Extracts from the Northern press.
the subject of drafting--one Vermont Regiment already in New York — Gen Pope's forces, &c.
The Federal press is still on the drafting act. The Philadelphia Inquirer has a gloomy article on the prospect, and thinks the people are disposed, like Micawber, to wait for something to ‘"turn up"’ before they enlist. It closes thus:
We have not approached this delicate subject without due consideration of all its bearings. The wonderful readiness with which the ranks of our vast armies have heretofore been filled must not blind us to the reality that there may be a limit to this free-will spirit in the present state of affairs.--The stake is too grave for hesitation, and we think that we express the common sentiment of an overwhelming portion of the loyal population of its best portion in intelligence and moral worth — when we say that if the requisite number of volunteers cannot be forthwith procured, the initiatory measures for obtaining the requisite number of militia should be adopted. If, meanwhile, volunteers should fill the ranks, no harm would have been done. But if the complement should be wanting, there would be the ready machinery to insure it. What our rebel enemies might say of this resort, what their sympathizers among us might think of it, these are questions of no moment. Our simple duty is to put forth our whole strength, by whatever means we can evoke it, to crush Secession and restore peace.
Unwelcome as the system might be to our feelings, it is one which has some things to recommend it beside its assurance of a prompt and an adequate levy. It seems just to the brave men now in the field; it seems just to the wounded who are suffering from its battles, and to the dead who have given their lives to the cause, that laggards in its support should not be wholly exempt from service, though to be equally the gainers by national success.--Throughout the country are tens of thousands of men capable of military duty, who have the means to hire substitutes, and these again would be as certainly obtained when the money thus received would insure something to their dependents beyond the ordinary pay of a soldier. The army itself would be the better by affording the amplest possible choice of recruits, instead of being encumbered with men who may barely reach the standard of qualification, when first mustered into service, and prematurely break down under its hardships. We trust, however, that the reduction of the term of service from three years to one year will obviate the necessity of resorting to this mode of obtaining soldiers for our army.
The Green Mountain Boys First in the field.
[from the New York times, July 15]
The first regiment from New England under the new requisition, bound for the seat of war, will pass through this city to-morrow morning.
The regiment is from the hills of Vermont--the men such as those who passed through New York with green sprigs in their caps, a year ago. Since then those hardy fellows have smelt gunpowder and have tasted battle; and on every field have borne themselves with a heroism and a fortitude worthy of their glorious State.
Their comrades now rush to the rescue; and with none the less alacrity because their aid is so greatly needed, and the work they have to achieve will call forth so much of their native spirit.
Had the regiment arrived here but one day earlier, so as to be present at the great Union meeting, it would have given an impetus to volunteering, though it might have made New York ashamed of herself.
Where are our volunteers under the new call?
Let there be at least one, if not ten, regiments in uniform by to-night, to greet the Vermonters to-morrow morning.
Our recent military Disasters.
[from the New York world--Editorial.]
It never rains but it pours.
The check before Richmond was preceded by the repulse on James Island and has been followed by some serious reverses in the West.
At Murfreesboro' two regiments and two Generals have been captured — Nashville is threatened and may fall, since we are in for a run of bad luck — Baton Rouge has been recaptured, and portions of three regiments, fifteen hundred men in all, surrendered with it. Curtis, if we are to believe Southern accounts, has recently lost a thousand men, while guerrillas swarm again in Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. This is not a pleasant state of things, but it was rendered possible when Gen. Halleck decided to go into summer quarters with his army. Had the campaign continued vigorously, we should not have heard of the Confederates being near Nashville. If we do not attack them they undoubtedly will us, and we must expect a series of reverses until our Western army again assumes the offensive.
M'Clellan to be reinforced — operations in the Shenandoah Valley--Gen. Schenck in danger.
