Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-02-17
For the Standard

80 = ------ Il
.. -. For the Standard
Mr. hoLpEs:-As one Of the Incidents of the
Gay and the times. permit Inc to nfor m the govern
ment through your columns, if it viii be iuformed
tho whereabouts and dongs of one of its cavalry
o,'eaoes. Congress appears to be greatly concern.
ed 70 RAISE an army-or should rather saw to in
crease our already large force, and believing the
0rgaae TO which allude may, in the opinion Of the
President and the Secretary Of War; be lost or mis-
taid, hereby give notice to all whom it may con.
Germ that Gen. Hodges brigade of Kentucky cav.
airy has been found. The other day our quiet val
icy OF the fadkin, in Caldwell county, was startled
BY the martial sound of the bugle and heavy tramp
OF war horses accompanied by artillery sd all the
appendagcs Of "grim risaged war" learn that
Gen Hodge has been marching soEe thirty or
iorty days through Georgia, South Carolina, and
North. Carolina in order to reach some point where
the enemy may be found and that i. is probable he
Will reach his destination some tis,a during the
present year.
Your correspondent had the honor of an intro.
dnctlon TO General Hodge and staff The General
appears to be very proper, nice gen.leu,cn. and
hls staf likewise; Of their achievements the writer
not prepared to speak, having seen or heard
OF either of the gentlemen warriors ba1re but If
were allowed to judge of the Generals predomi.
nant trait, would say he is fully impressed with
MS own greatness and power; and of his command
would say OF them as Fallstaff said Of his molly
crew, many of them are proper food for POWDER
while others appear all that soldiers should be, aud
MS command, taken whole are certainly fine
looking men. There is another class of mel con-
nected with Gen. Hodges command that might
esteem 1t nvldious in the writer they not no.
tlced IN this communication, therefore take great
pleasure IN commencing them to Secretary Mem
mlnger, for their financial ability in the rrcunary
affairs OF the Conf"deracy, and hope that Mr.. Mem
niger Will not overlook the claim of Quartermaster
Hall, and his sabordinates to promotion for their
ABILITY and tact in aid to the Treasury department;
and as these gentlemen may feel decacy in speak
i'g ior themselves, deem 1t not improper speak
ior them, and trust my motives will be duly appre-
ciated in their behalf
Ii am not mistaken, Mr. Editor, the Congress Of
the Confederate States enacted a law appointing q
Commissioner of Appraisement for North Carolina,
ana the prices fixed by them for all articles needed
Tor the government should be paid by its agents
when taken from the citizens for the use of the army
The Commissioners appointed for the purpose
nave performed their duty and published schedule
OF prices. Corn is put at five dollars isr bushel
Suli, Mr. Quartermaster Hall, and his subordi-
mates. with the schedule before their eyes, refuse
10 pay the citizen what the government agents say
they shall receive for their produce Gen. Hodges
brigade encamped one night in the writer's neigh
borhood, and it is within his knowledge that Quar-
termaster Hall and his agents paid one man three
dollars and sixty cents, another man two dollars
and fifty cents, and a third man they allowed only
two dollars per bushel for corn. believe they al
lowed the schedule price for fodler When asked
the reason for not paying the schedule price for
corn, which is five dollars per bushel they said,
when they went 10 settle with the War Depart
ment they were only allowed certain sum, and
ali excess they paid would be charged against
them; that the Department would not allow them
EunH II 49,, e
no one would desire these gentlemen to sustain any
individual loss; but ask them, and ask you,
Mr.: Editor if it is true? believe it is not true
If l am mistaken, l am sorry to do them the
slightest injustice
Why do these Qua:termasters and their agents
request men of whom they buy forage and food to
sign blank receipts as to quantity and price, if it is
not to afford them margin to speculate on the
government And is it not probable Mr.. Quar-
termaster Hall will charge the schedule price for
corn, and pocket the nett gain himself? But, Mr..
Editor, let US suppose them to be honest and fair
with the government-t brings me back 20 the
original point made in this article, to wit that Mr..
Quartermaster Hall ought to be promoted for his
aoity in relieving the Treasury Of Mr.. Secretary
Meminger, and prove his claim thus: Owing to
the scarcity of gram in many portions of this State
the 1.-THE or tax in kind has been RENTED, and
money taken in its stead. Sucl is the case in this
district The Confederate tax collector charges the
people five dollars per bushel for corn and the man
is glad to be allowed to pay his tenth in money,
aud keep his grain Then comes along some brig
ade Of the army-they have to be fed. Mr.. Quar-.
termaster seizes your corn though it may be needed
to keep the poor from want and hunger; and in
stead Of paying you the government price, as all
have right to demand, he tells you no-the War
Department authorises him to pay you only two
dcllars and fifty cents per bushel See what nice
operation it is for the government; you pay .he
government five dollars, and the government phys
you two dollars and fifty cents-a clear profit to
the government of one hundred per cent F.; but
alas! fear Mr. Secretary Memmlpger never realizes
the profit. Mr.. Quartermaster holds the trump
cards in his own hands, and plays them well.
Tnen how nice and fair it works amongst neigh
bors and communities; Mr.. A lives on the public
road and has barely corn sufficient TO sustain his
family, it is seized by army officers. and he receives
i say two dollars and fifty cents per bushei. Mr.
lives mile or so off the road adjoining farm,
he has to SELL which he is selling to soldiers
families at from eight to ten dollars bushel. Mr..
is forced pay first to the government the differ
ence between two dollars and fifty cents, and i've
dollars then be has to pay Mr.. B. say ten dollars
bushel. Mr.: A loses in the operation just seven
dollars aud fifty cents on the bushel for bread to
! sustain his family, whi!e Mr.. makes five dollars
clear profit out Of government corn, which be has
been allowed to retain.
Mr. Editor, it is an old saying, that beauty !,
as beauty does;" no wonder 50 many people tns'
have done all in their power to sustain govern
ment in whose army they have sons, brothers ane
friends, are ready to exclaim is this my country
this the justice and humanity we are to expect IRON
our rulers-or is it not more properly SO to speak
tho winning ways of = reckless party to lure ta
people on to have less confidence in our laws, ou
government and our rulersf YADhiN.
i Caldwell Co., Feb. l, 1854 "8'L'
| For the Standard
The Hon NATHANIEL BoYDgN will De V0te0 10