The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-05-17
CoLDMBIA.
" ednesday Morning, May II, 1865;
TIE Last Local Robbery and its Con
SeQEenCeS.

When advised that local raiding parties
Lao been organized for the purpose of
?iundering the public stores of coalmis
.avy, Gnartermaster and hospital, We then
warned The people that these movements
were only initia:ory Of general system
Of robbery, from which the whole commu
...,y must suffer There were mary who
excused the plupderers, and persuaded
themselves not, only that they were not
criminal but that they would sop short
u their proceedings as soon as they had
exhausted the public stores. But The appe-
tie Crews from what it feeds on; and the
transition is easy from public 10 private
property. The supplies gathered for the
sustenance Of the railroad operatives " ere
iie:ll stolen; and these also were impu-
Gently argued to be public stores. We
'.ext were advised of the robbery of town
people and town houses. Burglary began
&c move in every direction where plunder
could be had, and no longer sought to-
make apologies. Horses and mules were
stolen from private stables; cows We're
carried off which gave support to widows
aad orphans, and men had reason to go
armed with their revolvers when walking
the streets by night Supplies gathered
il the neighborins country for the suffer
ing poor and the people of Columbia in
general, We're violently taken from the
depots at various places, and the wagons
bringing them into the city were plunder-
ed along the highways. There was yet a
point beyond which it was hoped that the
criminals would not attempt. But the
nope was fallacious. The mules sent by
the charities OF other cities for the purpose
of bringing supplies to our starving popu-
lation, have been stolen to the number of
thirteen, and are. we suppose. irretrieva
bly, gone. What is the prospect before the
people herel Absolute famine and starva-
ton. There are no less than ten thousand
people here daily receiving rations, who
have no other means of getting bread for
themselves and childlen. See these un-
happy GesItutes at the ration house. daily
clinging to its porches. eagerly waiting for
the doors to open and give them that daily
bread for which they are authorized and
required to pray. What must be thought
Of that conscience which beholds, without
ren,orse. the sutferings CT this people,
while rending from the poor that pttance
which they have hitherto received from
tie hands of c.,arity9 What sort of soul
must the wretch possess who rends from
the destitute the small bounty of food
which has been ust given him by the
Good Samaritan-whch steals from the
starving and furnishing his cup of water
aa1 his crust of bread7 Language fails in
any attempt 10 describe the horrid greed
OF lust and selfshnes which thus remorse-
lessly rrevs on the suHerings of the dis
t:essed. The result Of this horrid system
OF plurdering has been reached, and the
Executive Committee of Relief has given
rotlce that their resources are nearly At
on end; th&t they viii, in a shor. time, be
compelled to close their doors-all supplies
exhausted, and no means left them any
longer to supply the citizens with food.
What remains The prospect before US is
too terrible for contemplation. We shall
al have need to make away from o COM
:aun'ty, which thus .plu..dered by man,
may be fairly assumed to be abandoned of
Cod. o.