Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-29
Tn. suns Ing People of East Tsnnsssss.

The Suffering People OF East Tennessee.
The President transmitted 10 Congress
yesterday, With the following message, a me-
mortal, on behalf OF the suffering inhabitants
Of East Tennessee. II will be seen that the
message contains an important suggestion,
To he honorable Senate and House Of Represer-
tdtiVes:
have the honor 10 transmit herewith to both
Houses Of Congress, an address on the condi-
ton Of the people OF East Tennessee, and ask
ing their attention TO the necessity OF some ac-
tion on the part OF the Government for their
relief, and which address is presented by a
committee Of organization, called "Thc East
Tennessee Relief Association"
Deeply commissoratlng the condition Of
those loyal people, am unprepared to make
any specific Recommendation for their relief.
The military Is doing, and will continue TO do,
the best for them within Its power. Their ad-
dress represents that the communication be-
tween Knoxville and Cincinnati, by way oi
Central Kentucky, would be Of great conse'
quence In the present emergency. It may be
remembered that in the annual message Of Dc
cember, 1851, such railroad construction was
recommended. now add that, with hearty
concurrence Of Congress, / would yet be
pleased 10 construct the road, both for the re-
lief Of these people and for It's continuing mill
tary necessity. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
APRIL 2s, 1864.
The following is an abstract of the memo
rial. It is signed by William Heiskell, W. G.
Brownlow, John Baxter, o. P. Temple, J. NJ.
Fleming, and Thomas W. Hughes;
The people Of East Tennessee are reduced to
almost the last extremity Of suffering and want
that part Of their laboring population not al.
ready in the army cannot now be pro1tably EN-.
ployed in the midst of hostile demonstrations,
Their stock, including cattle, hogs, and sheep
Is well nigh gone. The horses have beer
taken by one Government or another, or stolen
by stragglers or natural thieves. Their farms
are In great degree fenceless. Less than ten
per cent, and perhaps less than five, Of the
usual breadth Of wheat has been sown.
No oats, nor potatoes, or very little Of either,
have been left for seed, and, on the whole, NOT
more than twenty per cent. of the usual crop
will be planted. The meadows and cornfields
have been made desolate by the tread Of armies,
and homes have been rendered so omfortless
that many citizens are abandoning the country
| in despair. The necessities of the army were
SO great that large portion Of the stock and
provisionswere taken by unauthorized persons
who gave no receipts. Hundreds OF wealthy
families have been reduced to almost beggary
Remedies are suggested as follows:
l. The payment OF army claims generally
and especially those lust referred to. Many
houses wero burned In Knoxville during tn
siege by order of our commanding General.
3. As TO transportation, the immense armies
operating In lower East Tennessee and Georgia
must require the utmost capacities of existing
channels, &C., &. They, therefore, recommend
the establishment Of a railroad communication
with Louisville, as recommended by the Presi
dent In the fall of 1861. For the want of sal
road the Government has lost millions in tn
way of transportation. By such a road Eas
Tennessee would be within twenty hours O
Cincinnati, instead Of twenty days. For wan
Of such o Communication the army has bee
reduced to extraordinary strat Is. Gems. Burn
side and Foster have recommended the measure
Two hundred and fifty miles of transport vii
be saved.
The road could be constructed by the labo
OF the country In six months. Already on
hundred miles are completed In the genera
direction of East Tennessee from Louisville
The distance from Stanford, In Kentucky, +
which railroad Is being built, to Knoxville
Is one hundred and fifty miles. Twenty mile
have been built from Knoxville towards Ken
lucky, and, therefore, but one hundred an
Thirty remain To be made. Engineers pre-
nounce the route feasible, and II is in the mlds
OF mineral region. The memorial descant
upon the manifold and obvious material ad
vantages which will spring from closely cor
Meeting the fertile region Of EaEt Tennessee,
with It's 100000 Of population, with the n
mander Of the Union.