The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-09-13
THE SOUTH UNDER REBEL RULE.


THE SOUTH UNDER REBEL RULE.
Hon. Henry S. Foote devotes a paper in
Saturdays Washington Chronicle to an &C
count of some of the outrageous legislation
contemplated and perpetrated by the rebel
Congress during the war of the rebel
lion. He condemns Jeff Davis with all his
old-time savageness, and criticises bitterly
his Infamous Cabinet" who, he says,
were "absolute slaves to Davis will, mer-
csnary to unscrupulousness, corrupt, and
contemplate. To show how extremely
happy and contented the South was in those
days of Rebel rule, how we'll and cheaply
she was governed, and how carefully her
interests were guarded, at that time when
"carpet- baggers " and "Radicals were
unknown, and only "our own people - had
control of legislative and military affairs,
we quote portion of Mr.. Foote's paper,
as follows:
GA great experiment of States right
secession has been made, and it is import
ant that the world should know precisely
what baneful consequences resulted from
this experiment, in order that no such in
sane and deplorable attempt shall again be
essayed in any part of this broad Union,
and in order that all may be solemnly
warned not to take even the first step
toward that evil state of things which was
l.
believe that more heartless and grinding
despotism has been anywhere known since
the days of Dionysius of Syracuse than
the one there set on foot. Upon the pre-
text of military necessity, all power was
concentrated in the hands Of Mr.. Davis
and his myrmidons, and not a particle of
this power was intrusted to them which
they did not criminally snd corruptly tran
scend and abuse. By shameful act of
servilty, Mr.. Davis was given authority to
suspend the great charter of liberty when
ever and wherever he pleased; and this
was passed, called the Forcible Impress
ment Law which placed all the means of
subsistence for men and domestic animals
completely under the control of Mr.. Davis
and his official servitors, large proper
ton Of whom were dishonest and oppres-
sive beyond anything which can be con-
ceived of, save by these who came in con-
tact with that terrible system of fraud and
violence which they introduced. A con-
scription was passed which brought under
Mr.. Davis command every able-bodied
man in the South between the ages of six
teen and forty five; and all who refused to
serve in the Confederate army against the
paternal Government Of their fathers were
subject to be shot as for desertion. When
the bill for this purpose was upon its pas
sage | offered thirteen different amend
ments to it, intended to correct palpable
unconstitutionalities; all of those were rap
idly voted down, and then, with only a
small number of others, | voted against the
measure. This law of CONSUMPTION was
most vigorously and cruelty enforced, and
was the cause, not only of very general
popular disgust, but the fatal enfeeblement
of the Confederate army by actual deser-
ton. A sweeping confiscation act was
passed designed to take away all the pro-
perty of all those who anywhere within the
limits of the Confederate States did not
give open countenance and support to the
cause of the rebellion. This law was after
ward so amplified and extended by amend
ment at the instance Of Mr.. Perkins of
louisiana special devotee and confidant
of Mr.. Davis-as to embrace the property
of men, women and children, wheresoever
located, who might chance to be then alb
sent, who, holding property in the south,
did not Immediately return within the con-
fines of the Confederate States and take an
active part in the war When this most
nefarious amendment was under considera-
ton l earnestly protested against it, and
brought to the attention Of the mover that
such men as the venerable DR.. Duncan and
Leven P. Marshall, of New York, both
formerly of Mississippi, would be stripped
by this law of the most of what they were
worth, though their age and other causes
had prevented their taking any decided
interest in the war; to which Mr. Perkins
responded that it was just such men as
these that he wished to bring within the
operation of the law. | then ventured to
mention that there were two most amiable
and accomplished ladies of the City of
Nashville, Mrs. Porter, the daughter of the
venerable Felix Grundy, and Mrs. Player,
the step-daughter of John Bell, who would
be ruined by this law-for one of them was
in Philadelphia and the other in Hartford,
for the education of their children re-
spectively-when l was again answered
that it was precisely such cases as those
described by me which it was desired to
reach. And so this law passed; and had
the Confederate cause triumphed, and Mr..
Davis been continued in power, verify it
would have been enforced to the letter.
AT last member from Mississippi came,
one morning, into the House of Represent
atives, and offe: ed a bill for adoption which
proposed the immediate and universal es-
tablishment of martial law, and for an
indefinite period of time; and this move
ment was notorieusly inspired by Mr..
Davis himself. l got up Immediately and
denounced it as a cold blooded and unprin-
cpled attempt to establish an armed des-
potism, at which the proposer grew af