[Correspondence of the New York world]
Meanwhile, what is the co-operating process that shall insure success? The old pernicious impolicy of no co-operation is forever done with. There is a strong probability that one leader, perhaps Gen. Halleck, will be appointed to have command and supervision over all forces in Virginia, and will stay at Washington or some other central point of convergence. But Government is sadly puzzled. It is not true that as yet, any decided advance is making towards Richmond from this direction. Immediately after the great battles Gen. Pope was ordered, on impulse, to concentrate all the forces scattered between the Alleghenies and Fredericksburg, and march overland to attack the enemy's left flank or rear. Reflection showed that the enemy's position was really menacing Washington, and that dangerously. By great exertions 50,000 troops, perhaps, could be massed from the debris of McDowell's, Banks's, and Sigel's corps. But if these forces should push for Richmond via Manassas or Warrenton, Stonewall Jackson could easily sweep down the Shenandoah Valley, cross the Potomac, and enter Maryland. If, on the other hand, Pope should go down the Valley, what would hinder the Confederates from taking the straight cut across lots and bombarding the Capital from our ill-garrisoned forts on Arlington Heights?
We have not got out of this dilemma yet. The truth must be told. If 50,000 militia--three months men — were at once drawn from the North, for the protection of Washington, I think Pope could then march down, and that, through his aid, McClellan could rout the Confederate grand army. I firmly believe that in some such direction the true policy of the moment can be found. Will nothing arouse our leaders to the exigency? They are only a race of Bourbons, who learn nothing. At this very moment the enemy has again appeared in the Shenandoah Valley. Ugly tidings! Thus far sedulously concealed from the people. A bad omen pervades such dispatches. Gen. Schenck, now at Luray, telegraphs that three thousand Confederates are between him and Gen. Banks. Of course, if three thousand are there, twenty thousand are not far behind. Every soldier knows this must be so. And the fact is that, instead of being on route for Richmond, as the North deems likely, Gen. Pope's forces are even now distributed in small squads from the Dan to the Beersheba of our frontier, waiting to know precisely what point is to be the enemy's line of approach before concentrating to meet him. Gens. Pope, Sigel, Blenker, Stahl, and a half dozen others, are inert at Willards's, waiting for the movement of the waters.--Pray heaven it may be one of healing.
The call for troops — the responses of the loyal States.
[from the New York Herald, July 14.]
We publish to-day the responses from the Governors and the people of the States of New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Connecticut.
Other Governors have issued proclamations; but they have not yet reached us. The proclamation of Governor Morgan, of New York, is fully up to the mark.
Those which we lay before our readers to-day breathe a spirit of patriotism and determination worthy of the great cause at stake. We have no doubt that the quotas of troops called for will soon be enrolled in the grand army of the Union, and viseing with its veterans in fighting the battles of the Republic. The number required is only a fraction of what the loyal States could send to the war. The State of New York alone could furnish 400,000 men. The true policy is to send enough of men and bring the war to a speedy end, instead of keeping it languishing for another year, to the injury of our trade and commerce, and financial status, the greater destruction of life, and the danger of foreign intervention in our affairs. Better to abandon the war altogether than to conduct it in a feeble manner, wasting our resources and crippling our industry without any good result.
The prize to be gained the restoration of the Union--is worth a grand effort, and not a moment ought to be lost in rallying around the Stars and the Stripes. Half the number of men would be more effectual now than twice the number hereafter, to say nothing of the contingency of foreign intervention, of which there need be no fear if we act with vigorous promptitude, but of which there is every danger if lauguer and procrastination take the place of energy and activity. A long war would be disastrous to every interest, and would probably fail in the main object. A short and energetic war will not injure the country, while it is the only hope of saving the Union. But we have not the least fear that the people will hold back now, and endanger the nation by the perilla of a protracted campaign. The call of the Executive is met everywhere in the right spirit, as the report of the meeting held at different places all over the North abundantly prove. We should not be surprised to see a fresh army of 300,000 men in the field within sixty days, without resorting to drafting at all.
This will be a spectacle for the world to behold. It will justify the remark made to Mr. Everett in Washington recently, by the representative of one of the most powerful military nations of Europe, that the army of this republic had accomplished more during the past year than any country in Europe could have done.
