Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-06-25

REBEL VIEW. The BELT OF Desc
LArIoN.-The following editorial from the
Richmond Wing is remarkable one. 1t
refers doubtless to the invasion of the
North supposed to be contemplated by
Lee:
From the Richmond whig.l
Day by day the track of the destroyer
becomes broader. Two-thirds of Vir-
ginia, two-thirds of Tennessee, the coasts
of North and South Carolina, part of
Georgia, nearly all of Florida, Northern
Mississippi, Western and Southern Loui-
siana, a great part of Arkansas and Mis-
souri, have already been laid waste, and
and every honr brings tidings of fresh de
struction. Dispatches of Saturday Inform
ed us that the enemy had destroyed a
million dollars worth of property on the
Combabee and stolen thousand negroes !;
it was but few days ago that they raw
aged the county of Matthews in this state
and even while we write tidlngs come to
us that they are burning private houses
and destroying every grain OF corn they
can lay their hands on in the counties of
King and Queen. Enough has been said
| of the barbarism of this mode of warfare,
| and too much has TO be confessed of the
entire impunity with which it is carried
| on. Our outcres and our admissions of
| the weakness or hellish JOY of the foe,
without stimulating troops, government or
people to the pitch of retributlve ven
geace. The belt of desolation widens
hourly, nor is there much prospect Of an
abatement Of the evil. Citizens complain
of the government, which in turn COM
plains of the citizens. Meantime common
| INQUIRY is made as to the existence and
present whereabouts of the organized for
ce5 of the confederacy. We may be sure
this state of things will continue as long
as the war is waged exclusively on con-
federate soil Every day the enemy re-
mains in our territory will add to the
width of the belt of desolation, and they
who now fancy themselves out of danger
will soon discover their mistake. If a
thousand Yankee cavalry can ride entire
ly through the state of Mississippi without
moIestation, what is to hinder like num-
Der from going through Virginia, North
and South Carolina, to Port Royal? Ger.
tsinly unarmed and uRorganized citizens
will not hinder them. The belt of desc
lation serves many purposes of the Yam
kee nation.
1t opens way to free labor and north
ern settlers ; it diminishes productive and
concentrates southern population withu
limits inadequate to their support /; it pre-
pares a place for Yankee emigration il
peace on the basis of separation is declar-
ed. But this is not all. 1t answers the
purpose OF war as well as peace, by inter
posing country destitute of supplies be
tween our own and the Yankee border
Thus it is safeguard against INVASION
If Lee would advance, he must NOV,
through desert, dragging immense train
of food behind him. The case is the sam,
with Bragg, with Johnston, with Price
Indeed, we hear that Price will find it diff
ticult, if not impossible, to enter Missouri
In front of all our large armies lies a
waste, where there is food for neither MAI
nor beast. Girded by belt of desolatiol
the North is safe from invasion tn
broader the belt the greater its security
As the months wano and the years roll on
the South, unless something can be done
will become, in the language of Scripture
"the abomination of desolationn w
believe that something will be done-th
necessity demands it imperatively would
we could be sure that it will be don,
speedily. The cup can be returned to tn,
lips of the North drugged with ten folt
bitterness. Mercy to ourselves demands
this act of retributive justice to them.