Year: 1864

The Present Situation of Affairs.


For the first time this week we got full mail yes
terday, and find really little nothing Ia it any i'm.
portance in the way of news. The excitement in re-
ference to Immediate operations by the enemy in Vir
gina seems for the time being to have passed away
greatly fallen OF. The supposed advance Of BURNSIDE
on the south of the James river turns out to be
than of the customary maraudng expeditions from
Fortress Monroe. 1t would appear that BURNsIDE's
expedition said to be organizing at Annapolis has not
yet left that place. is it all probable that it is ready
to leave, will be ready very We still think
that as it is nearly certain that forms part of the
combined movement against Richmond, no actsAl ad-
vance will be made by any other portion OF the attack
ing force until it is ready to cooperate although
the roads should be in condition to render such ad
vance practicable, which we believe they art not.


The month of May is rapidly approaching, and We
think it will have fully arrived before thing import
ant is attempted either in Northern Virginia North
Georgia. Nothing has heretofore been done in Il e
way of opening the main campaigns of the summer be-
fore May had fairly set in and certainly the present
season is not favourable for unusually early
mencement OF hostilties on grand scale, and it is
upon that scale alone that GRANT will venture any
thing against either LEE or JOHNSTON.


Besides this, it is by no means improbable that the
operations in the SOuthwest resulting far unlvour
ably to the Yankees, have ntertere1 with their general
plans created delays, and perhaps rendered new
binatons necessary. FoRREsTs attack upon Paducah,
and capture of vast stores and material there hard
ly be without its effect in ccippng the operations of
the enemy in the West while the failure CT BANKS
thro VS. the balance of present into hands
so far as Louisiana and Texas are concerned and
hardly fail to influence the whole campaign in that
tion. If the enemy is to carry out his programme
against Richmond he cannot afford to detach veteran
troops in sufficient numbers to recover his lost ground
in the extreme Southwest. If he does detach such
troops he simply renders certain crushing defeat in
Virginia and Northern Georgia


We alluded sometime ago to the idea that there would
be no decisive movements made by the troops under
GRANT before the beginning of june in paio terms
until after the Black Republicans shall have met at
Baltimore and nominated candidate for the Presden
cy. There why this idea should be enter
taned and we think it likely that LINCOLN would like
10 postpone the grand opening until after that event.
but we 60 not thilk that he possibly do SO. The
pressure is too strong to be resisted GRANT must
hazard battle before he loses his veterans whose time
expires in May, and who have not reenliSed to any
considerable extent.


~
ror under which our people at present laboring.
The army is in fine health and spirits The men have
wellgrounded confidence in themselves and in their
leaders, and no one doubts but that they will do all that
brave men can do. The country shares this confidence
with the army. But it will not do to expect impess
biities. We must not expect too much OF our brave
troops. We must not expect uniform or unbroken
success We must look for occasional reverses if not
at times disasters sufficient to try the and depess


the spirits of unprepared for such things. 1t is
about we'll that people should prepare themselves
for untoward events which, at times, will be certain
to occur, otherwise they will be unable to bear them
with frmness, and rise superior to their de-
pressing Influences We look for cheering during
the coming summer. We know that our meu are
ready for the fray they are veterans and will fight
with the frmnsss of veterans They have been, many
of them in O score of battles, and prepared for
more. As for being "eager," and "apoing for light
and On we hardly think that is the with those
who have seen much service. We have talked with
several who have done their duty well on many trying
occasions and who would not be anywhere but in the
midst of any fight in which their command might be
engaged, ard yet We have seen few or of those
who had thus been, it were, Through the mi who
did not speak thoughtuly and seriously of approach
ing conflicts and we have conversed With none from
LEES army.who did not and do not expect that army
to be victorious in any conflict with the enemy on Vr-
eina soil. Let be prepared to sustain reverses-
Tor such we must expect-with frmness and also
to bear ourselves under victory without undue eaton-
or premature relaxation of effort, and any relaxa,
tIon would be premature until all is won.