Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-18
- -. ,(For the Patriotl
Shall our Grain Crop be Distilled
into yyhfsky2

Mrssrs Editors ;---Iswould, through the col
umns of your paper. cali the attention of the
Legislature to a subject which think all will
admit is question of great importance. 1
allude to the extensive preparations being
made by parties to go into the distillation of
Whisky. On account of the blockade of the
ports of st. Louis, Cincinnati and Louisville,
the price of spirits has reached an unprece
dented figure, and preparations are being
made by many to go into the manufacture of
Whisky upon scale unknown to this S s,te.
I hear of distilleries being enlarged and Still
Houses being erected all over the country
wherever spring or stream of water can be
found suitable for the object. | saw man a
short time since who informed me he had a
contract to erect six Still Houses in and about
| this city, and this is only one instance of
| many which my attention has been called to.
What, then, is to be the result of this ex-
tensive distillation, if permitted to go on I'M
interrupted Why, our grain crop is to be
converted into Whisky, and when in January
or February next our brave soldiers call for
bread, we will have nothing to offer but
Whisky, the grain crop will be exhausted.
| 1t may be said that am an alarmist and
| there is no occasion for this article-that
| the grain is sufficient to supply all bread de-
mands and plenty for disiillation; but know
such is not the fact. | know the grain crop
| is unusually large this year, and also know
the consumption has been very great.
| There being no corn on hand when the har
vest came in, farmers were compelled to COM
mence on their wheat and feed it to their
hands in quantities, in place of corn, which
has reduced the wheat to an alarming extent.
| Suppose, upon the top of this, one hundred
distileries are permitted to go into operation
alone in this State, consuming the corn crop,
what must be the result in a very short time?
| The result is obvious-all must see it. The
| grain of the country will all be converted
into whisky. and we will be unable to supply
food for our brave soldiers, who are relying
| upon us to supply them with something to
| maintain life. If there be any that doubt
my assertion as to the preparations
of persons TO distill all the grain of
| the country, let them investigate the sub
ject, and they will find that my fears are not
unfounded, but are facts which stare US all in
the face, and something must be done to avert
| the calamity.
What the Legislature should do, 1 will not
| state, but hold it their duty to see that the
bread staple of the South is not converted
| into whisky to the prejudice of our soldiers
now lighting for our independence.
1 hope, Mr.. Editor, this will have the effect
| of drawing the attention of the Legislature
to the question, as am satisfied it is ques-
tion of the greatest Importance to the coun-
| try, and if something is not done to stop, at
this Time, this worse than destruction of the
grain now in the South, it will be much re-
gretted and the Legislature will be held ac-
countable for their neglect of duty. 81
Yours, &c, P.
NASHVILLE, Oct 16, 1861.