The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1863-11-21
Tug BREAp QUESTION N THE EsoUrH-IMroETANr


THE BREAD QUESTION IN THE SoUrH-IIpoRTANr
CONFESSIONS OF THE REBEL CoMM1ssARI GENERAL
The bread question in the rebellous States, we
have frequently contended since the beginning of
the war; would inevitably become a powerful ally
Of the Union cause In confirmation OF this Oft
repeated opinion, so far as the problem OF Sou
thern destitution is concerned, we submit few
extracts from the letter of L. s. Northrop, Com
missary General, c. S. A.
1T is lamentable that the people are so 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
people and army must starve next winter. This
is an alarming rejection hut it is fully warranted
by the situation Now is the time to avert the
impending danger. 4 few days more and it will
be too late.
at is only by more rigorous, and indeed ar5i-
tTary, measures, that we can prevent distress III
our towns and subsist the armies i'll the field
through next winter and spring. The appeal put
forth by the President, and the one proposed by
the Governors will be entirely useless. This is
the opinion also of General Bragg, with whom l
Yesterday conferred two hours at Dalton. The
General suggests three plans for preventing the
threatened famine. The first is that the Presi-
dent by proclamation, prohibit the raising OF any
more cotton ana toDaccO or clearing Ol Lew
until further notice The second is, that by
proclamation he order all planters to seed GER
tain number of acres of grain or other articles Of
necessary consumption, in proportion to the
quantity OF cleared land and negroes belonging to
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 products as
Il o1,1 cold
who have been rendered by wounds and disease
unfit for further service in the field could be en-
ployed as superntendentS and overSeers.
The last mentioned plan appears to me to 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 ne
groes, &C., think the plan would in general meet
with favor. At all events, the measure would be
no more arbitrary than others the government has
been forced to resort to, and in view Of the emer-
gency, and as military necessity it would be
perfectly iustifable.
"The wheat harvests it is easy to see and learn
from trip through the country, will not be half
as.bountful as we have anticipated; and the be-
lief into which the government has been led that
there are large quantities OF bacon in many parts
of the country, is erroneous. The inventory or
dered 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-niSh
exhausted condition of that State, and Yet, beyond
peradventure, it is less nearly exhausted than any
other State in the confederacy.
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 autumn. From that time we shall be en-
tirely dependent on those harvests, and that they
may be rendered adequate to our wants l unhesi-
tatingly recommend the adoption ofthe third plan
suggested by General Bragg
cd. B. NORTHROP,
C0mmiSSary General c. S. A."