Year: 1863




The Rebels On the susquehanna-whst


Nexts


The events of yesterday on tho western side
of the Susquehanns river. between Harrisburg
and Columbia, ought TO be sufficient TO bring
within the next three days hundred thousand
armed Pennsylvanians to the rescue. Phila-
delphia, from her population of half million,
ought to be able to report within twenty-four
hours The mastering within her limits OF at
least twenty-five thousand armed men. ALI
the stupid and embarrassing formaiities Of red
tape as between county and State, and State
and federal authorities, should be cast to the
winds, and the people of every county Of the
Commonwealth, trusting to the general organi-
sation and the disposition Of their forces by
the Governor and by Gen. Couch, should send
forward their troops by regiments. bsttalions
and companies as fast as they can be armed and
equipped from their own resources. not for
thirty days or sixty days, but for the expulsion
Of the invading army Of the rebellion.


The federal administration and Gene
raj Meade are now occupied in cover
ing approaches by which this daring rebel
army may advance upon Washington Or Balti-
more; and, if General Meade's army amounted to
half = million Of men, we conjecture that It
could not for several days to come be marched
over the interval between its present lines Of oc-
oupation and the army Of Lee to the deliversnce
Of fPennsylvania


It appears to US that the cunning rebel Gene
raj Lee has been deliberately widening the dis
tance between the two armies, in order, first, to
draw our Army Of the Potomac as far away
from Washington as possible before giving bat
tie; and secondly, to prey as long as possible
meantime upon the rich counties and towns of
Pennsylvania between the Potomac and the
Susquehanna It therefore devolves chiefly
upon Pennsylvania, for the present, to arrest
the advances Of the enemy within her borders.
New York has sent to her support some fifteen
thousand men or more of our well trained and
we'll equipped State militia. Pennsylvania,
acting with similar energy, ought now on her
own account to have fifty thousand soldiers on
the susquehanna.


The ultimate designs Of Lee are still the sub
ject of conjecture. We cannot believe that
beyond paltry detachment or two he con-
templates any military operations east of the
Susquehanna. We guess that he is holding the
bulk of his army in position from which he
may advance against or retreat from General
Meade, as the occasion may invite or require;
and that, while busy in collecting supplies in
Pennsylvania, he is not the man to neglect his
lines Of escape-that, in fact, he is not the man
to PUT an unfordable river Or powerful hostile
army in his rear for haphazard dash upon
Philadelphia or Baltimore. We believe, In
fact, that in advancing to the Susquehanna the
forces Of Lee have reached their Northern ter
minus, and that within day or two his real
intentions will be developed in some other
direction. He has lost too much time to at
tempt the passage Of the susquehanna in force,
and too much time to move down in search Of
the great army on his flank. Let Pennsylvania
attend to his little detachments Of foragers for
few days, and prepare for vigorous support
in the rear to the movements Of General Meade
from Washington, and the end of this rebel in
vasion will be the end of the rebellion.


The Army of the Potomac, under General
Meade, will advance with new life and vigor,
and with reinforcements which will enable him
to battle and defeat all the movements Of the
enemy in any direction. Let Pennsylvania,
meantime, do her duty in behalf of her own
people, and New York will not be wanting in
additional contributions Of soldiers to make
sure work of the audacious invader Of neigh
boring State.