Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-11-03

The concurrent testimony Of thickly
croWding reports can leave no doubt that
fatal blight has struck the rebellious
South. The traitorous leaders have led
that portion Of the country to distress and
ruin. The fortunes Of the wealthy have
melted away like frost-work before the
sun. The luKuriess Of life have vanished.
It's elegsncies have disappeared. The plaia-
est nsoesssries even, are hard to obtain.
The currency Is worthless. Exhaustion is
everywhere apparent. Pinching want is
felt. Destitution daily spreads wider its
margin. In some sections, starvation
rsttles its ghastly skeleton, aud The people
stand appalled, Wars iron heel has de-
Vaststed the land Where Union armies
have not penetrated; the rebel armies, like
Egyptian loeusts in their devouring march,
have left no supplies behind. Other sec
tons have been depleted by tranship-
ments. Winter Is at the door. The future
Is auu of darkness and gloom. Hunger
distress, cold and nakeduess are en-
tailed upon whole communities as the
boon Of the rebellion. COnscription, merci-.
less and relentless, has swept into rebel
ranks the flower of the country. The
sble-bodied, willing or unwilling, have
been forced into the rebel service. The
very young and the old nen, with women
and children remain. Thousands Of slaves
have been impressed into the various en-
plOyments of the rebel service, while
these remaining on plantations are large
1y demoralized, and ineffective.
These things cannot long continue. The
end must come. The mutterings of dis
content are already loudly, fesrfully
heard But the power OF the rebel mill
tary despOtism yet bears sway. 1t, at
present, overawes any manifestations Of
discontsnt.-But this power will be broken
It has reachedits highest altitude. Indica-
tions OF resistance begin to appear at va
rlous points. As the Union armies press
the rebellion more heavily, these indicn-
tons viii become more apparent. They
VIII grow in bOldness and power.
Pressed by rebel despOtism, the meCban-
ies of Richmond lately rushed together in
aspOntaneOus meeting, to protest against
"the sbject posture TO which labor and
the labOrer bsd been reduced The Rich
mond rebel newspapers dsnounce the as
senblags with great ferocity. The mani
festsdon, for ths time being, will, Of
course, be crushed out. But these
men will chafe under their oppression,
the spirit Of resistance will remain. and
the day win come when it will be made
effective.
The women bread-riOts at the South, are
another indication of the extremity to
which the rebellion has reduced the pOpu-
lstiOn. "Bread or blood" is fearful cry.
It is the utterance of despairing agony.
It will be heard. 1t will make itself felt.
Even military despOts cover before it.
Pressed by Union armies without, rebel
dom has the elements of its own destruo-
tion within itself.
Oireumscribed in territory, wasted in
men, impoverished in subsistence, woe,
lamentatiOn, WidOwhOOd, orphanage, pow
erty, destitutiOn, SORROW and nameless
horrors, the product Of crime, recklessness
and dissoluteness prevailing, all tead to
present the rebel realm in no very attract
i've attitude. To such desOlation has this
wicked rebellion brought that section Of
the country under the sway Of rebel rule.
Under such circumstances, the rebel
leaders cannot long maintain their power.
The smOthered, strengthened and incress-
ing discomfort of a despoiled and ruined
people, will soon burst forth, and hurl
these tyrsnt leaders from their present
places Of usurped power, even before Union
srmies do the work, unless the work hast
ems. Let the blows, then, fall thick and
fast. Give the rebels no rest by night or
by day, till their gigsntic plot to destroy
the Union is crushed out.