Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-12-10
"a rSAx - AEI1 TIE SRCEsszILSs OF Our
ARNY

| To ne Editor of tAs WAtg:
7, really seems that In thssS troublous hnes our
people have lost sight in . great measure Of ooe
| Of the mos, important principles OF political economy
which il n the same time one Of the piainest die
,A,es 81 common sense I mean that to meet . demand
\ supply must be created High prices cannot er'af'
Z. ,upplV IL ordinary times they draw supply from
some other quarter q the world and induce men to in'
,e., money IN manufacturing the article in demand, but
us Ar. 80 couupl-te!y isolated nov from the rest OF the
world. tat us mus, look within ourselves for sha' We
need The great need a, this time is blAnkets and shoes
fr our arm.. and it is necessity which must be met, or
no one can tel the consequences to the country. II
our army Is not provided With these articles sickness
death and de,.rtion will so reduce its numbers that II
ill be unable 20 protect Us from the brutal enemy, VINO
! already 20 far out.numbers Us The Government con
fesses their inability TO provide for the WAu's OF the
army. How 10 it 20 be done
I think there is no doubt Of the fact that there are
| blanket. enough IN our houses to answer our own wants
| and q, SUNNY the demand for the army. They are not
in the market, and henca avail nothing towards supply
inn, the demand. By the census of 1850 the number OF
| families in Virginia i stated to be near 10000. The
number cauno; be less noN. Let Us suppose that one
half of this number il within. or in immediate proximity
Of the enemy. lines. This will leave s5,"1. Nov, if
| one family in every four will spare one blanket for the
army there all result more than loco blankets from
Virginia alone. | suppose there il no doab, but that
| this i..more than is needed by the Virginia troops. And
Il any means could be adopted 10 make these blankets
| available 20 the army, al! the SANE meAus be applied in
all the states Of the Confederacy, -e should soon hear
no more Of the wants of our soldiers in this regard.
While ] do no, suppose thA, shoes can be so readily
found A. blankets, yet II the farmers would spare all their
leather not actually necessary for home use, certainly the
wants OF the army viii be greatly, il not entirely, rcli",-
ed. Now, l propose this simple plan for collecting and
r,ndeI;ng available these articles. Let active, reiSble
men be appointed in each magisterial district, Who gill
firth with set to work 10 collect all the blankets, shoes
and leather which The citizen. will part with, giving re
GENTS therefor, and stating description as 20 quality IN
the receipts. L., an arrangement be made with the
UuartermA.te- for tue purchase Of these articles Snd
their transportation antlc; all Who do not give, be paid Tor
what they furnish. A. il - bu; right that the Scldierc OF
each count, as first supplied by their own county con
tribution.. al arrangement can be made 10 that eject
With the government, or else persoas can he sent to the
arm, .ih enough to supply such wants. for Which the
soldier. or qu~sr;eTmAs;ers "ll pay.
This plan can be- tried Ly the County Courts, which
Are the proper persons. ~. Il they rsfuse TO act, by the
people aui amongst thee. I ~ouIi especially include
the lAdj.,, Nho have already accomplished ~ much in
this death struggle for our liberties.
cannot believe bu; that our people vii respond no
Div to such an ehor, a. this to relieve the wants.
should rather sAy, 10 save the lives of the brave men
who are exposing themselves TO ave u. oil from utter
desols,ion. II f4milie. would spare the scraps left from
shoeiug their -l4ye., and Que blanket from the bed kept
for visitons. the thing would be- accomplished That
heart must be icy, l; the bed be e"er 20 warm, which is
quiet, With the knoWledss that the man Who has defend
ed it. suud, .hiveriug in the weather, or lie. writing in
the cold embrace Of death, for the want OF 4 blanket
which might have been sent him.
This plan does not add TO the gains Of spectators but
will loser prices while all schemes to raise money and
20 into the open marke, operates To raise PCices without
increasing the supply, and 80 puts Prcd'- il the hands Of
SPECTATOR. and eN,ortIouers.
Thi. Is intended TO c.ll the attention Of our people 20
a source Of supply for our soldiers. 1t any one has a
better plan for getting A. the %Srttci"-, let it be published
and adopted bat whatever "a 20 Ne done, must be done
quickly. 'HAhlofIh
Ali paper, f,,sndly to this scheme vii please insert
,lis