The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1863-02-18
THE DAILY REBEL.
oHATTAF0oGA:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEB, is, 1863

The Secretary of War in his late report
uses tao following language: Ger due sup.
plies Of forage aud subsistence, reliance
has been placed on the productions and re,
sources Of tho Confcderacy alone, and 50
far they have proved abundant They are,
hoperer, more affected by the peculiar cir
canstsnces Of the county TIE harTests
of the past season have not generally prov
ed propitious and notwithstanding the much
larger breadth Of ground devoted to the
culture Of cereals and forage, the product
in many extensive districts Of the Confcd-
eracy Is below The average, and in
some even threatens scarcity The cost and
want Of transportation make difficult the
collection, distrbuton, and equalization Of
such products In addition, the rayagcs Of
war prosecuted by our malignant shepies,
in shameful violation Of all civilized usage
for the ends of rapine OF destruction, have
desolated considerable districts Of fertile
country The districts thus dsvastate /,
have been too, mainly those which have
heretofore afforded the largest supplis+ Of
meat. The rearing Of animals for food has
been since the war, generally increased
throughout the Confoderacy, and from 9TH
er districts larger supplies thar heretofore
may be expected. Still the scarcity Of
grain and forage must check considerably
this increased production, and render ade-
quato supplies for the future marS doubts
full"
These words Of the Hon. Secretary, we
commend to our readers who have onyI
thought Of planting cotton this year. Wei
do not need the cotton, we must have sup
plies Of grain and forage Why in the face
Of facts like these stated by the Secretary
Of War in his report. will any Of our people
plant cotton Every acre Of ground in the
Confoderacy ought to be devoted to the pro-
ductien of grain, forage and vegetables Wei
can add nothing to the pofatcd argument of
the Secretary, Our views have been given
freely on this subject time and again, and
We now lend them, confirmed by Mr.. Sed-
dpn's report After the many glorious bat,
ties which have been fought, are our peo-
pie going to see the army destitute Of All
abundant supply, laeroly that they may
make a million OF two bales of cotton, which
will be Of no use to them after it is made
until the war is ended? If they think the
war is going to end in few months, and
then they can sell their cotton at high
price, let them cast away this dolusiou TIE
course they are pursuing is the very best
way to cause the war to be prO6acted. Lett
no cotton be planted and all our land be del
voted to the culture of grain and forage,
and this fact when made known, will do ass
much to cause termination of the war as
any ether one thing, and if it does not bring
the wartoa close, win enable US to prose-
cute it with more ability We hope the
Southern press will turn their attention to-
this subject, and warn the people in time.
There is danger that too much Of our la
Dor will be devoted to the raising Of cotton
this year, but it is q danger that can be
avoided by timely discussion. We have
done our duty, aud we intend to continue
to warn our countrygen Of the folly Of
planting cotton the year, and if they will
still persist in their determination to do so,
the fault will not be oars, Soon the time
will be at hand for planting vegetables. Let
this be done ia abundance. The army needs
tAem for health and subsistence Too May
cannotbc raised, All tho'Irish aud Sweot
potatoes that can be getten ought to be
planted. If weqrc blessed with propiGous
seasons, let us try to make enough to supply
eur army and our people abundantly, AID
then have something to spare.
These are our views, and we ask for them
the attention which we thiak the impor-
lance Of tho subject demands,
af 'r----- --.+-' --s------f-- a
nn- A Memphis correspondent Of the New
York Herald says:
anu ,.,st .t.rtl;n,,ttArorfs IsiI, v.,,l, ~ a