AMERICA

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 146, 30 October 1863, Page 3

AMERICA

If we were to say that the American war has not developed a new feature since the battle of Gettysburg, and the subsequent movement of Lee's army into Virginia, followed by. Meade, we should very accurately describe the present situation. According to the last accounts, General Lee has accumulated a large army between the liapidan and the Ihippuliannocic, and completely commands the mountain passes. The position of Meade’s army is not quite so clear, nor is it oven certain that lie still continues at the head of it, as there are current reports of his having three times tendered his resignation. It is supposed that Meade’s forces occupy the ground from Stafford Court-house, on Acquia Creek, along the north bank of the Rappahannock. Lee’s designs are entirely unknown, but it is imagined that he contemplates a diversion through one of the gaps towards Gaiusville or Manassas, by which movement he would be enabled simultaneously to attack both the front and the rear of Meade’s army. Lee is probably the most skilful general now in the field on either side, and even the Federals themselves admit that Meade, although a West Point man and undoubtedly an abler officer, is no match fur hiin. In other places the war lingers dismally. A land and sea attack is preparing against Charleston, ami the Federals are confident of victory. On the other side, the Confederates are said to have made formidable preparations, and to be equally sanguine as to the result. The intense heat of the season appears to have been as overpowering in America a*s it lias been in Europe, and, combined with other causes, has contributed materially to retard the operations of the troops. The war has visibly approached the last exigencies to which the resources of the State can be reduced. So long as a government can issue paper money with impunity to supply its needs, so long it can never lack the means of paying its troops ; but we have yet to learn by what artificial expedients the drain of men can be replenished. The North is believed to have already expended upon the war a sum not very much less than the national debt of Great Britain, and to have drawn into the field a million of men, at least one-half of which perished in the unnatural conflict. Considering with what marvellous contempt of responsibility the Federal government has already expended such fabulous sums, there can be no difficulty in supposing that it could carry on the operation to any imaginable extent. But when it comes to the question of supplying their

Wanlcs -which are daily made in their ranks, their power of reduplication fails. There is no known machinery by which men can heniiinufact'umi like green hacks." In this extremity Hr. Lincoln fe driven to the conscript tion, which he is carrying out, not- only" against the \\-ill of the people, but, in' somecases, in violation of the law. _ fle' does not pretend to stand' upon the legality of thedraft, but solely upon urgency of the’ want. Like the Citizen m Murphy's’ force; he will get what he wants honestly i i he- can, hut he will get it in any case. Another element has been created by this pressirre~the eulistment of negroes into' the regular army. This course is now bein'g adopted by the South, following rapidly upon the example of their opponents.