Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-01-29

WnIsKEY DlsrIrLER1ss-The rapid increase Of
whiskey distleres in the State, causes much unea-
siness in regard to the increase OF whskey and the
decrease of bread. correspondent of the Peters
burg Express from Granville. says:
"It is truly moriiying for lhe to add that, from
the large number of whiskey dstilleries now in op-
Grafton in this county, Q7) the prospect for bread,
for the poorer classes is becoming gloomy indeed,
and unless cur Convention, which will meet in few
days. shall do something TO rid of these soul and
body destroying institutions the people should and
will rise up in self defence and exterminate them
Corn, which sold readily in our market and through
the county generally, two months ago. at from 81
to 81 50 per barrel can't be bought to-day at s. Is
and the only palpabe cause or reason for it Is the
high price offered and being given by the distlers.
correspondent to the same paper FROM Whining
ton, says:
"Thc great difficulty is to procure corn. l am
told that there not bllshel in town. and meal
almost as scarce. This is owing to the fact that the
distieres (whose name is legion) are buying up all
the corn at IS barrel, and turning it into poison
GUS liquor. There is great indignation at this state
of things and these distcries will have to be dealt
with, or men starve for bread"
If the fears thus expressed are not groundless, it
becomes matter of the most serious consideration
Corn and meal are becoming scarce in this market
we understand, and We have heard it ntimatcd that
between 80 and 80 whiskey distlleres are in oper-
alton or will be soon, in this County. Let the facts
as they really exist be made known, ard let just
and proper remedy be applied
The Wilmington journal concludes an article on
this subject as follows:
"Corn is getting scarce and dear everywhere
The deficit is not felt here alone.
We call the attention Of the Convention and of
the press throughout North Carolina to the actual
state of the case. Look at the Immense feet in the
sounds and at Hatteras-one hundred and twenty
five sail We are not alarmsts and we are not
alarmed but We cannot shut our eyes to the fact
that this blow is aimed at food supplying regions
and may be, to certain extent successful thus
narrowing our resources. We must attend to saw
lug our food 1t is bad enough now. 1t will be ten
times worse hereafter unless the wholesale destruc
ton of grain is arrested Ho,o that is to be DONE
we leave to the wisdom of the State Convention to
devise, but ask of cotemporares throughout the
State to take position on this matter. Every body
that knowns US, knows that we have no purtanlcal
notions on this or any other subject. Few doubt
that drinking whiskey d.eS more or less harm, bu;
that, like other imprudences must be left to the
individual man and public opinion to correct. 1t is
enough to say Of all probationary laws that they
have uniformly failed to effect the purpose for which
they were ostensiby enacted and therefore any such
laws at this time would be only relics of the explod.
ed errors of past years. But for beselged com.
munity to take measures against scarcity of food
is no mere moral abstraction, but an actual present
necessity.
{ The desire for some action is very general with
all with whom we conversed here. We think that
four out of every five in favor of something be-
( ing done. We have heard public meeting pro-
posed but perhaps in the present state ofthe public
mind full meeting could not be got even on this
question, although this would bring the people out
| il any thing would-not to denounce dstlllers OF
dIstiliaton in the abstract but absorbing the sup
ply of corn absolutely necessary for the support Of
| man and beast." s pz