Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-12-25
gu atrbman & State 5OmuaI.
MONTPELIER, DECEMBER aS, 1853.
THE PROSPECT FOR REBELDOM.
BY X. WALTON

mad aud sad, and that is evidence that they
are dissatisfied with their present condition,
and despondent as to the future Not many
weeks ago. Toombs, who used to roar like =
bull of Bashsn in the Senate. Chamber al
Washington, roundly denounced the admins
tration Of rebel finances, and declared that
the Confcderscy was on the road to ruin and
near the journeys end. 1t was literally "a
voice from the Toombs."
JEFF. Davis has hardly improved upon
Toombs in the matter Of consolation to the
afflicted He says the Confederacy has issued
six hundred millions in treasury notes, which
is more thsn three-fold the amount required
/ by the business uf the country" We quote
his words. No more can be issued, and not
that only the amount already issued must
be reduced, since with very cheap paper and
very high prices, neither government nor peo-
pie can make both ends meet. As we un-
derstand it, he proposes compulsory pro-
cess, forcing holders Of the notes to convert
them into bonds. He calls this process "a
tax upon the currency'-but it amounts to
repudiation. The holders must give up the
notes; and jeff. consoles them with this dec
larstion:
Il be added that IN considering this subject the
people ought steadily keep in view that the govern
msni IN contracting debt, is but their agent that is
deb i. their debt As the currency j. held exclusively
by ourselves, IL Is Obvious that, II each person held
Treasury notes IN exact proportion TO the value Of his
whole means each would iu f.et owe hims.lf the a
rufH rf he fnfes hflH IN and Q
possible distribute the currency among the people IN
this proportion tax levied on the currency Al
TO an amount sufficient 10 reduce IL proper limits
would afford the best Of ell remedies.
Now it strikes US that when a man has put
all bis means into treasury notes, and has
been forced to give up the notes, he will have
no means lefi, and very poor consolation in
the idea that he "owed to himself this
sweeping debt. If the notes are bad, how
much better will the bonds be; They will
have to go next. How many rebels are there
who will not f,si. # they do not say, ''No,
JEFF. Davis, this was your debt. and the debt
Of the villains who seduced or forced us into
rebellion. You have robbed us Of our honor
as citizens Of the United States you have
robbed us Of our children; you have robbed
US Of our property to the last penny go hang
yourself or we wnl do it for you" But this
is only the beginning Of troubles for the Con-
federate treasury. When this currency tax
shall have wiped out the notes, then the treas
ury must rely upon other taxes for means.
aud the principal sources Of taxation are
lands and slaves. "A bout 'wo-thirds Of the
entire taxable property Of the Confederate
States consists of lapd and slevee," Gays JoR.
This touches the law. BY act Of 1868, the
rebel Congre IS tex,d everything else, but ex
empted slaves and real estate. This was done
on the ground that no Constitutional direct
tax can be levied until they have census,
because until then the tax cannot be appor-
toned equally among the States. JEFF. now
gets over this Constitutional provision by
saying that in a time OF war it is impossible
to execute it; and therefore be will approve
any tax, although Il may not conform to the
Constitutional rule. will the Constitutional
copperheads make note Of that fact; The
tax upon land and slaves will reach the ruling
men Of the outh, aud, il applied with any
thing like the Tgor which the exigencies Of
the Confederacy require, it will not sweeten
their temper nor add anything to their APP
probation OF the wisdom of the rebellion.
The message Of jeff. Davis has been fol-
lowed by splurge from Foote OF Mississip.
pi-known IN the United States Senate as
10 H.n IN Root. - H.. = -, IL -
ate, and seems to be as anxious now to hang
jeff. DAVIS, as he formerly was to perfo. m the
same office Tor John r. Hale. We quote
specimen, which will remind every body Of
the days when the crack OF the slave-driyer's
Whip was heard in the halls Of Congress.
Ia Confederate Senate, nec H. Mr.. Foote offered
resolution msuuctiug the Military Committee inquire
and Ascertain and report whether owing to want
NJ valr in the iroups sat Ia the Presidents mes
sage, nr 10 other causes.
Il uid underiuke to say that the President himself
vas responsible Tor that defeat and prepared TO
prove aud nrihermore, he would show that he had
10 skuik the TespUn. iy and throw upou
the brave whp had barred their breasts TO the hae
No should den unce those men as wanting in yalor
with mpuny. IL an accusation dishonorabe TO he
honor and disc etitabe 10 al wh ch would tend To the
demoralza ion of our troops and may be productive Of
still worse disasters
~ ntth u ktu upon iFtNutnt 10 remove nom
the command Of that Gen. Bragg, who had proven
himself already incompetent for hi. position The Pres
ldent was called upon TO remove him as Incompetent
aud even DANGEROUS. But tue result is knosn Bragg
was not removed That man (rAgg) has been most od-
Gus 20 both the army aud people for more th,n wear
and the fre,ident must have known H. But he vis the
army and said there cause for the complaints
but found the VII le army dsiTusIful OF him One
lhing eTAin he has driven away every one Of his best
genera He has dtven away the skilled and gallant
Pok he has forced the noble hearted BuckneF 10 eav
him, ne mas illuminated Breckinridge and ,icumised
MeCo"n Everybody knows he Is on bad terms with
HHd,e lie is 50 constituted that he cannot agree with
any Of hi'eommanders What is more one OF NV col
iesgues has received letter from Bragg himself in
"hieh ne ead-only hye weeks ago-that he couldn't
command tat army effectively unless he was e Ar Of
-ehless lhefe were cashiered-tWeye briRadier Gen.
s~ien ~ 5na whole regiment Of field officers Fres
ueht LN'i1 VAS appealed 10 by neatly every officer
. i'le ioI ms removal. But he stood up for Bfasg
ne nae committed himself to the country he had *
2lSsstu hs opl'n, publicly, Of Bragg eminent btness
or ihe command aud was determined 10 risk tbs 80
=, sAe county upon IT, For the same reason and un-
iei ,hc eame olrepmstaces Pemberton was re,aincd =
fh~t vas the soie reason Of the fall of Vieksbutg -
sh1" wy petnacity OF the President the miiI,ry
' oeoI uihqllfe into the conduct Of Pemberton
Vas a,Pehssu WIN "a two days after il met by Inc order
~ ~ w men this man had surrendered
~ i.n1bo'AnY suieneefed-his command 10 the entmy
,us In ties'aeh, m ~ naoe MN his companion carried him
WIN MIN 10 bfaRRh army. and II the tr,h nm, T.
old, many soldier, a. they rode along ths uno IA
lhere goes the traitor Who delivered us over M Vik
burg. Even then thc President had ,he ,sr,@,;,. ~
lnOlushng disregard Of public sentineo, IT, ,ne
state and eiseshere to offer to that Sane M
ommand OF folks corps and II he had underiakrn
hA uu ne would nave been slain In the earliest hour