Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-01-14
A Desperate Rebel Chief.

desperate Rebel Chief.
The rebel Senator Brown, of Mississinpi
JEFF. DAVIS former colleague in the r s
Senate, made notable speech on tho Oath
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 Confederacv stand
or fall: 10 avoid the latter, he advocated
WHOLESALE CONsCRIPTIoN
He first proposed to strengthen the army
by declaring every white male person resid-
ing III the Confederate States, and capable of
bearing arms, to be in the military service.
He proposed to take all, without reference to
to age or occupation; to make but one inoui-
ry: rs he capable of bearing arms ."
Whether he be jew or Gentle, Christian or
lnhdel, II he is capable of bearing arms he
should be put into the army. What is it that
has brought disaster upon US? Where we
have sowed we have not been prepared to
reap! If the whole military power in this
Confederacy had been at Manassas the war
would have been ended soon after its com
mencement.
We wasted the first year of the war by
keeping handfuls of men in the army. We
wasted the second year of the war by only
conscripting those between the ages of eigh-
teen and thirty-hve. We stand to-day with
an army too weak to reap when the harvest is
ready for the sickle.
Shall we go on laundering to the end of
the chapter, or concentrate our military
strength and hurl it like an avalanche against
the enemy? Is it not better to make short,
speedy work of the whole matter? Cease
this system of killing off 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
necessity Of charging the army, and shall we
not say to men OF every profession, eff you
are capable of taking up arms you must do
1t" he would include the President, men,
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 a ruthless enemy. Better invade the
rights of a State by calling out all the arms
bearing citizens, than dispute over constitu-
tlonal 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 about
the country in borrowed plumage, knowing
no more about setting a squadron in the field
than 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?
Why is it that the streets of Richmond are
crowded with athletic young men? Why is
it so all over the Confederacy? First, the
fatal error OF Congress in passing those laws
second, the maladministraton 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
feats. 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 a proclamation re-
curing all foreigners to take up arms OF leave
the country in sixty days. Mr.. B. said he was
tired of feeding drones. Whilst we were
blessed with abundance and these people
were of no disadvantage, he was willing to
tolerate their presence. But now they are
eating out our substance, and, by their specu-
lative procivites, are depreciating our cur
rency. They were of no earthly service to
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 TRAFFICERs DENOUNCED.
1t may be safely assumed that nineteen
twentieths of these people engaged in
traffic. They are the men who run the block
ade, depreciate 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 in 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 motion to adjourn.
The National Folly.