The National tribune., 1909-07-29
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
CONTINUED from page one.)

confined for six months, when his prison
doors were thrown openJand i:le was
returned to duty Whoever might have
| been at fault there, Cen qbakeHs cour-
age and zeal shone out brilliantly, and
| the fearful rout only began when he
| had fallen under six bullets fired at
| close range. - 10
The affair depressed the North and
inflated the South in equal proportion.
1t seemed to add to BullbRun lin dem.
onstrating that the Union soldiers were
nc match for the Southern in the open
field.
The Financial Depression.
Above all rose steadily, growing daily
in menacing proportions, the specter of
financial embarrassment. The cause
could not live by patriotic enthusiasm
alone. There must be money, and then
more money, and still more money. The
people had given with marvellous law
ishness, but there came time when
their last dollar was in sight, Never in
the history of the Nation had it owed
so much as $130,000,000. During most
of its life the public debt had been far
under $100,000,OO0. Now. with one
third of the country cut off. and yield
ing no revenue, the debt had swelled in
six months to over $500, 00O,000 The
annual interest charge had leaped up
from $3.442,6S7 to s22,000,000. and yet
nothing had been actually done toward
suppreSsing the rebellion. The pressure
was felt everywhere. The loyal States
had voted great sums to assist the Gov
ernment, in consequence of which their
bonds were depreciating and Their
banks were struggling against suspen-
sion. The financiers and bankers, for
purely business reasons, were as eager
as the common people for some decisive
blow to be struck at the rebellion. 1t
was absolutely necessary to clear the
financial sky. But Mcclellan, who had
gotten everything into his own hands.
and upon whom everything pivoted, was
as contemptuously Indifferent to the
business aspect as to the political con-
siderations. He went on organizing and
organizing and grand reviewing with
out end, calling for limitless cannon of
the latest pattern of ordnance, endless
quantities of arms of the most approved
models, and tents, wagons. clothing.
military equipage in boundless guam
titles. Every company was to have at
:aast one wagon and siX-mule team,
where later in the war a regiment
which had q wagon all to itself was
considered lucky.
Altho, according to McClellan's own
report, he had in and around Washing
ton, at the close of 1861, 219,707 men.
whereof 10000 were lit for 0uty,
yet he allowed Jos. e. Johnston. with
not at the utmost more than $1,000
poorly armed and badly supplied men.
to confine McClellan's occupancy of Vir-
ginia to the narrow strip beyond the
Potomac which had been seized at the
very first. In a spirit of braggadOcio
the Confederates even advanced to
Munson's Hill, within actual sight of
the Capitol, without provoking any Of
fensve return. They stayed there as
long as they wished to, and retired
when they got ready. There was still
worse. The Potomac River was then
the main highway of supply fOriWash-
ington. The Confederates planted bat
teries on the high banks below the
mouth of the Occoquan where tliei cham
mel nears the Virginia shore; and speed
lily made 1t so that vessel could not
pass without being conveyed by q war
ship to keep down the fire of the bat
teries. The Navy attacked these bat
teries valiantly, and several valuable
officers lost their lives. They could ac-
complish nothing lasting without a land
force to prevent the batteries being re-
occupied. and tho they acont5nually
begged for these, and HoOicer.ssOn the
Lower Potomac, was eager to lead his
division across, which he could have
easily done, Mcclellan forbade the
He continued to samuse the
people with vague talk about "quick.
decisive movement" when he got every
thing ready. which would end the war
at one blow, and he wanted nothing
premature" r.
ITO be continued)