Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-02-16
Condition OF the south.

course Of his "all-fred" speech. These
admissions relate to the resources re-
naming to the rebels with which to
maintain the war. Benjamin admitted
in the outset that there "ls no voice
from across the Atlantic of any aid to
be extended" to them and that they
knew they must, nnaided, conquer their
freedom or die" He then proceeded to
the question of men and means for con-
tinuing their resistance to the National
government. He indicated briefly how
the means are TO be provided as fol-
lows
now ask has any man right to hold
a bale OF cotton from his country? MOI
i will say something in regard to tobac-
go. Take all the cotton and tobacco and
make 1t the basis of means without
which we cannot GO on. l want more.
II want ali the bacon, everything which
lean feed soldiers, and ! want it as free
yin to the country. Talk Of rights
What rights do the. errogant invaders
asaye you?'
In short 1t is proposed that the rebel
T. Vepament saall get what it wants in
thes way Of supplies etc, by-taking
the I'll wherever it can find them; which
is @ SDut what 1t has done for some time
That, toe, has been its way of procuring
men VI fhe rebel armies, but serious
tronble' now arises--the men (white
men) ana no longer to bef,ound. Says
Benjami "a
Il wan Z .alotiser thing. Var is game
hat cam eot be played without men.
Where are the men am going to open
my heart 70 you. Look to the trenches
below Ric, S@ond Is it not shame
that men whv3 have sacrificed all in our
defense shout d not be reinforced by all
the means in Wr poWerl Is it any time
now for antiqu Sted patriotism TO argue
refusal to send them aid, be it.white or
black? IA voice PUT in niggers."l
In 1850, says Benjamin, the South had
1904 coo arms besTing men. He says
the yankees" have called out against
them 5000, 900 men. And he continues:
"Our resources of white population
have greatly diminished, but you had
$50, 600 black men of the same ages, and
sOnld Divine prophesy have told us OF
The fiercenees OF the enemy's death CRAP
pie at our throats, could we have known
what we now know, that Lincoln has
confessed that without 200, 600 negroes
which he stole from us, he would be
compelled to give up the contest y
should we have entertained any doubts
upon the subject7 ! feel that the time
n rapidly coming on when the people
win wonder that they ever doubted.
Let Ms say TO every negro who wishes to
70 into the ranks on condition Of being
made free, 200 and fight--you are free"
Yos must make up yoiir minds TO
ny that or see your army seithdraso from be-
fore yoa fown. came to say disagree
able things. tell you you are in dan
ger, unless some radical measure be tax
en-. / know not where white men can
be had. 1t Is said there are quartermas-
ters' clerks, railroad employees and men
in bomb proofs; but tell you there ere
Bos enough abls- bodied schits men is the ooHss-
ky. Do you suppose we have worked
night after night by this infamO Gus gas
light you have here, and not found ont
this thing7 My honorable friend has
told yoR that deserters and skulkers
would come In. II is possible, bat9heys
~
asrIs relied OF ? Pos havs part Of Vyet1ia
Sars Of North Carolina, pert Of South Carroll
ns, and parts Of other States-sohat elss ?
tYosss-- 2ssas 7trasi she is beyond or
reach. Rc~la that abs seers moi"
They seem to be troubled much with
what they cell "croakers" in Virginia,
and il appears that even ini,s fierce
String of the Southern heart IL not
expected to affect them, for Mr.. Benia-
min proposes to deal with them in this
way -
"There is another thing wanted after
Won have given us all the men and all
The means we want. Crackers should
BE- hanged. They should be put In the
trenches and the soldiers should infict
capital punishment upon them" %
We have here, then, the important ad-
mission of no less parsonage than the
rebel Secretary of State, that the only
way left to the rebel government, Of
providing means for carrying On the
war, Is TO take what 1t wants by force
from the people; that the only way left
of providing men for the rebel armies Is
~ putting their despised slaves In the
ranks to fight for them; and the only
sffectual way Of disposing Of those who
desire to stop the hopeless struggle is
- hang them They may get the cot
ton and the bacon, but the peace men
viii multiply too fast TO be hung. They
nay get the 200 900 negroes into the
Raks, but the negroes will take much
bsss time In getting out than was con-
ssned IN putting them In. In short,
III Benhmin's expose must have OPP
Ratsd a. q very wet blanket upon the
"frs Of the Southern heart"
Mr.. Benjamin says ths. unless the
Begreee are forthcoming, Richmond viii
have 20 be shapde2ee- z, ssenss certain,
sAsn, that II q united and vigorous ef-
fort 10 made at the North, oar armies
nsy be Allied to an overwhelming mum,
ksf. and un&y the leadsrshfp of