True Democrat., 1863-04-22
rho Starvation Policy.

It has been known, for weeks, that the iedeials in this State. IS well as others, were deEtroym9 all farming implements sezing all provisions and pre- venting the planting of crops, with the avo"ed determination to starye the people into submission We supposed it might be possible that this was the vindictive cruelty of some cowardly commander, who vented his spite on women and children. But it is now certain that orders to that effect have ssn cd from Lncoln's war department. In Phillips. Chicot and other counties, where the federas have a foothod they have and are burning all the fences, blows and farming utensils they find. They de- stroy the property of widows as well as of male citizens. They are sending thousands of women and children within our lines, destroying all the provisions they find and prey entng the people from planting. Out of many cases reported to us, is one of a widowed lady, at whose house a number of officers and men called and demanded their din ners. After having eaten, they told her that they had orders to seize all her provisions, destroy 1l the farming implements and fences and preyenther from having crop raised They left her week S supply of provisions only. In Phillips county they kill every mlch COW, shoot down every hog and cut down fruit trees. In Chicot county, they have made q clean sweep.
 This is not civilized warfare. It is a war upon women and children. It is wholesale robbery and national murder. Yet so timid has been our policy that We have let these williams navigate watela because they protested against the barbarity of firing into boats. We haveparoed jayhawkers whose hands and garments were incarnadined with the blood of murdered patriots. We have for borne until forbearance has ceased to be virtue, until it has ceased to be manly. What will be the action of the President and the military authori ties in this crisis, we cannot anticipate, but that au enemy So violating all rules of warfare and waging a barbarous and fendish war, should be treated according the rules of civilized war, is absurd Surely, these men should be hung as soon as eau ht. They have thrown away their stars and stripes and hoistcd the black flag. They are waring upon women and children, and when caught -ther captors would be ustilbe in killing them as they would be in killing a wild beast
 As strenously and sternly as we have resisted all attempts to make this black flag war; the ene@ my seem determined to drive us to it. They are : organizing insurrectons in South Carolina; they have sent a negro army into Florida; they are or ganizing black regiments in Tenpessee; they exc cute partisans who fire boats, and guerrillas everywhere, and now, they declare war for ex- ter1nination not only of men, but of women and children.
 This being the acknowledged policy of the fede' rals it becomes matter of life and death that we should raise everything that will sustain life in those parts of the country beyond reach of the federals: that we should be economical in the use of breadstuffs; close all distleries and hold the dstilers as public enemies, and cultivate heiaS and gardens to tn cir utmost limit
 It has been demonstrated that the Confectionery cannot be whipped, and if We do our duty, We can show them that we cannot be starved Weshouid prepare to ward of this blow, and hold those to strict accountability who seek to infct it upon us