Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-01-01
70 tie Editors Of tie Enquirer:

| Gcnticmen--A bill mas just Deen lhtfhnceu
! INTO Co. gress, as | learn, 10 furnish, q. the
| ,uIlic cost, rations TO the officers, Us 10 the
men, Of the army. This is step in the right
/ direction.
TIL. average ccst Of messing to each officer
of this regiment, and upon merely the ARTICLES
IF dict sod TO them by the Commissary De-
partInent Of The Government, rs asceftained
by attull computation OF their accounts, IL
! about $40 per month.
BAG N has Just been raised from - cents
TO 81 % per pound; beef from % cents {
80 cents per pound; rice from cents to so
cer,s per pound -four from 10 cents to l.
| cents rer pound. Sweet potatoes are occa-
siona.iy furnished at a comparatively cheap
ya,e. Salt is sold at 30 cents per pound.
Il n proportionate. rate Of Increase Of
prices is observed, or the much greater ratc
| Of increase (which il to be expected very
! soon,) is initiated; or, if, during the ue1r
vear, prices rise in even tie same ratio a.
| turing the past, it Till not be very long be-
| fore tie whole pay OF lieutenant, and per-
,aps Of n onp.nin and field officer, will BE- re-
CURED to supply him with the acs"al roeessa,
| res OF diet.
Again, observe the prices Of articles Of
dress, and Of such Articles % az officer is re-
qni,cd BY order. issued from the Adiutant
AID Inspector Generals Office, to wear, his
failure TO observe such order suhjecting him
| 10 a severe penalty.
Wcolen cloths sell here ct from so to 500
per yard, according to quality sh cs at from
$50 TO 500 per pair, boots ut from S!23 to
$50 per pair, regulation cars at from $50 to
$40 apiece, ielt hats Mt from S75 TO SlG0
apsce. wn1len under shirts at $40 apiece,
| drawers Of cotton cloth at Sl5 pair, shirts OF
calico at $50 apiece, shirts Of wooden texture
| to wear uppe.most at $50 apiece.
1t costs to have made up by 4 tailor suit
| of WOODEN cloth, the cloth being furnished to
him at the officers expense, from 5000 to $500
,iepsndently upon the rank of the officer. 1t
IL r, edrcsa to add for the information Of an
EDITOR that the prices current. Us stated in the
above list, viii be very largely increased in
very tue t;rto.
Ii will be seen by comparison Of the
present prices with the pay allowed to officers,
| that the latter is not sufficient to supply the
actual necessities Of nature, as it is reared
and educated ut the present time. and devcl
opcd under military status. When an Off
c0r's allowances are compared with prosper
Tire rates, it is easy to perceive that the former
will prove grossly inadequate to their suppo,
Clearly, then, something must be done by
Congress- to assure Livelihood to the officers
of the army. Some Of them, but compara-
lively few lowing to the relentless disregard
Oh. pirate property which charaeteri&es this
! war; have private means. Such ate. and
should be. wiling to supply their deficiencies
:ror, them, and TO aid the COVER mont by cal.
| ing upon il for rs little as possible. All are
! anrions 10 require Of it only SO many Of the
| dollars, which i: has promised to pay them
| ard which have been hardly earned by many
! of them, in common with the men of the army,
! ny "agony and bloody sweat'-as arc abso.
! !n:eiv necessary 10 maintain them'clves and
their dependent families, not IN enSc. cnd COM
! fort, bit in sark manner as IS Snidbte 10 III"
tines.
What is to be doue, then? Let tho govern
| mcnt furnish to officers. and officers servants
ifcr which, by the b.. they have to pay from
S!2,5 to $50 per laonth) in fair proportions, III
tons at It's own expense. Let the government
;.iso obtain, and eel! ut cost price 10 officer,
such af.jc!,.5 IA are REQ nisl!e 70 ihnlr prr-
acribcd dress Let it also permit t't2 ,."!s'!i
in earii command Of such men a. are cH.r!Ic-
tent for the purpose, 70 make MP cloths III tie
forr, required, the men thus detailed II DC
paid extra nav by :he officers at rates to he
duv assert1ined hJ the Adiutant end lnsrcc-
tor General in fair accordance with the rates
OF paw CT oticcrs. Let il also deduct. il nced
be, fr:.a the present pay OF officers such an
amoaEt ss shall be aGiudged by tho san'e au-
thority Ill, oiiecr cught to pay for TIE rati0us
he will receive, under This proposition, in r.o-
portion to the pay he receives.
These are merely suggestions; but hum
bly, conceive that they deserve atttert;cn. |
trust they will receive it. ARS:T.