Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-01-13
A Desperate Rebel Chief.

The rebel Senator BRowN, of Mississippi,
JEFF. DAVIS former colleague in the U. s
Senate, made a notable speech on the 9Th
ult. He said that the two greatest needs OF
the Contederacy were to strengthen its army
and improve its currency, and that the great
question now was, shall the Confederacy stand
or fall: TO avoid the latter, he advocated
WHOLESALE CoNscRIPrIoS.
He first proposed to strengthen the army
by declaring every white male person resid-
ing in the Confederate States, and capable of
bearing arms, to be IL the military service
He proposed to take all, without reference to
TO age or occupation TO make but one inuui-
~: is he capable of bearing arms ;"
Whether he be jew or Gentle, Christian or
mfdel, If he is capable of bearing arms he
should be put into the army What is ii that
has brought disaster upon us? Where we
have sowed we have not been prepared to
reap. If the whole military power in this
Contederacy had been at Manassas the war
would have been ended soon after its com
meneement.
We wasted the first year of the war by
Keeping handtuls of men in the army We
wasted the second year of the war BY only
conscrlptng those between the ages of eigh-
teen and thirty-hFe. We stand TO-DAY with
ready for the sickle.
Shall we go on laundering to tn. end of
the chapter, or concentrate our military
strength and hurl il Ike an avalanche against
the enemy Is IT not better to make short,
speedy work of the whole matter? Cease
this system of killing oil your armies by de-
tail. What rivers of blood have been caused
TO flow by the fatal error that we were to
have short and cheap war. We now see the
. l.. -
not say to men of every profession, 1T YOU
are capable of taking up arms you must do
it He would include the President, mem
bers of Congress and Governors of States in
this call. Talk not of invading the rights Of
the States The best mode of preserving
the rights of State is TO defend the State
from ruthless enemy. Better invade the
rights of a State by calling cut all the arms
bearing citizens, than dispute over constitu-
uonal bubbles whilst the Yankee army wrests
the whole State from your possession.
No EXEMPTIONS OR SUBSTITUTES
He also proposed to repeal all laws grant
ing exemptions and allowing substitutes, and
he would take occasion to express his thanks
to the House of Representatives for making
a clean sweep of the substitute law. which
had sown the seeds of discord and dissension
from the Potomac to the Rio Grande.
He was for putting in the army these sub
stitute gentlemen, who were strutting abort
the country i'll borrowed plumage knowing
no more about setting squadron in the field
than a spinster.
Next to the substitute law, the exemption
law has given more dissatisfaction than any
other measure of Congress. What crowds
the saloons, hotels and theatres like boxes of
red herrings, and fills up all the avenues of
travel with men capable of bearing arms
il pf Risl
crowded with athletic young men? Why is
1t 80 all over the Contederacy! First, the
fatal error OF Congress in passing those laws
second, the maladmn!stration of those laws
The remedy Is in sweeping them from the
statute books Have neither exempts nor
substitutes. Do this, and YOU clear the streets.
close the theatres, inspirit and recruit the
army, and secure victory where YOU have de
teats. Our flag will no longer trail in the
dust, but will wave in triumph over the foe
Refuse to do these things, and the hearts of
your soldiers will grow weak.
FOREIGNERS MUST FIGHT OR LEAVE THE COUNTRY
He next discussed his proposition authoriz-
ing the President to issue proclamation re
quring all foreigners to take up arms or leave
the country in sixty days. Mr.. Il. said he was
tired of feeding dTones. Whilst we were
blessed with abundance and these people
were OF no disadvantage, he wiling to
tolerate their presence. But now they are
eating out our substance, and, by their specu-
lative proclivities, are depreciating our cur
rency. They were of no earthly service 70
Us. On the contrary, their presence here
was of great disadvantage. He knew of no
international law which forbid US from saving
to them, "The time has come when we can
entertain you no longer" Shall we fail in
doing our duty to ourselves for fear some for
eign Power may take offence
BLOCKADE RUNNERS AND TRAFHcERs DENOUNCED.
1t may be safely assumed that nineteen
twentieths of these people are engaged in
traffic They are the men who run the block
AIDE, dcpreclate our currency, and appreciate
the Yankee currency. The man who goes
secretly to New York or any Other Yankee
city, and brings goods here, knowing that in
doing so he violates our laws, that man is not
to be trusted ii making communications to
the enemy. He would rather this day have a
regiment of Yankees turned loose on this
city than longer tolerate the presence of such
people.
After discussing the currency question: Mr..
Brown gave way to a motion to adjourn.
The National Folly.
The Washington Not,onal H,iel2igetce. pub
';ala aI.- f1f+ i,,. ,H,, .,l. 4