The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-01

them in the future. r ids3 ID
Twill only be too glad to have an official
investigation of the matter at any time.
am, Colonel, your obedient servant,
i4a'a 60 MICHAEL CORCORAN, y
Brigadier General.
RUMORED DEATH OF GEN. CORCORAN.
From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, 18th.
A letter from one of our surgeons at
Hampton Roads, dated April 14th, to
gentleman in this city, has been kindly
placed before us, a
After referring to the shooting of Col.
Kimball by Gen. Corcoran, the writer
says:
"As was expected by many, Gen. Cor
coran was himself killed in action, yester-
day, near Suffolk. Whether he fell by the
hands of the enemy, or by shot from be-
hind, have not learned"
The writer of the letter is represented
to us as a gentleman of entire reliability,
aud as one who is proverbially cautious in
regard to his statements. The presump-
ton is that the report concerning General
CorcOran is true.
It is strange, if the rumor is really cor
rect, that something of the kind has not
reached us by telegraph. There may,
however, be some reason for suppressing
the intelligence though we are unable to
discover it's wisdom or propriety.
If COrcoran is indeed killed, he has
probably fallen victim to the revengeful
feeling excited in the ranks of Hawkins
Zouaves by the tragic affair which resulted
in the death of Col. Kimball.
The Food Question South.
The late message ofJefferson Davis, the
calling of an extra session of the Legisla-
ture of South Carolina, and the special
message of Gov. Vance, of North Carolina,
all having reference to future supplies of
food, and enjoining upon planters the ne
cessity of abstaining from diversion of
labor for the growth of other crops, such
as cotton or tobacco, all these go to show
that the question of supplies for the sub
sistence of the Southern armies is becom-
ing one of the first magnitude. Gov.
Bonham, in couvening the Legislature of
South Carolina, thus indicates the reasons
tor this actlOn:-
Such measures as you in your wisdom
may devise to meet the emergency I shall
heartily endeavor to carry into effect. 1t
is much to be feared that, while your act
to limit the production of cotton to three
CD acres to full hand, will restrain such
as having overlooking granaries contem-
plate withholding their grain from market,
and planting cotton almost exclusively, it
has yet induced many, as am informed,
who proposed planting little if any cotton,
to plant the full number of acres allowed
by law. And this is justified upon the
ground that your statute is equivalent to
an announcement by the chosen represen-
tatives of the people that such course is
not unpatriotic.
If this feeling prevails extensively, it
will be readily perceived what must be the
result. All fertilizers will be put on the
cotton lands to stimulate them to the high
est production, while the corn lands will
be thus proportionately impoverished.
In my first message, in January last,
recommending to your favorable conside-
ration the Georgia law, recommended a
reduction Of the number of acres below
three With the lights now before US, I
recommend an amendment of your act so
as to prohibit the planting over half, or
at most one acre to the full hand, and that
the hands to be enumerated shall only be
such as work in the crop.
invite your first attention to the sub
ject, and recommend, in the event fur
ther restriction is imposed, that the two
Houses ratify the act Immediately after its
passage.
The spirit of speculation has recently
made such alarming strides in this State
as to render your interposition necessary
to arrest this evil Large sums are in
vested in flour, corn, bacon, and other
articles of prime necessity, to the mo-
nopoly almost of such articles in certain
sections of the country, and they are
withheld from market or are being ex-
ported beyond the limits Of the State, to
the great enhancement of prices, and to
the manifest injury Of the consumer, es-
pecially the families of those whose pro-
ducing force is in the army.
Under these circumstances have called
into exercise the power conferred upon
me by the Constitution to prohibit, for
thirty days, the expectation of provisions
from this State, but with some modifca-
tons which l felt were due to our sister
States and the Confederate Government.
l have not gone, SO far, beyond the reten-
ton of these articles within the State, and
your action is requisite to enable me to
carry fully into effect this clause OF the
Constitution, as also to continue the pro-
hibition without interruption, if you should
deem it advisable.
l recommend the passage of an act
which will authorize the Governor, through
proper agents, to dispose at their market
value, of such articles as have been or
may be seized IN hdnsitu, and after pay
ing all the expenses incurred out of the
proceeds, to retain certain proportion to
be distributed among the Soldiers Boards
of Relief, the remainder to be returned to
the owner; or such other appropriate leg
islation as you may deem better adapted
to the case. ....-
also recommend that you adopt some
legislation to arrest the purchase and mo-
nopoly of articles Of prime necessity, even
when it is not intended to transport them
beyond the limits of the State. The mo-
nopoly and Withholding from market of