Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-08-11
The Desolation of War.

/
Our readers will reeolect that one Rev
j. w. Hunnicutt, formerly editor of re
ligious paper at Fredericksburg, Va, wa
through this state lecturing last spring.
We find letter from him in some of tn
state papers by which we learn of his ar
rival at Lis old home, and also get an in
side view into the desolation that ha
came upon the mother of Presidents
by reason Of the rebellion:
Language fails to describe the desola
ton of this town and all the countr,
roundabout. On Monday Sd inst, ! visit
ed Spottsylvsnia Court House, it beinI
court day. There were many citizen
present. As l entered the court housl
one of the most prominent members o
the bar was addressing the meeting il
behalf Of the starving poor of the country
He stated that before the war, there were
including the black population, 19,00(
inhabitants at present there are abou
5000; of this number 1000 are bount
to starve unless aid can be obtained from
abroad.
/ was invited to address the meeting
and used the opportunity to make known
the liberality, the wealth and superabun
dance of the North. How Boston haC
given her thousands to support the starry
ing poor in Savannah, Charleston anC
elsewhere. Ny remarks were well ro
ceived. l told them plainly that th'
time had come when we must lay aside a!
sectional prejudices, and our whole coun
try must be regarded as one great com
mon brotherhood.
To show you the condition Of tn,
wealthy class the court pledged itself tc
repay the several sums that might be Civ.
en- to raise S25 to defray the expenses oI
an agent to Baltimore, and it was with
difficulty that the sum was raised.
The gentleman who drove me in bis
carriage from Fredericksburg to the court
house, told me on our return, that they
borrowed ten dollars of him for sixty
days. AS ! came down from the stand
an old man met me, with tears rolling
down his furrowed cheeks, and said his
family had not had particle of bread
since last Friday, and this was Monday.
He was a white man. This people have
suffered and are suffering beyond concep-
ton. It is ruin and desolaton every
where.
Strange as it may appear, with all the
desolation, horrors Of war and actual
starvation looking them in the face, the
spirit Of slavery and rebellion still turks
in their bosoms. This / learned after 7
Ten IiIs Court House, in mining up and
talking with the people. They are biz
ter as gall, aud as vindietive, many Of
them, as if they were very demons.
This is emphatically missionary ground.
The only place Of religious worship is TIE
Episcopal. There is no male school in
town, aud it will be sometime, no doubt,
before there will be any, There is no
school for colored people yet started, anl
there is no one here but myself 70 pub
licly advocate their cause. They will be
most shamefully imposed upon, unless
they have some one 10 siard by them,
and advise them and see that they have
Justice.
trust that we shall have a large em;.
grafton of Northern people to this place.
| want to see Fredericksburg as free as
Boston, and all Virginia as Massachusetts.
| want to see Virginia and the whole
South Net0 Eagtandized. We need
New England brains, energy and cap.
tai.