Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-02-05
The Weak Point of the Rebellion.

From the New York Tribune Jan. 25th
The articles which we published two. or
three days ago from Rebel journals upon
their policy in the war, have bearing which
is not only significant but most important in
the present crisis Of our affairs Those
Journals discern the extreme importance Of
an increase in the numbers OF their forces in
the field. All their successes they declare
have been neutralized by the want Of q few
additional thousands Of troops TO gather up
and secure the frnits Of victory.
For the immediate future the picture is
even more disheartening. The Union forces
are pressing down upon them in every di-
rection, aud there is great doubt whether
the over burdened troops that uphold the
Rebellion at Nicksburg, Tnllzboma, and
Richmond, can long sustain the unequal
conflict without large re-onforcements. ''lf
within the next two months" cries the
Richmond Examiner, I'VE do not add sew
enty FIVE or a hundred thousand men to our
forces in the Southwest, we shall come TO
grief" Accordingly these jousnals urge the
more vigorous execution of their law Of
CONSUMPTION, and the rigid refusal Of all ex-
smptions not absolutely indispensable. The
whole success of the war depends, they say,
upon their ability to enforce more univer-
sal conscription.
Among the exemptions which they cen
sure, none is SO conspicuous as that by
which able bodied men are LETT free to guard
the negroes. "Abls. bodied men must not
be allowed to stay at home on the protect Of
attending to ttoenty negroes" This, then,
is the most marked Of the exemptions by
which the Rebel armies are diminished
Every twenty negroes absorb the care of one
white who would otherwise be soldier =
We can understand how many, that else
would be forced into active service, shelter
themselves behind provision like this.
Every timid and delicate man--every one
whose pecuniary affairs or whose domestic
ties are more TO him than the prosperity OF
the rebellion-every man who distrusts the
success of the Rebel arms-and above all,
every man who in his heart of hearts bears
an unspoken loyalty to the belovd old Union,
stays at home if he can find or make an op-
portunity Of attending to twenty negroes!
One to twenty! There are 1000, 900 OF
negroes in the seeded States; and, at this
rate, 5 to 100. 50 to 1000, so, 900 to 900,
900, are occupied with the care of the
slaves. One hundred aud fifty thousand
able bodied men are staying away from the
Rebel army to keep three millions Of ne
groes from running away to the Union ar
my. This, too, was before the Proclama
ton, which comes to add new energy to tn,
necessity for such care, precisely at the mo
ment when the Rebels are inquiring wheth
er it might not be safe to forego this domes
tic guard, and employ this vast force t.
slaughter loyal men in Mississippi, in Ten
nessec, and in South Carolina.
How plainly is the Proclamation 4 necos
sity! Upon it depends the question of thi
great Rebel re. enforcement. Withdraw it
and in Que month 10000 men are avail
able for Rebel soldiers, and will be hunted
up aud driven off to fight us at Vicksburl
and Tullshoma. Maintain it, enforce it
give it life, and twice that number will b,
demanded to retain the slaves, and enforc,
their labor for the Rebel cause