New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-19
Tabr cco for sofcierr.

Propositions Even unto this day the children
sE Darkness are sometimes wiser in their geners-
Goa than the children of Light. Illustration The
Confederate Goverumen, issues to its soldiers q
tobacco ration. Our Government does not.
That Senator Wilson's proposition Of last winter,
10 add tobacco 10 the soldiers regular ration, did
got meet the approval Of Congress, is not simply @
tlsttor Of regret but open shame, which the next
e.ssion must be induced to remedy.
II ID not understood TO be in accordance with the
Ceory Of our institutions TO compel one set CT men
10 follow the bottoms of another set on questions OF
siet and medicine. And yet here are few scores OF
Congressman with hyporcrtical, super-reincd, ex-
s-,.punculi0us notions and theories on the great
Tobacco question forcing some half q million OF
soldiers eit:en-soders TO adopt in practice their
eide of the issue. !, is pure unsdUierated tyranny,
and of the meanest sort that which would make
your conscience tie rule Of another mans actions.
History does not accord to the Stuarts any great
segarl for the rights Of their subjects when their
swn ideas OF convenience raa counter 10 them; bu;
cling James coutenied himself with writing his
~Counterblast against tobacco. He neither pro-
cared an Get Of Parliament nor pronul-
rated on edict prohibiting its use. 1t
remained for tho Congress Of the United
Ctates to dictate thus unrghteously, for
enier the circumstances the refusal to issue tobacco
amounted to deprivation OF II. This on two in-
cupcYablo accounts first that the soldier not being
Paid regularly often has uo money to purchase;
second that during active operations suffers are ex-
tluded and there is no tobacco to buy. Congress
sas told this know this, but with guilds in their
saoutls voted down the amendment and then went
somFaoen.y home to enjoy the pos-prandial cigar,
eth al the sweets Of dges;ing dinner and tobacco
ssverie. Were none OF them disturbed by visions
Of haegard soldiers heated trenches eating junk
ef meat and three hard crackers, and then restless
end discon,ented for want Of the pipe which was
.acr solace in all tho old hoInedays they remember
Cad would now make more ;olerably these long,
long daysf Deprive these men Of tobacco-it is
sore than unjust. more than unmercful, il is worse
than folly CT blunder, Il "a meani
Look ut il d. it 40 in this army now. The men
esnno, obtain tobacco. They have not money to
sny, and there is little tobacco to be bought. Men
eho had used it every day, for ten end twenty
gear, lave not smoked nor chewed aimee they OK
taustJd what little stock they may have had when
shey left the RappahanEock. Ifony have been able
20 procure supply since, they Lave paid twenty
price for it-say half months pay for Il common
plug enough for q week, which GOvenmea, could
sSsue at a cos. Of twenty-five oeIts There are
seans,eTs, whose occasional trips 10 come water
base have enabled ;heln to traffic in small way,
who have made thousands Of dollars, for they sell
6, or advance Of Eve hundred TO ono thousand per
cent And this is wI,ncled from a stipend Of six-
teen dollars month-snd Congress is responsible.
Tie question whether the use or tobacco works in
the world more harm than good does not enter into
tAe case, for the case is anomalous exceptional and
sysnsi,oy. Concede that he Dicotian plant is as
turtful its enemies insist, TO deprive the armies
eff on cOmpuision during ths WAL would not push
the Progress Of lie Age" very considerably, nor
en- TIRE contrary will its free by the same block
The wheels materially. One Of the arguments urged
ty grave Senators against tobacco for the soldiers
was, that it would be injustice to those who do not
use it. Well quite as many do not cat beans, quite
Is many do not drink coffee, quite as many discard
any one Of the articles OF the regulation ration,
while this is the only the want If which 60 those
Who DO want il il q real hardship
So farl have treated the question mainly as a
n,attsr Of Justice and Kindness. But there is an
other line Of argument oven more telling. Tobacco
ssves soldiers lves--Gnd in two ways, the ono di-
sect the other Indirect. The best medical euthori-
ties In this army, some Of them men who DO not
themselves use IT, declare that it is natural anti
Cote to the malaria that turks in this climate. and
tiowly poisons our soldiers. The hospital records
gho.r that in the case Of ofcersthc test cannot DC
applied to the men. Tor, poor fellows, they have
eone Of them used it, bitter thanks TO Congress-
those who have been sick with camp-feYcr and di
srhea come in much larger proportion from the
,aOn-smOkcrs anG non-chewers than from the oppo
site class
II such is the case with men Who have simply con-
sinued in their former habits, no. much worse
you'd be the showing among those who have been
sompoled to cease jus, when most required, a habit
Of years standing! Tie indirect effect upon theil
aealth and spirits is, however, perhaps the most in
furious of the two. Mathematics have seemed al
long again for want OF tobacco. Picket duty ha'
been more wearing and wesrisome Tor want Of 70
saceo. Time has hung heavily and cheerlossly il
Tho trenches for went OF tobacco. In camp thT
hour have passed restlessly, dseonten'edly fo
ssnl Of tobacco. TIE frtt result IS that your con
Armed nicotan loses in spirit and then be loses IL
Aesia. Why, there are thousands hero who Ion;
ssr tie Dipping times Of peace not because the!
ara times o. peace bat because they are pipe-n.
amos1
rononbcr these lines written BY my eoiieg
shnla, years agone-
10 spliars hero sre two wsys.
fcr ever falrh be- ath Gle = -