the events az the war are
sud1ciehs commentary - : ! 4.
We have suffered many disasters in the course Of this
conflict and most of them have fasicd the lust anci
pations o. the public But excepting the swt Execu
tive displeasrss which overlook the young ohcers
snsnaing ~ FORT fHow, we do not remember salient
Instance Of retrbuon for any of the numerous defeats
and disasters We have suffered In some OF
resulting in the justification Of the officer
trial have been held but in the most noted OF these
that Of General Lovel-the obstacles 20 investigation
,Ssr ~. ~ ne authorities Il may be very true
matters and that the public should confdingly de-
er 70 pig opinion; but nevertheless the people finally
gcs tred O. perpetual generations Of percnnially
uniucky omcers and would really like 70 know
whether something more than misfortnne does mot
aItel0 thcm They are tired, for instance, Of
ing : man who presents himself 10 them as the very
genius OF bad luck pcrsstently placed in responsible
st9asions and entrusted with the defence Of important
ana WAL points General Bragg may be an extremely
able oMcer We suppose he Is good general, or the
President would not insist conding to him the drec
him for his military adviser The President knows him
we'll and must therefore know his merits and his faus
the President is doubt convinced that he just
man 70 command the Army of the west that he was
just the man TO choose for commanding that he
vast Just the man TO Fort Fisher and Wilmington
from the Yankees The President could, quesonless II
nc would only take the trouble convince the public that
General Bragg never made mistakes that othor people
are responsible for all his msfornnes that nobody could
have done better than he did Kentucky; anybody
else would have lost the army at Murfreesborough;
nat no one else would have made more out Of the vcto
~ Chickamaupa that the soldiers alone to blame
Tor the dsgaccfu rout Of Missionary Ridges and that
power ON earth could have prevented the fall OF Fort
ssner But the President has noYargued these points
with the public, and consequently the public can sec
nothing In General Braggs military that series
ton, which have almost ruined the Western army and
have eliminated in closing against the important
81 me Confederate ports Is it strange that they have
little hope Of saving the city of Wilmington while its safe
" depends the general who has lost everything that
he ever undertook TO dcfcndY Is strange they
with establishment the continued confidence reposed in
man who has just encountered Of the most exraord
nary and defeats Of this any other war; At
other time or In any other country the fall Of Fort
Fisher would involve at least the suspension the officer
primarily responsible for great disaster 1t is in
deed scarcely credabe that he should be retained in
command after grave event. and that he should he
entrusted with the defence Of the important post OF Will
mingon after los ng one Of the strongest and most de-
feasible works in the world without striking blow to
save It, General Bragg may be free from blame In this
matter but the public do not believe IT, and they will not
De satisfied until the proper investigations made As
ton he to possess the Executive confidence tho
President must suffer in the confidence Of the public and
other evil effects must flow from the immunity and re-
ward thus seemingly offered incompetent vanity and
prssumptuous mediocrity.
Gold I'm Richmond Only A.AOO Per Cent.
Premi u
from the Richmond Dispatch, Feb. ~
Gold yesterday quoted II ~, though some small
sums were sold ct AZ, and even at ~
Cavalry Expedition to Dumfries.
From the Petersburg Express, Feb 81
On Saturday evening last the Eighth Illinois cavalry
encanped two miles north Of Dumfea the telegraph
road.
The cavalry expedition referred to by the Express was
battalion Of the Eighth Illinois sent out from Fairfax
Court House In the carly part Of last week by Lieutenant
Colonel Clcndenin TO prevent guerilas from making
were abound In the Potomac The commander Of the
cavalry finding rebels In arms and that his services
not required, returned TO yesterday bringing
In few struggling rebels and a small quantity Of bag
gage
Cann0nadfng Resumed Below Richmond.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Feb. 81
very regularcannonading could be hoard throughout
sound OF guns has become unusual OF late II reminded
OF the days before the frcshct when Butler dig
gng away at his canal and batteries pegging
away at his workmen We have heard explanation Of
the firing II s possible that the Yankees have resumed
work on the canal