Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-30
A MORE VIGOROUS WAR POLICY

A MORE VIGOROUS WAR POLICY
From the Nashville (Tenn) Union, iIthI
We are Of the opinion that the war may be
more vigorously prosecuted by several other
important additions to our policy. And 10 ap-
pears perfectly clear to that should
void impovetiShing and weakening our friends,
and that we should impoverisb aud weaken
our enemies. We should relieve and aid the
loyal, and we should cripple the disloyal in
both cases, tor the safety of the common
wealth. This rebellion was unnecessarily and
wickedly brought on against the earnest en-
treaties of the loyal. IL was plotted and plan
ned and precipitated by OF fortune, and
the sufferers are the loyal who comprise nine
ty-nire one hundreths of the mechanics, sTua u
farmers and sboring men Of TIE nation On
the other hand, less than 10000 otcn fire.
sirths Of The sldres Of Le COTTON States and these
are all bHt unanimously traitors to the govern
ment. We know something of this personal
ly. Now, hitherto we have been burdeniug
the loyal people to clothe aud feed army
made necessary by the conduct of traitors, and
on the other hand SO far have we been from
making rebels feel the burden of the war that
Mcclellan, Buell. and hundreds Of other Fed
erai officers have guards Orer the fields and
crabs Of aNtorioas rebels TO protect them from
the depredatiOns of our soldiers. What jus
tice is there in this? When party brings
suit in court aud looSes it who paws the cost
When A assaults B, is rot BIS property confs-
Gated To a certain amount? Why do not
subSist our armies on the provisions Of the
reOelS and quarter our soldiers In their hOu-
ses? Why is it that we treat the vilest trail
tors who ever cursed the globe with more len
ity and even iawning serviIity than was ever
seen. before in any contest? The Louisville
Journal regrets what it calls the radical idea Of
impoveTishing the enemy, and calls II s-insane
and ruinous." Wei, in reviewing the course
OF some OF orr generals there are several 9th
er things which might be more fitlv styled
''insane,' and we devouty trust that they
may not ultimately be ssrunious." Insane
How insane to impoverish your foe and cut
the sinews of his strength How insane to
seize upon his crops and support ours at no
expense, very little. while we reduced him
to starvation How insane to tell the toilIng
millions of the loyal States, whose kindred
are pouring out their blood in defense of the
government, that the rebels who began shall
foot the cost of this unholy war! How ruin
GUS to lessen the amount of taxation by hun
dreds of millions? Who plough flor the reb-
els? Who SOW and cultivate for the rebels
Who fill their granaries with breadstutfs and
prepare their meats Who dig their trench
es, throw up their embankmentS, construct
their forts and plant their cannon Who, in
all that pertains to the outfit and support of
an army are its bone and sinew, without whose
aid the rebel armies never could be collected,
and without whom they could not remain in.
arms one month We answer, the slaves Of
the rebels. They are the life blood and the
breath of the rebellion. The loyal men of
the nation fighting against negro power.
1t seems to MS absurd to say that to deprive
the rebels of this right arm OF warfare, is con
trary 10 civilized warfare. SiGrUiHg ouf is
old and universally recognized rule Of
fare. Cut off your enemy's provisions when
ever you can. If you reduce him no
other way, or If you can even do il more ca
hat pf n he
and thirst. 1t would puzzle a casuist to show
how starving your enemy is more inauman
and uncivilized than sticking bayOnet is bis
body, shooting ball through his head
And for fear some constitutional might
object against the legality OF dcpriviDg rebels
of their slaves, we will quote the opinion OF
Hon. Robert Mallory, of Kentucky, on this
point. He declared recently in Congress:
81 think the slaves of southern rebels
should be used, onr armies advance, in all
menial service, such as boating and assisting
on fortifications."
If it be radical TO take ths slaves Of the
rebels from their masters, Il is equally so TO
appropriate them to our use, as Mr.. Mallory
advices; and if their labor will benefit Us ~
is plain that il must be even more beneficial
to the rebels, inasmuch as our soldiers are ID
ured to work, and the rebel officers and sol
diers are not. AS to Senator BrowniDg's jeers
at sSpaper bulletins of confiscation, &c, they
are wholly out of place, inasmuch we don't
desire that sort OF work. We want TO see It
carried out in practice. And let il be clearly
understood that If negro escapes the clutch
es of a rebel master, and gets within our lines,
treason shall never have his assistance again
1t is Senator Browning, and those who pItro-
nize Cooper Institute meetings, where the
conservatives, ,ssResove aud re-resolve, and
d lie the sane,'' who more liable than
are to the charge of waging with paper
bulletins. Nor is there the least reason for
saying that this policy would exasperate the
rebels. No one who has watched the devilIsh
maiignity of the rebels in Kentucky. where
the Federal forces have been stationed for
months and catching the runaway negroes Of
rebels, will feel the slightest fear on this
point. The rebels are about as mad as they
can be and the class we want to strike at in
tend to stay mad 1t is our policy to shove
these men from their present ambuscades OF
neutrality and force them into open hostility
We fight thousand impoverished rebels
snore easily and safely than we can contend
against the intrigues and plots OF one hundred
rich rebels who ostensibly neutral. For a
more vigorous prosecution of the war and Its
early and successful termination, we advocate.
l. The immediate increase OF our army TO
!. 900 900 or more if necessary, so that We
can rain regiments upon rebel soil.
3 Subsist them off the rebels.
8. Never protect rebel property or grant
compensations to traitors.
A. Weaken the rebel strength N all posi-
BILE ways; take away their resources of sub
sistence especially. laborers included.
5. AS our lines advance place the estates of
rich rebels at the disposal Of the Federal gov
ernment, to be devoted to defraying the ex-
T.f fA..xr