The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-24

new Fights, $50, Confederate Fifteen Million
Coupons held at 105@1O7 with interest; Bank
of Virginia, last sales at So Bank of Com
mOnwealth, 115; Farmers Bank, lis.
The Bread Riots in Virginia.
A dispatch from Baltimore, dated the
tn, says that Colonel STEWART of the 72d
Indiana Regiment, one Of the fourteen
United States officers just released by the
rebels, says that on Thurday of last week
he saw from his prison window, bread
riot, composed of about three thousand
women, who had clubs, guns and stones.
They broke open the Government and pri-
vate stores, and took bread, clothing, and
whatever else they wanted. The militia
were ordered out to check the riot, but
failed to do so, until JEFF. DAVIS and other
high officials made speeches and promised
the rioters that they should have what they
wanted. All the other Union officers con-
firm this statement. The Richmond pa
pers suppressed accounts of this matter at
first, but after day or two could not re-
frain from noticing it, and they confirm
the statement made by Colonel STEWART
and his companions.
The news leaks through the lines that
there was similar riot at Petersburg, Va.
We published the other day, letter writ
ten by Mrs. Henry S. Foote, dated at
Richmond on the 9th of February, direct
ed to friend at Nashville. Mrs. Foote
is the wife of the famous Henry S. Foote,
formerly United States Senator from Mis-
sissippi, and now member of the Rich
mond Congress, representing the Nashville
District. Mrs. Foote was resident of
Nashville, and lady of wealth and high
social position. A Mrs. Fulgum, who at
tempted to smuggle rebel mail through
Rosecrans' lines, but was captured in the
enterprise, was the bearer of Mrs. Foote'S
letter. We quote from it the following,
which gives a vivid picture of "high life"
in the rebel capital
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 6, 1868.
My DEAR ANNA-I have an opportunity of
fered this morning Of conveying letter to you
We are boarding at Mrs. Johnson's, on Gov
ernor street, just opposite Gov. Letcher's man.
sion. 1t is a large boarding house, high pri-
ces and starvation within. Such living was
never known before on earth. Tell grandma
the poorest hut in the Western District of Tennes-
see IS palace compared aciM this, so far as fare
goes. We have to cook almost every thing we
eat in our own room. In our Harder" the
stock on hand is boiled bacon ham, which
we gave only 81 for; three pounds of pure
Rio coffee, which we gave 81 per pound for:
and one pound of green tea, at $17 per pound;
wopOunds of brown sugar, at 81, rs per pound;
one bushel of fine apples, about the size of a
good common marble, which were presented
to me by a member of Congress from Missouri
one pound of butter, at 81 per pound and six
sweet potatoes, at fifty cents. Wehave to give
a dollar for very small slice of pound cake at
the cOnfectionaries. l forgot to say l had a
present of a fine jar of pickles and a piece of
cheese, from a member also. Well, so much
for the way we live. You see the board is
three dollars each per day, for Mr.. F. and l,
and half price for the servant and then we get
nothing on earth to eat Yesterday, for din
ner we had nothing on the table but two eggs
and slice of cold bakers bread and glass OF
water.
Don't let any one see this, but you may read
it to them, except -; don't want the
Yankees to hear what say.
Now, if this is the style in which Con-
gresham wife, and one of the Southern
aristocracy, has to live at Richmond,
what is the condition of the poor women?
There is certainly no occasion for surprise
at the bread riots. The Richmond gov
eminent itself has taken to riotous living,
Selling provisions wherever they can be
found, for the army, and if the people are
thus robbed they may be expected to elm
press provisions " in their turn. We have
before us copy of the Richmond Eram-
iner, of the 18th of March, from which
we copy the following words, heretofore
published, but specially interesting in this
connection:
The question of food comes before that of
money; and impressment affect the supply OF
food more than any other action of the gov
ernment fthey (the people,
are properly compensated and equally dealt
with, they will give all their labor and savings
to the government, and give them cheerfully;
but if these are exacted arbitrarily and with
insolence and insult, they will not only give
nothing at all, but they will take efectual
measures to prevent the minions of govern
ment from obtaining what they prowl through
the country to seize for mockery of payment.
Men who, in a romantic
and pious enthusiasm for their country have
cheerfully given mp their sons to the battle,
and have assisted in a sort Of mournful pride in
the burial of their offspring slain on the field,
have had their feelings and temper toward the
government suddenly changed by the rude and
rapacious action ofthe government press gangs