Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-01-28

Pictures of the effects produced In the
South by the rebellion there inaugura-
led, 10 by correspondents Of north
ern papers, we have been disposed TO ao-
cept generally with many allowances for
high co,orlng. There are, however, good
and sufficient reasons drawn from the
natlre of the CO e, and from the general
tone of the rebel journals, which ha e
lately reached us, to convince every one
that there must be terrible destitution
and suffering in the southern states
This Is no subject for exultation. 1t
can only be regarded as mournful but
unavoidable retrbution which treason
has brought upon itself. Does any one
doubt, II peace were restored, or If 1t
were consistent with the great work Of
crushing the rebellion, that provisions
and clothing without stint would be sent
from the North to these Southern SUI
ferers? A few years ago tn city Of
Norfolk, Va, was scourged NE yell
low fever, and while "there We're not
well persons enough to take care of the
Sick" the people of the North supplied
physicians, nurses, and everything which
the sufferers needed. Again and again
have starving women and children,
whose rightful protectors were serving,
either willingly or unwillingly, in the
rebel ranks, been fed by Union men,
Let it not be forgotten that the south
ern leaders went into this thing with
their eyes open. We all recollect the
picture of desolation drawn by Mr.. Ste
vens, when he labored to dissuade the
Georgia Convention from passing an Or
dinance of secession. War is war; and
military necessity, like every other ne
cessity, /" knows no law" But the ex-
treme restitution now prevailing in the
South, has been brought upon the peo-
pie, not by Union men, but by the rebels
themselves. More than a year ago Mr..
Toombs, of Georgia, came out with an
infammatory appeal to the people, urg-
Ing them to destroy everything, for the
Yankee was coming with poverty in
his purse, lust in his eye, and hatred in
his heart" Who are those that now in
wade the sanctuary Of southern homes
with poverty, lust, and hatred in
their train7 Most assuredly it is the
rebels themselves.
The following letter from lady who
is vouched for by the New York World
as one "whose name would be a guaran-
ty both Of her patriotism and her truth
fitness, who has spent year in the most
wealthy part of Alabama, and has trav-
eled in other rebel states Is but one of
the many evidences reaching us of south
ern restitution. She writes: -
"Their desolation beggars description
--destitution is everywhere; men that
were worth hundreds of thousands are
reduced to utters poverty. AS for the
luxuries of life, formerly so abundant
in the South, there are none. Persons
formerly the wealthieSt have nothing to
sustain life but what the country affords,
and not enough of that, for by impress
ment it is taken from them for the army.
Their garments, even their shoes, the
families have to make themselves; they
spin, weave and die their cotton, and
homespuh clothes, rich and poor. Tea,
coffee and sugar are not to be had
milk and water are the only beverages
Indian corn is their principal food.
"This, as a picture of retribution
which has oyertaken the rebel passion
and slaveholding treason, is in itself
sufficiently conclusive and terrible; but
the writer does not stop here. Not only
Is society compelled to fall back upon
the rude appliances and barbaric life of
the dark ages, but even the domestic
condition, the fOuntain-head or life in
the State, has ceased to exist. The fam
lilies are broken up and ruined. You
seldom meet with a male inhabitant,
and if you do, he is either infirm or
cripple. A large part Of the male popu-
lation are killed in battle, many more |
crippled for lifetime; many patriotic
Union men have died Of broken heart.
What remain are in the army or in the
employ of the Government Neverthe-
less, press gangs cross the country in
all directions in search of men for the
army. All ties of social life are com
pletely dissolved. No courts of justice
and equity are held-justice is melted out
by the military. Universities, colleges,
and schools are all suspended. The
country in many places resembles a will |
dernesS. Wherever the armies march,
there everything is ruined-the crops
destroyed, fences burned, trees cut down,
domestic animals killed, stole, or taken
for the army"
S. SOUTHERN ScHEMgs-The rebel Con-
gress has actually taken up the propo-
3 SitiOn of raising 300 600 OOO Mt ones NV