Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-12-30
The Destruction Of Property Urged
by the People before sherman Over
takes them,

The Destruction Of Property Urged
takes them.
The Senate has passed a bill suspendinG
for sixty days the section of the law which
requires the State reserve force not to go be-
yond their respective States. This bill il
eminently proper, since it enables the tenn
porary concentration of an available force
upon lines important not to one State alone
but to all the States of the Confederacy. We
hope it may be the pleasure of the House to
act promptly upon this measure. In view Of
the threatened movement Of Sherman into
the interior of Georgia, it becomes a matter
OF vital importance that the reserves of South
Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Alabama be
concentrated in his front.
Never was there presented an opportunity
so promising for the ruin of an army as Sher-
man now offers in Georgia. He has aband-
Oned Atlanta, not by retreating backward to-
ward toward his former base, but BY for
ward movement to a new base on the coast.
II is, nevertheless, confession that Atlanta
could not be retained, but must be given up ;
that he could not hold it and occupy it as 4
conquered, subjugated, reclaimed part of his
own country; but that, after all sacrifices for
Its capture, it must be abandoned and re-
stored to its lawful owners. And thus it
slides back into the rebellion" Rather
than to make the open confession Of failure
by retreat into Tennessee, the enemy have
determined to, keep up appearances and to
march on, not to subjugation and conquest,
but to devastation and ruin, as far as posi-
BILE, and to 4 new base on the coast.
The bill Just passed by the Senate will ena-
bic the authorities to concentrate an auxil-
larry force in front Of Sherman, and bring up
reinforcements to the army that will dispute
his march to the coast. The people Of Geor-
gia have now the opportunity Of rivaling the
people OF Old Virginia. The enemy is in
earnest marching through their State. II
they will oppose him in front, harrass his
tanks, hang upon his rear, retard his ad-
vance, capture and destroy his foragers,
burn all stored in the line of his march
that cannot be removed, the disgrace
of the march through the Confederacy to
the Gulf or Atlantic will De saved our coun-
try, and Georgia and Georgians will reap the
reward Of unfading glory, rs well as secure
their national interest. Sherman has taught
them how he makes war he has given them
to understand that what he LEAVES behind
will be Of very little use to them; cinders
and ashes alone mark the site OF Atlanta,
and her exiled people are wandering among
their friends. The same fate awaits every
other city, and the inhabitants that may fall
into his hands. Since, then, there is no
prospect OF ever regaining more than the
ruins, hemay pass over, what reason would
forbid making a ruin of every town that
could not be defended against him? Sher-
man will burn it, why should not the people
anticipate him and deprive him of the sup
plies he will be certain to find in every town
he captures? We know that it is thankleSs
advice to counsel man to destroy his prop
perty, but when every assurance Is given
that the enemy will first seize the supplies
OF the family and then burn the house, may
we not advise, as the best policy, the really
humane course, TO send off the people from
his way and burn and destroy all provisions
that cannot be removed beyond his reach
Sherman must depend, on great measure,
upon his captured supplies. He knows
that the cornhelds of Georgia are teeming
with corn already gathered, and he relies on
these supplies to support his army. The
owner will never enjoy these crops; the Gov
eminent will never draw one forage ration
from them; but, unless, destroyed, Sherman
will march from field to field, from barn to
barn, from house to house, from city To city,
from county 10 county, consuming supplies,
burning as he leaves, and will reach the
coast, leaving Georgia devastated like the
Palatinate.
It is not the duty Of the military authori-
ties TO take this matter Of destroying provi-
sions into their own hands and not trust to
frail man duty so necessary to the country,
vet so ruinous to himself: Iflegislation is
required, we hope the Congress will prompt
" act in this matter. Unless we deprive
sherman of supplies he will march to the
coast, and return again in the Spaing to
continue further his march of ruin and de-
vastation.- Richmond EHqwirer.