The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1865-04-05

ments Of our people. wherever he moves,
has undou5tedly diminished the amount of
oor cereals still. .sinyiew Of the fact that
IN every State. without exception. its ag-
rIcultnrai labor has been devoted almost
exclusively to the raising sf bfeadstuifs,
while before the war it was mainly deyot-
ed to the production Of cotton, tobacco
and otherexports, il is impossible to doubt
that there is an ample supply sf food inthe
country. tits true ihatlthe deportation Of
our slaves by the enemy, and the barba-
ruus policy of arming them against U.S.
q policy rsprobated By all Authorities on
ethics or international ia.v---has considers
ably diminished our agricultural labor.
But when we reflect that, in 1850, our ex :
ports-almost entirely the products Of slave
labor--amsuntcd to $3.50 ,0o0,O00) two
handisd and 6fty millions of dollars. ii
may be safely assumed that our slaves,
though reduced in numbers. arefuiIy equal
to the task Of feeding both the population
at home and the army In the field. Our
Transportation, il is true, is detective and
inadequate. but this may be infinitely i'm.
proved by more energetic efforts and more
thorough aud systematic organization. We
cannot bslieve. therefore, that on our boun-
tifdl sail. so richly blessed by nature, there
u any danger of our failing 10 this great
contest for want of food-of our being
starved into Submission to the hateful yoke
1t the conqueror!
But il we look TO the e'anountand charac-
ter OF our population, we see especial rea.
son why we should be encouraged To- hope
for--nay, 70 be assured of--our. ultimate
success. No people of our number can be
sebjugated, unless, false and fecreanta to
themselves, their courage. faith and forti.
tsde fail them. ua4s%0s
We have upon our rolls very large ar
my oi veteran soldiers. Ii is true-and il
is sad truth to contestant the number
present for duty is terribly disproportion-
ed 10 the entire aggregate. This is too no.
torious foe enceaiment--and we have NO
desire to conceal anything. We wish 10
speak frankly aud truthfully to you Of the
actual condition ef things. The number
of absentees from your armies has been .
fruitful Cause Of disaster. On MANY hard
fought field the tide of success would have
turned over whelmingly in our favor had all
been present whom duty required to par.
ticipate in the strife. We vii! not stop Il
inquire into the causes Of an evil which We
have so much reason TO deplore. The
remedy is partly in the hands OF Congress
and il is our province 10 apply il. But il
is partly, also. in yours; and we appeal I,
you to use it. Let every good citizen
lrown down upon and Indignantly dis.
countenance, all evasion of military duty
whether Temporary or permanent--no mat.
ter how plausible the pretext or palliatina
the reasun.
No duty, in this crisis of our affairs, can
be more imperative than to fight for one',
country. family and home. Let no skulker
deserter or absentee without leave, fioa
the army. be tolerated in any community
Let the reproachlul glance of our women
between whose honor and the brutal foe
our noble army stands as flaming sword,
drive him back to the field. With propel
officers, strict discipline. and an elevated
tone ai public opinion throughout the coun.
try. drserton and abse nteeism In the arms
can be arrested. and all men liable to mil
itary ~,y put into, and kept in. the ranks
Of eutbilienies. Htthis be affected, we can
maintain in the field force sufficient "a
DEFY subjugation.
But Ii is in the character Of our popula-
ton, especially, that we end those ele-
ments Of strength which impress us with
the conviction that we never can be con-
quered. Our people are peculiarly militia.
ry in their characteristics. Better soldiers
than those insour army history has never
shown. They have endured extreme hard.
ships and suffering with fortitude, and
fought sgainst constant todds with gallan-
try, that has earned the gratitude Of their
country and extorted the admiration Of the
world. Bat, 10 addition to their military
attributes, our people are pre- -emiuently oil