Year: 1861




The report of tie secretary of war will be
found in full upon the first page of this paper
1t has been anticipated with great interest,
both on account of tie unprecedented labors
of the war department, and the new views
of public policy which the secretary was
known to entertain. 1t is clear and compact
state paper, and its prevailing spirit will
not disappoint the country. His chief recon.
menGations are the establishment of national
foundry for the manufacture OF heavy artillery,
the abolition of distinctions between regulars
and volunteers, the Improvement of the great
routes of Vavel and transportation to and from
the capital, the reconstruction Of til, bounda-
ries of the District OF Columbia, and the eman-
cipation and arming of slaves wherever mill
tary exigencies may require. They are all
recommendations of practical character, CON
templating nothing but direct, straght-for-
ward, and successful warfare upon the rebel
llif0f9s; and the earliest possible restoration of
harmony and peace. The magnificent proper
tions of the army Of Tho Union, equal, it would
seem, to any possible occasion of ofltnse or
defense, relieves the governm mt of all anxiety
as to its po,0er to destroy the rebellion. the
questions as to the best method Of conducting
the war, which the secretary suggests, aud
which have been subjects of public discussion
for many weeks, have obtained in this respect
kind of official recognition, which is given none
too earnestly, and none too soon. That there
will be wide differences of opinion as to the
a.. .!,,iI
the future management of the war, is expect
ed. But that the views of the secretary OF
war upon the subject are correct and invinci-
BILE, and if the war lasts six months longer,
will be cheerfully adopted by tie whole eoun-
try, is equally as far removed from question
or doubt.


The whole number of troops Eow in the
service, including the regulars, is 660,9u,-a
vast army, which should be able to put down
the rebellion, and probably will do it. There
are some excellent recommendations and sug.
gestions in the report and one OF the best is
that which looks to repeal OF the act Of con-
gress which gives the officers of the regular
army a superiority Of rank ever those
OF the same grade connected with the
volunteers. This distinction is the source
of much il-feeling in the army, and it
should not exist. His views of the "contra-
band" question are expressed in the closing
portion Of his discourse. The New York
Herald, which is accustomed TO invent facts
to suit its purposes when they do not exist,
tells its readers that this portion Of the report
10 NO raviSa1 l,v ,r+ II,
dent Here is the statement OF TIE ueralds
fact maker


"Whether it was that that portion OF the
report OF the secretary Of war embody ying
these views was nOI completed last night
when the cabl had settled up everything
pertaining to tne message, or whether more
mature considerable on the part of the
president led him to appreciate more
clearly the danger of these extreme views
OF the secretary OF war, cannot with
certainty say but one thing which do know
is, that it Has on account Of this report Of
Secretary Cameron that the delivery of the
message has been delayed. ! believe there
are some objections also, on the same point,
to the report of the secretary ot the navy, and
both these documents will have to undergo
revision aud modification before they are
presented"


This can not be true, for the report was
approved, printed, and distributed under seal,
to some extent, hours before this statement
was telegraphed from Washington, and .here
has been no intimation Of any revision. 1t is
the custom of this reporter for the Herald to
romance and seem to have an intimate ac
quaintance with many things of which he i.
profoundly ignorant The presidents message
was delayed simply because he had not com
pleted it, He naturally desired 10 revise thc
document with great care, and, we believe
wished to have the final revision read at
cabinet meeting before presenting it to con
gress. We sometimes think that every body
connected with the Herald has an unaccounta


bic passion for telling talsehoods to create


sensation.