The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-11-12
ArAnvArIov Iv rnE soUTm.


he Coming Win,ey and Spring, dc, dc.
We submit the following important
Rebel official letter ON the Southern
bread question TO our readers, as fur.
nishing, in April last, reliable inside
view Of the Rebellicus States. Their
worse, for the fears of the Rebel Com
missary General are beginning to be
realized. AS to the authenticity of this
letter, we may say that the handwriting
thereof, compared with that on the en-
velope, and the Rebel poslmark stamped
over the two fve-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 came into our possession il is not
necessary TO say. Satisfied that it is a
genuine Rebel document we submit it as
such TO the reader.
ATHENS, April 20, 1963-Hon. James
A. Seldom, Secretary Of War,-Sir-As
the excessive want OF supplies in this de-
partment will require me TO proceed back
TO Atlanta, Ga, before returning TO the
capital, deem il expedient in view Of
the present importance of time, to &C
quaint yCu by letter Of the impressions l
received from the conference with the
Governors, &c. Governors, Brown, Short
err and Vance only were present, but Gov
ernOr Pettus, have learned, arrived at
Milledgeville after my departure.
All agree that the planters of their
States eyince no disposition TO seed for
more than the usual quantity of grain and
other articles necessary for the subsis-
tence of the people and the army. Meth
err 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 on clearing
up new lands instead of those now at for
cultivation. In riding by rail from Mil
ledgeville TO this point | passed, as you
are aware, through one of the best corn
districts in Georgia, aud not one acre in
Fifty, az | am assured by my own obser-
vations and the reports of travellers on
the road, is being prepared for raising
that indispensable article, or other pro-
ducts regulate for the subsistence of man
or beast.
is lamentable that the people are so
deaf TO the appeals of their representa-
lives and SO blind TO their own interests.
Il is obvious that something must be
done Immediately, or both the people and
army must starve next winter. This is
an alarming reflection, but IL is fully
warranted by the situation. Now is the
time to avert the impending danger. A
few days more and it will be to late.
Several plans were suggested by the
Governors for promoting our object
among them that of convoldng the far
mers at numerous points throughout the
States and addressing them through
prominent speakers on the absolute i'm
portance OF meeting the wants of the
nation. Although this plan was favor
ably regarded, il was deemed too late in
the season TO attain the desired results
by its execution; and the Governors
finally decided to send an address--not
to be published by the press, exposing
our wants to the enemy--to all the lead
ing planters in their respective 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 10 make TO a similar appeal
Of the Governors In my Judgment
none.
II is 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
Governors will be entirely useless. This
is the opinion also of Gen. Bragg, with
whom yesterday conferred two hours
at Dalton. The General suggests three
plans for preventing the threatened fam
inc, The first is, that the President, by
proclamation, prohibit the raising of any
more cotton aud tobacco, or clearing OF
new lands until further notice. The
second is, that by proclamation he order
all planters to seed a certain number OF
acres Of grain or other articles of neces-
ssry consumption, in proportion to the
quantity Of cleared land and negroes be-
longing 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, Sc, and employ the negroes be-
longing thereto in raising such agricul-
tursl products ss may be deemed neces-
sary. Officers and soldiers who have
been rendered by wounds and disease
unfit for further service in the field, could
be employed as superintendents and
overseers.
The aforementioned 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 negroes, etc,
think the plan would in general meet
with favor. At all events, the measure
would be no more arbitrary then others
the Government has been forced TO resort
to, and in view of the emergency, and as
a military necessity, il would be perfect.
ly justitiable.
The wheat harvests, it is easy to see
aud learn from trip through the ooun-
try, win not be half as bounGful as we
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 q copy shows the
we'll nigh exhausted condition of that
State; and yet, beyond peradventure, it
is less nearly exhausted than any other
State in the COniederacy.
IL will, therefore, be no easy IN after to
keep our armies in the field without