Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-01-20
RALEIGH: FRIDAY, JAN. Is. 1864.
Congress-.

RALEIGH: FRIDAY, JAN. Is. 1864.
Congress.
It will be seen by the synopsis OF proceedingS
which we publish to-day, that the House OF Repre-
sent.t;ves in Richmond has ordered an inquiry in
to the expediency Of impressing the provisions Of
those of our citizens who have laid in years sup
n,y-thst is, the smoke-houses and corn-cr'os Oh
onr neople are to be visited BY impressing officers
and their allowance made them by these officers,
Without appeal to higher authority.
The most important measures are still discussed
in secret session, and the people are therefore, IN
the dark as to the shape these measures are assum
inc the votes upon them, and what is said by men,
bers in relation to them We shall keep our read
era posted as to final action on these measures
Congress has made secresy the rule, and the pub
lcaon of its proceedings the exception to the rule
thus reversing the intent and meaning OF the Con-
stitution. The constituent body can have no check
on the representative when business is transacted
in secret and fundamental principle of free gov
ernment to wit the responsibility OF the repiesen
tative to his constituents is thus deliberately disre
parded. Congress appears to be desperate Many
If the members, who are weak men, appear to be
greatly alarmed, and but for the common sense ana
good Judgment of the people they would communi-
cate their desperation and alarm to the country.
We are assured by those who have the matter
in charge in this town and County, that they knoU
that the poor have never been so we'll provided for
as since the war.-FLyetteoils Observer.
We have heard of statements similar to the above
as having been made verbally, but this is the trst
l;s.. we have seen such'a statement in print. we
do not believe it. Il IS not possible with corn at
$I5 per bushel, bacon S. per pound, Gour go cents
per poune, leather. .$l4 to $40 per pound. cot
cloth at s. so per yard while the amounts real
lied by seamstresses, laborers, and wc-kingmen
are not at all as high in proportion as the prices
they are compelled to pay for the necessaries Of
life The truth is, the poor" as they are called,
have never suffered as they have suffered since tas
war. Thousands of families are half clad, and
without morsel of meat, and many Of them find
it difficult to get bread. The spectre of gaunt pow
erty and want stalks this day through the cabins
of thousands of our people, who before the war
were in comfortable circumstances "The poor"
as they are sneeringly called, have been reduced to
want and in some instances to beggary, by this
cruel and wicked war, and when they complain and
want peace they told to be quiet for they have
never been so well provided for as since the war
Indeed, many who lived comfortably before the
war; and even in afluence, are now so reduced that
they do not know one week how they will secure
support the next 1t is all very we'll for those who
have an abundance of corn and meat or who have
made fortunes during the war out Of the necessi.
ties of the people by manufacturing and selling cot
ton cloth and yarn, or by speculation to say that
"the poor have no cause for complaint; but no
statement Of this kind in print or otherwise can
change the facts. The following extract from
communication in the last Spirit Of the Ago, writ
ten by a gentleman who has recently visited the
mountain region of this State, contains volume:
"Hundreds Of almost naked and staro,ng moth
ere and children may be seen huddling together in
huts and Ing cabins among these mountains aoith-
out supplies of food elothing seemingly a0aiting
the result Of Jate. My hear: swells with deep emo.
tions, and my eyes are ready to overflow with tears
when reflect upon the helpless people,"
Here is picture to which we would direct the
eye of the Observer. "Almost naked and starving
mothers and children budding together in huts and
log cabins! and the winter only half gone, with
the pinching scarcity of the spring and summer be-
fore them, and prospect of as full crop as
was made last year. This of itself, it seems to u.s.
is an argument for peace which should reach the
dullest ear and the hardest heart; and yet when .
Convention Of the people is urged, or when it is
proposed that the State take some steps to end the
war and relieve this and other miseries, the O6ser.
Ger cries out that the poor are in better cond
tion than they were before the war; and that the
advocates Of peace are false to the country But
time will show who are true and who are false
The day is not distant when the people will take
their affairs into their own hands, and those who
may stand in their way will "break like pipestem
in the torrent"
We invite the attention of our readers to the able
and well considered communication in the Standard
today over the signature of '' 05ssrver," setting