The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-10-13
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF
IIxx,<<I,-Ix Nouru e. RQIINA

interest:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF
VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In THE FIELD, Sept. 26, 1864.
My DEAR CAMERON: You will deem
me most remiss correspondent, 1t you
had been enabled to come here, you would
have found much of interest In answer to
the question-What of the rebellion from
your point of view?
We have been lying in front of Lees
army now for four months, which have by
no means been spent in vain. From the
examination of thousands of prisoners and
deserters, and articles in Southern news
papers, am certain that these have been
months of depletion to the Southern army
that the whole arms-bearing population OF
the States within the rebel lines have been
exhausted in the effort to recruit their
forces, and the capability, if not the will,
to resistance is fast dwindlins away.
The Confederate Congress, in Decem-
Der last, passed an act, the first section of
which is in these words: "The Congress
of the Confederate States do enact that
all u1ite residents of the Confederate States
between the ages of seventeen and fifty are
in the service of the Confederate States" ="
The act then provides how farmers, me-
chanics and others may be detailed By mil
itdry authority to raise the provisions and
do the work for the army IN the field.
What would our Democratic friends
who arc so blatant over ''Lincoln's tyran-
ny" say to such draft as that on our
side? I would like to see Governor Sey-
mour'e mild protest against it. l would
not like to hear Voorhees, denunciations
of it, for they would be vulgar.
Now, when l read in the Richmond pa
pers clamorous calls that the detailed men
shall be all put into the ranks, how can l
doubt the united testimony of deserters
and prisoners that the rebel means as to
men are at an end ?
Never having been q convert to the
theory that the provisions at the South
would be readily exhausted, l have not
placed much reliance upon that result
Yet it is certain that the means of trans
porting those provisions from point to
point By rail have given out, aud the rail-
roads are becoming SO crippled in their
equipment that it is impossible for them
to furnish the movement OF men and sup
plies necessary to the extensive military
operations required to meet our forces.
Add to this the concurrent testimony of
prisoners, deserters and refugees, that the
rank and file of their armies are in conf
dent expectation and belief In the promise
of their leaders that this will be their last
campaign, that the nominees of the Chi
cago Convention will be elected in No.
vember, and that the independence of the
Confederate States will be acknowledged
and treaty of peace be concluded, and
you Lave an imperfect synopsis of the
reasons why l believe the rebellion near
its end.
1t will be for the loyal men at the North
to see to it that their treason does not end
in the way proposed by Southern leaders,
aided by the election of General M'Clellan
and the Chicago platform.
Here is the only danger, if danger ex-
lists at ALL Therefore, whatever may have
been or may be the preferences of any
man as to any person for the Chief Exec
utive of the nation, or dissatisfaction with
the course of the Government upon mat
ters of mere administration-yea, even in
the more important points of administIa-
tive policy, as laid down in the platform
foreshadowed in its aots-it seems to me
the plain duty of every loyal man to sup
port the election of Lincoln and Johnson.
The question now before the people is
not as to the preponderance or fitness of
Mr.. Lincoln or General Mcclellan for the
Presidency. Admit that neither or either
one or the other is of himself the best man
for the place. What then? One must
be elected. No other result is possible.
We are then remitted to the class of po-
litical ideas which each represents, and to
what is still more important, to the men
and their affiliations by whom each will be
surrounded, and controlled in fact, and by
whom his administration will be shaped in
the event of election. Can it be that any
true man, especially any Andrew jackson
Democrat, can desire this Government put
into the hands of the Messrs Vallandig-
ham, Woods, Seymour, Pendleton, Long,
Harris, Voorhees,, and their surroundings,
North and South Let us see what their
platform and their Candidates mean: The
war is to be carried on, or it is Eot; if
not, then disgraceful and dishouorable
peace, which will be no peace, and which
no true man wants, is to be the result
Or, if carried on, then both platform and
candidates are pledged to the disbandment
of two hundred thousand colored men,
now doing duty as soldiers or serving the
army, their places either to be supplied
by volunteers, at an expense of hundreds
of millions in bounties, or by draft,
which is the great ground of complaint by
kl IL ~