The defensive system,
This system, so far as we are aware, he never been reserved to by any nation, while it was able to prosecute offensive war. In the case of Ly-Vendee, referred to by us of Friday, that was eminently the case. The whole district comprised but 800,000 souls when the war broke out although when it crossed the Loire, and became what is knows as the "Charon war," about 2,500,000 were added to the number. Oat of this population, some fifty thousand peasants, led by the proprietor of the soil, took up arms of every description They were in general devoted to their land lords, between whom and themselves the patriarchal its existed after the feudal system had been slandered throughout the rest of France. They were firmly attached to their church, which had been overthrown by the revelation, and were stimulated and encouraged by the parochial clergy, who chemically followed them through all their dangers. --The immediate cause of the outbreak was a levy made by the Convention, to fill up the ranks of an army three hundred thousand strong with which it was designed to prosecute the war against the allied monarchs. The Republic immediately marched heavy columns into La Vendee. Ill prepared as they were, the Venetians opposed a most determined resistance. A body of them, several thousand strong, having but 200 markets among, them, attacked and defeated a heavy column of Republicans at the very commencement of the war, and took a cannon, which they called "Marie Jeanne," (Mary Jane) The only powder they had in this affair was about sixty rounds, which they found in the cleft of a rock where it had been left by some man who had been blasting. The graster portion of them were armed with Seyhan, pitchforks, and clubs. A few had pike. The horrible cruelties committed by the Republicans produced restitution, and Le Vendee became a sea of blood. A degree of the Convention directed the extermination of everything in the district, animal and vegetable, and the soldiers carried in out as far as they were able. That men placed in such a situation would fight desperately, was a matter of course. But they were, in the end, after an almost unparalleled series of splendid feats, compelled to succumb. Their enemy was superior to them in numbers, in arms, in everything. As the war advanced, it is true, they became possessed of better weapons than they had in the beginning. They manufactured guns after a rude fashion, and took many from the enemy. Still their equipments were always wretchedly inferior to those of the Republicans.Now, we see no reason to think that we shall ever be reduced to the condition of the Venetians, although, we hope, should we over be reduced thus Lw, that our resistance will be as firm as theirs was. It will be time enough to think of waging such a war as they waged when our armies shall all have been-routed, our cannon and muskets all captured, our organization all broken up, and our chance of resistance confined to a guerilla warfare. That time has not come yes, and we truth it may never come.
Suppose La Vendee, when the King was put to death and religion overthrown, had possessed a peaceful army, thoroughly organized: would it not have been better for that army to have marched at once to Paris then to have waited for the spoiler to uproot her vineyards and deluge her soil with blood ! Defensive warfare, even when most successfully prosecuted entails unimagined our sea upon the defended territory. It is always best to keep war as far as possible from our own flee sides, as every people tell who have ever been visited by it.
The defensive system pursued by us last year is unlike any other of which the history of she would presents an example. It defended nothing whatever. It gave up everything. It permitted the enemy to come upon our soil and to fortify himself wherever he thought proper. It did not permit any attack to dislodges him. Is enjoined a defensive on all occasions. It has been called the Falian system — why, we never could imagine; for anybody that is even slightly acquainted with the writings of Polybins and Livy, or of Arnold, must know that there is not the slightest resemblance between the two. Feline really defended the country. Our troops convinced themselves to digging ditches and throwing up dirt, and left the marauders to plunder at pleasure. It was a war of militia, and our militia is was infinitely the best. Nothing but the drill could bring their troops up to a level with ours; and, alter a great victory, we quietly down and let them drill to their heart's content. Everybody can see the consequence instead of concluding a peace by boldly pushing into Maryland, when we had prostrated their only army, we permitted them to organize, discipline and equip a most formidable force, and to push the war into the heart of our own country.
