Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-12-18

+
remarked its true title would have been - to
disband the armies of the Conederacy.' 1t
was the fruit Of the lowest demag oguelsm.
1t permitted the men to change their arm OF
the service, to elect new officers, and to re-
orgauizo throughout the army. 1t was said
that the tlldiers claimed the letter Of their
contract-to leave the service at the explra-
ton of one year and the weak Legislators at
Richmond thought it necessary to indulge
what was called their democratic sense Of IN
dividualism by allowing them to reduce the
organization and discipline Of the army 70
whatever standards would content them, and
10 convert their camps into a carnival Of mis-
rule, and into The vilest scenes Of clectioneer-
inr for commissions. This s0-called " rcnr-
ganizati0n - had gone ON in the face OF an en-
emy who, if he had taken timely advantage
of It. would have found little else than de-
moralized men disgracing the uniform OF sol
diers, covering the most vital points oi the
Confederacv. Every candidate who was anz-
ious to serve his country with braid on bus
shoulders, piled the men with tie lowest arts
of the crossroads politician, even 70 the or
gumcnt of whiskcy, and contributed o. the
General decentralization, until the men feeling
the power to dothrone their present officers,
lost all respect for their authority, ana he
came the miserable tools of every adyenturer
and charlatan who imposed upon their CON
fiience.
Not satisfied with demoralizing the army,
another Legislative measure was passed, some
months later, under the inspiration OF fr.
Davis. to depletc it With the Tro'essed
purpose of melting re-cnlistments, It wa-
provided that furlouShs for sixty day. should
he granted al those soldiers who would re-
enlist for three years or the war, SAID fur
louyh- to be- dealt ont iu lots drawn nom
/ each company The consequence wa-, the
I Southern armies wasted away IN front ol the
[ enemy. and at a period most critical-wton
[ he wls completing bis own elaborate and Hu-
/ posing preparations for the spring campaign
4 o. 1862 Those who lived in Richmond ln
/ thosc times will remember the h0css Df s1l-
/ diers passing through It's streets % their
l homes. I'm magnitude of numbers almost an
army. a1mc.ime- in a single day an unhr1k-
rr thronc stretching from the depot on Broad
F street o. the bridge over the James. tap
y.are1 as II the army In Northern Virginia
had dishanded. The newspapers could NOT
use rcmonstrance, and how narrow was
rbcir field for critical discussion, may hc un-
/ derst9od from the fact that they were eniuin-
| ei To- make ro reference that c1uI possibly
De construed "7 I'',i''''- aug -;
the 'oi''eo'fi ~, "' '., '''..'',''..
+ To the enemy i''' "'.''N i"', va.
tced ON the press, sometimes O. the point ui
uuerili-v: and once 30 is known that Soc
rctary Beuamiu prepared an order t1suIr..--
the Eichmond .. Examiner. because it- crit
i.isms of public affairs gave information o.
tlc enemy. Nr Davis pruleutly declined
10 sign tie of4eI' ana MI h'''I'li''H' "' '''
Successors, never dared 70 repeat t.' 'Ai'-i
mont on a Tree ana 'ifile liesS' hul '". -'
10 the instance Oh lu'.I' u'i-e' '-'''I'' Do
the pres was ldno' tAe E'h'Ia'9 .r,
ing m the hrl' were A''' lnes y1 '-'
alarm before D, was t'' lA'e- 'y'''I''- ''''-
st'n ana h'anI'.''l 'I',e- '.' '..'..7
'e7-' ana l Wa ,5 .l's "'.' .t..- -i. t.
mar ,A.F "''-- '''''-
l3Fe lH'-' ''- -..r =.
i''-IsH ---'' ''''' w.
the a'-a--I'-N l'"' or '''i''L' '-'" ,,'.'
incur t"e'l i5ill', g' ,'..'5'''.
"peIatI'h7 % ..' "l'''"'-I 'H N''l''''i!
W Atn .l' sIliil'.-l, N"''-''77 -''-' ID"
"-leA il ana ""'h -ll- gay ,9 N'- ,.5
cd iresid, %, On lig "a o' ,5 y''l'A r.--
DC was 49i 'o ''il' .'''' ''-'-
". "," 'l''1 .''- .. -..r.
p' ,"e f..-
WI" u' - .'' r'
l'..' ,- 60
'rit'it '"-Nt Cd, '''' -' mag
from l-e ia' ''.'. H'"i ''-'''-7 '-
."Iie- WIZ" "-,t." N''' ~ i-'' '-
llttF, -ANtd I"1i'l' ',1 u io" '"1 '''7'7 ''
NcOIe4ilh' were 7".i'let 1'-.'. 10 '-'
uon7- IL saved lhe J. 'iItl''-.! 'I, '-'e '.''.
ana gave q nt" tease % inc ""I' h'l i' '7 ~
De Ie''i'' A1' ,'''' l'i' .'''', -,
properly produced ny ''Hs I,Ss' ''- '-''i .''''
Trei area llr Do oel.Ie ]. met ny ''e i't'' ''
20 details Noi'sr's7 oi-y H1' l'-'i- '.."
columns " tle nc".l lefs' anu '.,E ~..'
tle latter ilad eareluIiE Drought f''..
on GI t. inc necessary 'ln' '- 7'.''-,'-
any one rs I'D S'.iIt a- au'.''- o- l'i7 .'"'
Is tie hlchnonl 90 Examiner "A," III
hr.t proposed su'na measure a'..''' s'-'
NAL p'l uliFly SHOWN a7 NJ pi'I7
opposed li' ana attuiI.y -e'Hea il a7 . renee
tion on me PATRIOTISM oi lne 9'ul.'' -tF. i''
U7-"ho had tAAt WIH'eheu ana 'a'-l' "
vanity "ui-h Te7tAl7 'Ae tone Oh s---"7 7.'.'''-
matter "Na' 'He ''iID "' ''g ''I'.S,' il "'.'
. lmIart' anu WHO ,',7I''7' -'..' mr. '" " ''-
sons - haie thr 90 i.A.iiiile! WIS i.'.- %
p being brought 90 the c'n7'' l1.," ",'' %, g
last unGraoelully ana ih leI!e'-1 l'-''- u.
- Recommendation W.'eH t+e '' NJ, M,
- case eNtortei rom ms lrlle ei y -iI. H. ii
referred to IT. only IN "e'A ana I-.'"l ..'''
- ses' but win iein@I A''''e 7I-''7N'' ,''
M at once thG sn-ilei17S'7' anu ,''' ''.''.
ness To- pretend 'A"t 'A' .vl7,I '-'i., me-
OF te7uiyin- 10 any my ~ I'1,71'S ii - 1.'' .'' M '
p Uo9l-, ""' teiill -.--ei'e- 10 u. A.-''''' u.
- rage Tor '9luh'etilNs' ne "I,'' l-'.-
p and dete7'ah'e iaiseAoIl Tl''i.s 'a" d., -'
# -'naou- statement in Ms -i'77'-' % 'l"
- eress DE declared ire 'l era ZION 'l .-' ""
3. uous laws now % l1rce lor ra7ii- armies a''
= exhibited the necessity i3r reform I'D
a vast preparations maae by the enemy i'f
combined assault AT numerous points on on
frontier and seaboard, have produced result
4 that might have been expected: Iuey nav
ID animated the ueOUle with a spirit OF resist