Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-31
For The STANDARD
BURKE County, Jan. q, 1865

BURKE County, Jan. o. 1865.
". w. Holden, Esq
DEAR Sm:-SOne time ago, month or two pro-
badly, the inpresSing officer for this district was
ordered to impress various articles of produce for
the use of the government, and among other things
he was directed to impress brandy. He, in ODE
dience to his instructions set about his work IN
good in earnest and as faithful officer should do;
he notified all persons, whom he believed had any
brandy, to come forward and render 4 statement
before board OF the quantity they had on hand
and that The board would decide whether they haG
a surplus, and if they had the government claimed
the right to take such surplus at $40 90 per gallon
Many small farmers came forward, appeared before
the board made fair return and had their surplus
impressed. All went smoothly and swimmngly
along and no complaints were made, until the im
pressing agent fell foul Of large specui~tor aud
claimed from him a considerable quantity proba-
bly, as much as a thousand gallonS-then the fire
bazed forth and all the heavens were illuminated,
the tempest ragged and all the furieS turned loose.
You may impress the few gallons of brandy belong
ing to the little farmers, and the widows of dead
soldiers lit is true they need it to raise money to
buy little sugar and cOliee, and salt and molaSses
| and thread and cloth, but the goyernheht also
needs it and they will patriotcaliy submit to the
| government and will make no fuss about it-but
| when you come to seize upon the speculator, the
man who has grown rich upon the bLjoi of his fel-
bowman and the tears Of his widowed wife and
his orphan children, then that is another and quite
different aflir-it needs must be looked into; it
won't do to take so much brandy if 1t can be help
ed from the rich specuator, although it is marvel.
lousy proper to take all the needy man has! The
scotch is put upon the wheel of the irnpressing
| machine letter is written to a tennessee mem
Der of Congress, who is refugee and has been in
| the county where the impressment is made-he is
interested in the goes to the Secretary of
! War; has little cOn!ab with him-possibly tickes
| him with some of the brand y-an order immediately
issues to the ppressing agent that he must release
! the brandy Of .MeSsrS So and So. The impressing
agent in obedjence,to orders released it, but look
ing at the whole transaction in its proper light
refuses to enforce the order against the little far.
| mers and wlthoutlnStructiOn releases their brandy
receiving, as he merits the appreciation of the
| entire community for his acton in the matter.
About the time these things are going o., the
member, Of Congress alluded to has import1nt
business do attend to away from Richmond; he
gets leave. Of absence from his post-comes TO
| North Carolinat1where; he has no family, no
| kith or kim, no l4pTopertyt except the brandy
| stays ten day OK. two weeks, buys up more BRAN
dy, (his pay US a member of Congress no Loubt
going all the tiIne) and then returns and
rumor has it that he obtains, after he returns 10
| Richmond, license for friend who Is also not a
citizen of the State to diSt whiskey out of grain
in Burke County. Whether this rumor be true or
not cannot say, but this much L do know that the
aforesaid member OF Congress made a second visit
| from Richmond within month ofhis first one, and
his friend IS now endeavoring to- buy corn out OF
| the mouths of the lamshing women and children
| to distil into whiskey and is Offering to pay $50
per bushelfor it-thus putting the staff ofle beyond
the reach of the poor and helpless. How long, oh
how long will just and righteous God bear with
the transgressOns of the wicked aud covetous
And how long will the people submit to have the
laws perverted by their rulers to the end that they
may glut their own greed OF filthy lucre?
Mr.. Editor, the facts related above with regard to
the impressment of brandy are facts, which can be
proved to the satisfaction of any man in the Con.
fedaracy; and 1t becomes the press of the State to
sound them far and wide, from the tops of the
mountains to the valleys of the Let ali men
hear of them and then if our authorities will
not apply a corrective, We can no longer say we
live in land ofhberty and equality. Fiat juSti
| tia, rudt cGLum."
LINVILLE.