Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1863-04-10

that all dist llalion ".or medicinal purposes
nlone," should be limited to a single Dis
,rict Of the St.te unler the charge Of n
competent agent, subject to tire control Of
the Executive. But the trial made Of tho
present system does not ennb!c the to make
any definite recommendation Oh this point
This entire subject is commend,d d 10
ycprcarIest consideration, and t"ust you.
will devi>e soale means hy which tho undue
d'"tilia'ion of Tic cereals (and w9uld add
m ..sssses) may ~" t,-: :hr pres ent ctftctua'ly
suppressed. T.. cn"rmou~ p: ofi.s Oh wills
Ky afford, apparently, ~n irresistible induce
tnent 20 distil grain, aud the unwiilingness
Of the citizens and officials to give infor-
nHtion AMI prosecute is suc that the con-
sumption Of grain by diSt;ll,.lon, without
any: .perni!sis q. great evil. All supplies
! which the Country affords are nee 'cI for
our armies in the field and our people at
home. There is no limit TO the capacity of
! tho Confederate States HOW to produce
everything requisite to carry OH the war
for an indefinite period. While our SOL
diers are proving the,aselvos equal to tho
enemy everywhere, we at h"me may ruin
orr capsc toy an un~ise IA lure properly t.
deve!ope our resources ana preserve cur
supplies. The two great questions with
us are our finances and our supplies. The
Confederate Government is cndeayoriny 20
regulate the tulmer-,l.u latter the State
Ge%ernments and The people ,hc:sseYes
must regulate, AMI upcn them rests a heavy
responsibility.
The Act to supply a"gro labor for coast
de'cnrc-. experience has shown, cannot ',e
made cfivctual Tor the accomp islrment OF
| its o, jcc,s. have ascc,ta;ncd, from the
Unixd States Genus Of 1850, an abstract
Of which is herewith transmitted that eacl.
! division, as now arrap6ed hy the Act, con.
,aned then Mt least five times AS many road
: hands lis a,c clicI for hy the Confederate
GeneraD ami at this junclure, doubtless,
contains more. Hot owe; one, half of tho
road hands Of any one d.vsion has here
tofpre been sent to the coast. If, there
fore. each division would furnish one hal
OF It's force not heretofore sent down, Chat
Is, one 'onlh Of Its whole iorce,) it would
at1"rd largely more the / III Der called for
But ti.e SECOND division, the only one whose
time SO tar has arrived TO respond to the
call for lis half, has furnished less ,lsan.one.
fifth of the nu:nber called for by tha Con-
Tolerate General. While uistrus, as tc
The treatment oi the negroes, and a.so as
ITO tlse'r prompt rcturE, dcle;s some f. ON
ieending their portion of The Labor, the fine
Is too hight to compel any. If that were
adequate, the process Of volleclion is too
SLOW; each fine. by law, having to be sued
Tor III the Curt Of Coinn.on Pleas, after
being assessed aud imposed by the C"a,-
mssioncrs. And when collected, there IS
sill no authority FIR the Commi sioncrs 10
pay The sum 10 the State Agent, who
might Herewith procure other labor Some
1uore exrcdi1lous mode FIR procu: ing the
lhp"r, aud Imposing hi! collec:ing the fine.
wilt have TO be ad"pte! to :ecare The sue
cess Of The scheme.
Some Commissioners have doubted
whether less than on rnm of the Board
can MI vac"ntics. Many Commissioner:
being in the army, !, may be well f'r the
Legislature at lis present session, for thi:
particular purpose, to fill tie vacancies ant
20 to amend The Act t:at one more Com
m'H>'ohers may appoint The number re-
qu'Site 10 CO. stilute d quorum, the yacan
Giles 10 be filled from among such :.s NJ.
exempt from road duty, il necessary.
hetewilh transmit II copy Of recen,
correspondence with Colonel John S. Pres
~ co!nmandaut Of Cpnscrip:s Tor South
! ,oIlna, upo" subject which l presume
F'Ii give 'lse to no embarrassment. Nv
ac''on III the premises, as the Executive OF
l"e Sl.'te, has been taken in accordance
~its' The dsctaIes Of my best Judgment,
but rs some members Of the Legislature
entertain views differing somewhat from
my own as TO the construction TO be placed
! upon y"ur recent Act connected with the
sn'jec', ! have deemed it proper to lay
the matter before you, Tor such action rs
i you may consider advisable.
Upon your own deliberations, and ny
humble efforts to carry out your decisions,
n'voke The blessings oil the !.lwiybty.
NJ. L BONHAM.