The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-10-22
The Distress at Richmond.

1
ing in the principal cities Of rcbeldom
no longer come to rs merely through
heart sick and desponding dcsertcrs,
but directly from the leading journals
Of the Confeaeracy-those that arc still!
defiant in their denunciation Of the
Union and tho yankees" by whom it
is defended. Thus the Richmond Sen
ttael Of the 3a inst, doiefuIly declares
its alarm at the portentoas future I'll: ca
tened b. the gloomy present. Under
The head Of "Suferings Of the People,"
it relates tale Of sorrow Of 'stwo ladies
Of Gooehland county, widows Of sold
icrs, who have been striving to live on
the mockery Of an allowance made by
the County Court, bnt who being tlroa.
tened by starvation, procured pas
sage on canal boat to Richmond, in
search Of needlc-work, to enable them
to get food for clothing. But tley
cannot earn enough to pay even ior a
passage on the boat. In the meantime
winter is coming on, their orphan child
rcn are without clothing, and they look
70 the future with dread and alarm
nj they ask is work enough TO earn
bread" After this recital the Sentinel
fears that the 'scursc of heaven will be
upon the land if these widows and
their children are allowed to cry f,r
bread IL vain"
The same paper, in its Issue Of the
day previous, under the head of"Wha,
the Government. Must Do" says:
TAX as high as the people can bear.
Reduce the volume of the currency by
every possible means. Suppress high
prices BY law"
Under the head Of "What the People
Must Do" it adds:
"pay taxes cheerfully Sell TO the
Govcrnmc.!i and the people promptly,
and at fair prices. BE content witt,
small profits. Lend as much money as
possible 70 tic Government, by invest
ing in is bonds.-Hold property and
personal services At The call Or the nocd
IF the Government"
The f'i<pstch, too, thus dsconrses on
the oyer presllt theme cfpnb!ie diatress:
The rapid advance in all necessalies
Of clothing and subsistence threatens
rs with gscat distress. There is no
Disgusting the fact. We cannot see
how unemployed persons, and how
those syilo live Oh incomes and salaries,
are to sc; along, especially at The IN.
clement season Of the year now rapidly
approaching How are t..cy 10 buy
sloes and clothing at The presen, rates {?
Nay, how long are these to prevail a
great auction may in day or two, run
them up fifty per cent! An auction
thus has bee me to be regarded b. the
people with as much dread is a battle 7
4 defeat on tie oati.e field could hardly
bring more suffering upon them. These
questions are growing daily more and
more important. Something must be
done. Produce must be distributed,
prices must be redsccd, grains must be
disgorgea, or there will be suffering In
tense, and intense suffering viii beget,
what ? Think Of it,
In another article the Dispatch de-
clares "iass greatest danger Of the Con
federary at the present moment" TO be
that threatened by tie continuation Of
the existing high prices and than goes
on to deplore the inevitable augmen.a-
ton Of these sufferings If more men arc
drafted into the army. It says:
ALREADY We are beginning TO feel the
want Of labor in those employmcnts
that are indispensable to existence.
What are tine people to do this winter
for clothing, fuel and other prime ncces.
stiles Of life, if the few producers who
are left are turned into consumers by
being drafted into the army. Our most
pressing danger is the immense priva-
tons and suffering our people must en-
dnre if ..he producing power is any
further diminished"
We cite these facts not to enc ourarc
belief that the rebellion can be starved
out Of existence, but to enable our rea-
ders to compare, with gratitude and
thankful praise to God, the condition Of
the loyal States with the suffering dis
tricts where treason holds sway, here
Astounding plenty, there terrible distress
The rebellion can only be suhdued by
destroying the armies by which i, its.
encouraged and sustained. But how
long can q starving people maintain 4
war against a war blessed with plenty?
-Dav. Ga:etic.