The New York herald., 1863-11-06
Important intercepted Letter from
tho Rebel Commissary General
OF Subsistence to Che Rebel
Secretary Of War.
FEARS OF A SOUTHERN FAMINE.
Arbitrary Propositions from Gen.
Bragg to Prevent It.
Gloomy Prospects to the People and
Armies Of tho Rebellion for tho
Coming Winter and Spring.
g.. Co., -.

We submit the following important rebel official
letter on the Southern bread question TO read
ers, as furnishing, in April last, reliable inside
view Of the rebeious States. Their condition
since that time has become much worse; for the
fears Of the rebel Commissary General are begin
ming to be realized As to the authenticity of this
letter, we may say that the handwriting thereof,
compared with that on the envelope, and the rebel
p0stmark stamped over the two FIVE cent portraits
of JEFF. Davis and the date of the postmark and
the place, and the envelope itself are sufficient to
settle the question. How the letter has como into
our possession it is not necessary to say. Salts
fed that it is genuine rebel document, we sub.
NIT it as such to the reader
ATHENS, April rs, 1868.
Hon. JAMES A. SELDoN Secretary of War
SIR-As the excessive want of supplies in this
department will require me to proceed back to
Atlanta, Ca, before returning to the capital /
deem it expedent in view of the present impor-
tance of time, to acquaint you by letter of the i'm
pressions / received from my conference
with the Governors, &c. Governors Brown, Short.
er and Vance only we're present; but Governor
Pettus, l have learned, arrived at Milledgeville
after my departure.
All agree that the planters Of their States evince
no disposition to seed for more than the usual
quantity Of grain and other articles necessary for
the subsistence of the people and the army
Neither the resolutions of Congress- requesting the
President to appeal to the people, nor the appeal
itself have produced any visible effect. Such Of
the planters as doubt the expediency of raising
more cotton and tobacco seem bent upon clear
ing up new lands instead of tilling those now fit
FIJI culfivo In ridip0 hv al
vile to this point, l passed, as you are aware,
through one of the best corn districts in Georgia,
and not one acre in fifty, as am assured by my
own observations and the reports Of travellers on
the road is being prepared for raising that ndis.
pensable article, or other products requisite for
the subsistence of man and beast.
1t is lamentable that the people are 80 deaf to
the appeals of their representatives and so blind
to their own interests. 1t is obvious that some.
thing must be done Immediately, or both the peo
pie and army must starve next winter. This is an
alarming reflection, but it is fully warranted by
the situation. Now is the time to avert the i'm
pending danger. few days more and il will be
too late.
Several plans we're suggested by the Governors
for promoting our objeet-among them that OF
convoking the farmers at numerous points through.
out the States, and addressing them through promi.
nent speakers on the absolute Importance Of meet.
ing the wants of the nation. Although this plan
was favorably regarded, il was deemed too late in
the to attain the desired results by its execu
tion and the Governors finally decided to send an
address-not to be published by the press. expos
ing our wants to the enemy-to all the leading
planters in their resp ective States, urging upon
them the imperative necessity of producing all
the grain, live stock, &C.. possible. But since the
appeal of the President is disregarded by this
class Of citizens, what response can we expect
them TO make to similar appeal OF the Governors,
In my judgment, none.
Itis only by more rigorous and indeed arbitrary,
measures, that we can prevent distress in our
towns, and subsist the armies in the field through
next winter and spring. The appeal put forth by
the President, and the one proposed by the Gov.
ernors will be entirely useless. This Is the
opinion also OF General Bragg. with whom
| yesterday conferred two hours at Dal-
ton. The General suggests three plans for
preventing the threatened famine. The frs, s,
that the President, by proclamation, prohibit the
raising Of any cotton and tobacco or clearing
of new lands until further notice. The second is,
that by proclamation he order all planters to seed
of necessary consumption, in proportion 10 the
quantity Of cleared land and negroes belonging 20
them The third is for the government to take
possession OF the plantations or such portion Of
them as the owners do not intend to seed with
grain, &c, and employ the negroes belonging
thereto in raising such agricultural produc IL
as may be deemed necessary Officers and
soldiers who have been rendered by wounds and
disease unfit for further service In the field could
be employed az superntendents and overseers.
The last mentioned plan appears TO me 10 be
feasible and entirely the best that can now be
adopted. As reasonable compensation would OF
course be allowed for the use Of the land and
negroes, &c. think the plan would In general
meet with favor. At all events, the measure
would be no more arbitrary than others the
go vernment has been forced 70 resort 10, and in
view Of the emergency, and az military necessi.
~, IL would be perfectly justifable.
The wheat harvcsts, IL is easy to see and learn
from trip through the country, will not be half
as bountifu have anticipated; and the belief
into which the government has been led, that
there are large quantities Of bacon in many parts
Of the country, is erroneous. The inventory
ordered by Governor Brown Of the bacon
and live stock in Georgia (of which you
have by this time probably received a
copy shows the well. exhausted condition OF
that State and yet, beyond peradventure, II Ia less
nearly exhausted than any other State in the con.
federacy.
1t will, therefore, be no easy matter TO keep our
armies in the field without causing suffering among
the people till the harvests are gathered next au.
tumn. From that time we shall be entirely de-.
pendent on those harvests, and that they may be
rendered adequate to our wants unhesitatingly
recommend the adoption Of the third plan sug.
gested by General Bragg.
Let the emergency be urged upon the President
while there is yet time TO save ourselves. Your
obedient servant, l.. b. NORTHROP,
Commissary General G. :. A.