Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-09-18

DEa&HEE0N AND ABsENFEEasH.
The Northern public and Government, Il the
press Of the United States is their tus expo
nenl now ssss their chief hopes Of success On
sbe stories with which they are every doy re-
gale of dsssrdons on d large scale from she
Armies Of the ConfedeTaey. We sgras THb ihs
Richmond E1aminsT, that thesa stories ae false,
In 80 far IS hsy represent this hideous vice 10
be more prevalent now than Ct any previous pc
Eiod IN the Southern force Indeed, theys is
less Of Il than sVsT before. Bet II e entirely
true, that the grest source Of al ibs oshnites
Of the Souih, has been from this worst Of evils.
UDder the delicate nsms of absentssism It has
found excuses and dafsnzsE Even die public
press has been somssznes 90 deprsvsi as to
sTFus, that those .abgsuf without leave were
nsi dsssrten; that they were, IN fact rather bet
ter men than these who were never absent with
out leave; because it was theiE excessive snd
noble love Of home, and Of their families, which
wrought on than to such 3 degree IS to over
come The love Of country snd duty. UuhEppfy
The Government and military authorities hsrs
practically confirmed this charming view Of the
absent Until within the last few days, ne
dessrtsr, even If scci5sntly caught, has been
punished BY anything worse than a little con
fnement The consequences Ess been tbst tie
South has not yet bsd any real army q. ell. but
only o voluntary associations, kept together
By the spirit Of the few and the coa1iHZ Of Ire
many. Another consequence hss been the loss
Of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana,
Mississippi. and tEo-thIds Of Virginia the de-
vsssstion 81 The fslds, the c~cnfsgrrHcu of farm
houses, the de~pcpulsri5n Of tie villages, the
outrage. murder and ~subiugshon Of the citizens
in g region containing the resources Of ar
empire. All cur cslsmitss, financial, poEiicsl,
sseial, nrivsts ard public, Of Government sn0
Of individuals, are results Of zn Imperfect de-
fsnss against The enemy. Oar defense has
been imperfect becsuss TIE Inns was not Ions
eRouFh. the rank entitled, the column
rot deep Why was hat Has ths eouzhy
refused 20 give Gifts meat TIE country plecsd
10 the hands Of the Executive six hundred thou
sand men. Tbsy have been enrolled ard placed
ua5s AIMS Olly 6 P0rasu Of thsm have Ee
msined The resi- have deserted. and the EEecu-
i've has refused 10 employ le only means know
in human ezpsHence 70 prevent thsn from SO
doing. This IS the cause Of our suffering
This Is the error which VIII produce the eatas
Hophe This policy, long persisted in, B the
awful fsci which weighs o. the heart Of every
rejecting man Unless this policy can be
altered, the su5iugsdoa Of these States is nearly
cnisin- It is stupid, 1t is wicked, to ealsrge the
circle Of transcription, when those IN the prime
Of life sre not retained ahsI they are enrolled
But if they are recalled aud retained By al III
flexible ard auif9rn application Of tbe laws Of
var, there need bs no more cgZserpdou. TIE
CQnfedraey already possesses az army (on Ps
peri 5eyond Ire power Of support II would
this hour ~oataunber be enemy On every fed
no misc cent We, absent without leave. Wtb
in lbs last lew days les d~sserts-s have died their
iust dssth il tbz fast is 81 Indication Of new
rula in the Coufsisrate army, none need fszr
the fate If the county, ar dsssr.ion vii cease
on the dsy when Is becomes known hat isssr
Is death the army viii dl when 1. IS ascsr
that Tire ss.lieF who remains 81 home
does % TO de bis grave.
Why no European army troubled by the
Of dsssrioDf Simply tor this reason
that 8 dsssr.er, if taken in zen hours after lssv
.ne camp, is shot-suii If not csaghs unl tweg-
years after leaving camp be is shot.