Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-25
Three GhinEs Needed in RebsIdom,

The Richmond Ezamrner of the letE
declares that war is the business of the
Confederscy 'for the nszt too months Al
least aud in order to its efficient prosecu.
ton three things are needed.
"First, to enforce the Conscription law
By seizing upon those who are absent with
out leave, and inhexible punishment of sll
desertsrs by death; second, to infuse such
energy into the COmmissary Department
that it will suffice to feed the army with.
ont looking for aid abroad third, to secure
for cur defense the service of the best gen.
eral officer that the country affords Each
Of these three requisites is in itself vital to
the existence ofthe Confederacy; insOmuch
that if any of the three be neglected there
is no use in providing the other too"
The Eransinsr, in discussing the first of
these requisites, complains that the efforts
ofthe enrolling officers ''are not productive
of soldiers for the field in sufficient gHanti-
ties, and then makes the following con-
fession:
OFthose actually brought into the army
there are enough absent without lesve to
make an army which would sweep both
Sherman's and Grants into the Atlantic
Ocean. Mr.. Davis declaration in Georgia,
that one-third of the Confederate army is
absent without leave, was lees than the
truth. 1t is known that these men are at
home IN their own houses it is known
where they live; they do not, in many in
stances, take the trouble to conceal them
selves yet there are lsws-lsws with PEN
alties to enforce the laws, passed by Con-
gress, and puFporting to be in execution
from day to day-Whereby these deserters
might be brought to their posts, and put
an end TO the war within two months. If
these lsTs be not enfoTced-ifsomething be
not done to expedite snd make more Ger
tain the conseripLion of men, and to keep
them in the army when encs mustered in,
then there will be little use in Congress
sitting in the Capitol. If this Confederacy
shall be at length subjugated, 1t will not
be for want of men Of fighting age.
This evinces great unwillingness on the
part of the rebels to prosecute the war any
longer, however much belligerent editors
may rave and complain.
In regard to the second want, what
chance of satisfying it there is, may be In
ferred from the following:
In the meantime, farmers and stock
-sisers, seeing tricks and partislity and
oeculation going on In the details of the
Jonmissary Department, and no steps
AIKEN to rectify them by Commissary Gen.
u Il, Secretary Of War or Congress, find
q these things an excuse for their own
hort-sighted selfshness, and keep back
heir produce and even hide it-nay, let
he enemy take and destroy it-rAther than
OF it contribute to the establishment OF
heir own liberty and the Safety of their
'ther property.
As to the third went, the Eraasilsr re-
Marks:
But there is no hope, It is said, that Mr.
Davis will ever permit Us to have our abiest |
oldiers st the head Of the army; he has
made up his mind on that. We shall be
syed from subjugsiion By his faYorite
ninions whose fsms and fortune he has
worn to make, or we shall not be saved at
u. There Is his sltimat,ws, and we may
lske our best Of 1t. BE is not q man to
e swayed by public clanior-
So far as all these wants are concerned,
-hich are f'vital" to the Confederacy, there
but slim chance.