The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-09-29
Frou the Savannah Req ubl;ean.
THE PLANTE Rs.

For more than two years and half our soldiers
have been fighting and d. ing to secure safety and
INDEPENDENCE for US. against a host of more than
million of men. better armed and equipped than
any army id the world, and large naval force CO.
opera.ing-and ignore the fact as we may, it Is to
them we owe every hour of safety and comfort we
have enjoyed. More than two hundred thousand
of them, the best men in the Confederacy, ill
honorable graves, many Of them leaving widows
and Children for whom are bound to provide
if there be any bowels 10 Our armies are still
in the field, and must be fed clothed and equipped
land our foes numerous ever to endanger our
safety.
Are not all these facts patent to every individ ual
in the countryY Does anybody, can anybody deny
or refute them?
VIVA: means, then, that oil kinds of provisions
are kept back from our Government! What
means these high prices for f'"d Why is 1t that
our armies being pinched in the midst OF a
bountiiul harvest for provisions! What enemy
has caused these things? Who are they, and how
have they done it!
Before the war the planters raised provisions,
and upwards of four millions bales Of cotton also
This year they enjoy a bountiful crop OF pro-
visions only Have they not plenty for them
selves, and large measures to spare! Nobody
complains of the harvest; everybody knows there
is plenty in the land, Let everybody know. also.
that with a very few honorable exceptions, the
crime is with the panters-that. as class, they
have yielded their patriotism, it they ever had
any, to covetousness; and that, for the sake of
money. they pursuing a course to destroy or
denuralize our army-to starve out the Other
class dependent on them for provisions and Of
course, to suhjugate themseIvt, AVID to the Yam
kee dynasty-to old Abram Hanks and his
Seward.
The Government, by law, appointed dsinterested
persens to fix prices between it and the planters.
They did so, and fixed four dollars per bushel for
wheat. The Government ready to pay that
price. but the planters hold back for higher prices
They look out for spectators who offer flee doi-
nrs-sir doHors-seven douars-and they sell to
them. But what holy hatred they have for
SPECTATORS They deBOunce them enemies
than the Yankees-and yet there cannot be
o Spectator in provisions in this Confederacy until
planter sells to him and makes him And if
the commissioners had fixed ten dollars f., wheat,
or corn, and the spectators offered fraction
nio,c. the soldiers might starve and their children
die tor tood-yet they would sell to the specnla-
tor because lie pays money. The newspapers
rep,rt. and then, few aud far between, very
honorable exception among the panters-men
who sell first TO he Government to the soldiers
families. at moderate prices and in quantities the,
can buy-and these do than what is the
duty of all and .evey of them that has spark
Of gratitude In his heart.
marched of to the army, at every risk and inc"n
veneoce; they their Governmentacredt de-
precated day by day; .they see the enemy watch
ing for his. opportunity to strike the fatal blow
which is to cngulf them aud all the rest of US in
irremidabe misery and destruction, and with barns
overwhelmed with the gifts of q bouptul Provi
dence, they demand more, and more, daily for
their provisions
If there be any sin more offensive to our Divine
Master than any others, it is Idol4try- -everyone
who reads the history of His chosen people knows
it, and his Apostle told that covetousness as
ido'afrg. How, then We hope for His f,vor in
this war-a war made for the especial benefit aud
safety of the planters and their propery--a class
who have most to lose by subjugaton and most to
gain by independence, if they continue to bow
down to and serve coyetousness in defiance of His
most holy word
Let no man suppose that any injustice is in
tended to the planters. Examine their course of
conduct for the past year more-look at their
exhorbiant prices for every article of consumption
and to their steady and persevering determination
to elevate prices higher and higher, and the
charges l have made will be papable to every
body. l.