Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-07-15
Questions for Gov. Vance,

candles and the like purchased by the State for the
of the soldiers and the hospitals were sold at
government prices to certain officers who performed
their duties in the shade; and these officers were
also allowed so much money for room rent in their
own houses, and for forage and frewood This
system had grown to be great evil under Govern
ors Ellis and Clark and you received the votes of
thousands Of citizens mainly upon the ground that
you would at once abolish it. Soon after your in
augurstion We had interview with you on the SUBJ
ject at your request in presence of Gen. Fowle,
but recently appointed Adjutant General We told
you what the people expected of you on the SUBJ
ject and we urged you in the most earnest terms
to abate this nuisance. You agreed to do so, and
in our presence you told Gen. Fowle it must be
done. 1t was dOhe. But in the course of week
or two, finding that one of your avorite staff Off
GERS had been taken by surprise by the order, and
had not laid in bis due share Of the ar tcles above
mentioned at government prices you appealed to
Gen. Fowle to lift the order temporarily so as to
enable this officer to make his purchases. Gen.
Fowle maintained his ground for some time, and if
he lifted the order at all requested, it was done
in such q way as to have it distinctly understood
among his associates or subordinates that it was
your act, and not his This, Governor laid the
foundation of the unpleasant controversy between
the favorte staff officer referred to and Gen. Fowle
which at length terminated in the resignation of
latter. While Gen. Fowle remained in Office the
system was not revived; but under his successor,
by yorr ord or with your consent, it has not only
been revived, but has been increased to enormous
dimensions. Your shale officers, from Leutenants
to the Adjutant General, including your Aids, are
drawing at very reduced prices not only the neces
saries but the luxuries of life, IN addition to their
salaries, which have been considerably raised under
your administration. Your shade Aids, who de-
vote much of their time to electioneerng for you,
are allowed money from the treasury for forage for
horses, and for frewood, and one of them for room
rent in his own house-forage for horses used
for pleasure purposes; and they are also allowed to
purchase these supplies for the members Of their
families, while the soldiers and the people generally
are allowed no such privileges One of these shade
Aids has also had the privilege Of procuring his
English and Yankee luxuries through the State
steamers, with your consent; and many families in
this CITY, with your consent have enjoyed simi
lar privilege. They have their ice, their English
cheese, their ssrdines their coffee, their crushed
sugar, their fine wines and brandies, and their ele
CANT clothing, obtained in this way through yO",
while the soldiers and their families, and the peo
DIE generally must content themselves with dry
bread, little meat now and then, rye coffee hel-
ring for a rarity, and no coffee, no sugar, no sar
d mes, md no luxuries of any kind. LuXuries in
d,ed When has one in a thousand OF the honest
hardworking people who voted for you two years
ago, enjoyed any luxury?
Governor, about two months ago, il this very
Christian City of Raleigh, an amiable, worthy wo
man. the wife of one of the laoorers on a public
work, shut herself up in her house with her six
children to die of starvation! For two or three
days a lady who resides within stones throw Of
her. heard low walls in that humble cottage, but
had no idea that starvation was doing its work.
/ The suffering woman had expended her last cent
for meal, and being too sensitive to go upon the
streets and beg, she shut herself up with her chill
dren, looking to that God for relief who fed Elijah
By his ravens and gave water to the pershing child
of Hagar. The lady referred to visited the house,
and found that its inmates had not tasted bread for
threedays- She immediately supplied their wants
and the fact coming to the ears of Col. Russ, who
resides in the neighborhood he rose from his din
ner table, sent this starving family liberal supply,
| and tasted NO more food until he knew they we're
| relieved. Governor, one of your shade Aids-a
man of fortune, and who has largely increased his
fortune during the war-resides within three huE-
dred yards of the cottage of this woman, and was
no douStthst day enjoying his government ice, his
crushed sugar, his Java coffee his sardnes, and his
| a. nd hrop Tho children of thP
pie starye while your pampered officials feast and
grow fat in their very midst For the first time,
to influence the elections, you are offering to sell
State meat to the Starving poor. You will have no
meat to sell after the election.
One of your bought up organs the Conservative,
says there is lGU for this system. That paper also
says that if your should abolish this sys
tenn, he will deserve to be impeached for so doing
Do younot know Governor, that there is no law fol-
this abuseP If there is law sustaining it, why did
you abolish It soon after you came into office p
This system was first defended by your minions on
the ground that it vas justified by the Army Reg
ulations; but as soon as the Congress changed
these Regulations by law, and directed that battle
Scared Colonels Captains, and Lieutenants should
draw their rations like the prvates, they changed
their ground, and they now say, falsely that there
is lGw for it Governor, why do you not abolish
this system againR If you were right formerly ir
aboshing it, are goa not wrong now in upholdine
tf Is it not sufficient to 1.-THE the people, and TAI
the people, and then purchase these supplies a
government prices, without allowing your favorite'
to consume these supplies which are purchased fol
the soldiers families and for the sick and wounded
in the hOspitals2 Do you not see, IN permitting
these abuses, that you establishing pri0iIegeO
order in this StateH Do your shade Aids really
need the fine horses they keep, and which are sta
bled and fed by the State? Is it not new thing