Washington telegraph., 1864-12-07

To OUR PLAETERs.-The severest t@st By
which to determiae eur patriotic duties is the
same as that for moral ones Consider what
would be the consequence, should each and
every man 10 the thing il question 10 man
has right TO single out for himself particular
course, which it would be disastrous to the
country for all his neighJors to follow
Upon the cultivation Of the greatest possible.
oEtent Of soil depends the support Of our ar
lnies, the preservation Of social laws, and the
existence Of civil bodies at hoIae to form the
basis Of our government. To cultivate the
soil, is 8s;lnply to defend it. If every one, from
imaginary or zeal dangers, or under the inau-
ence Of resentment for real or supposed iniu-
Ti9s, should gather up his slaves and stock to
seek some distant OF securer retreat. the effect
would be desoIation. The poorer classes would
be compelled to follow. The armies could not
subs;st All would together bo~crowded bael,
into narrower bounds of territory. This in its
tUrn would be- speedily consumed and then
would come desoIatiol aud starvation
Laboring under the difficulties they do, our
planters cannot of coarse make full crops, as
in ordinary years Of peace. They cannot make
money perhaps, nor some of them even pay
their tazns. Their stock is Impressed, and
necessarily So Their tools are wearing out
ANA ars replaced with diai :ulty, if at all Their
hands ar in the government employment
They ar saljeet to the tLeits and insults Of
stragglers- They consider theE casa and it
SEEMS to iA.ln hard.
But IT Is better after all 20 endure thasa
things, and s-il ID for the country the best that
they can 10. Giving up only makes matters
Wo-ss 1t IS not to be supposed that any class
can avoid sacrifice and suffering il such a con
test. The :eue philosophy is to endure cheer
fully Al! that our country requires, and to cor
reet what Is improper.
For the sake Of tie country and their own
W. advise ali the planters to remain al home.
cultiFatiAs their plantations 10 the full extent
OF their power, at least until an actual invasion
by the cHc1uy. Thus the general products Of
the country will be increased ana our peoula-
ton kept moro diffused and more easily sap
ported. Society viii be kept up in our midst,
and our country really held by US in it's irue
s-nsr.
We do not believe the enemy can interfere
with the crop of this couHtry next scassn. We
may abaulonit to the IN by our own desertion.
A very sm III force viii be sufh -iont to protsct
it, if our larms rs stay at home and maks sub
sistauee. Otherwise /. will beconl. the el.eIay's
qs eaeetually as if they occupied it with an
army.
One thing We are sure of. Unauthorized
inpres snl- nts, thetts, and maraudihr are now
being stopped and will soon be otfsetually. All
cur general officers, from the highest to the
lowest have their Iuinls bent Oh this ssbiect.
The most stringent orders and regulations have
been ISSUED from Department and District
headquarters, and from Generals in the field.
They are determined to stop it at any cost, aud
with aid and cooperation Of the citizens will
certainly succeed.
Whoever keeps lis forces at home ana PIE
pmes fol full erop of food for the n.xt wear.
will not only BE- discharging high patriotic
day but will bo gamer in his prlFats for
tune. Ne loss he may 5e at ali likely Il sesti.in
here by 50 dvi4y viii be equal to Ia. expense
of moving and su-sistiug IN & strange land
and tle loss b. sF.sste and destruction Of prop-
srtv Left behind Under all difficulties o1li can
still liz. more comfortably and eheapEv. and
lalse better eare ef his property surrounded Ly
H. fixtures allJ con, nieLeies o. home