New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-25
LETTERS FROM "DIxIE."
Country DessIate-The Starving Poor
The People Rebels.
sseD Our Special Correspondent.


ATLANTA, Ca. July g. 1865.
Atlanta is a heap of ruins. No one can
imagine its condition. had read about the burning OF
Atlanta but believed it was so thoroughly
DESTROYED. Tie Court. House and churches the Ma.
sonic Hall and the buildings belonging to the medical
faculty. and one block used as hospital all that is
lett standing Everything else is heap OF rubbish
and ruins. Factories stores, banks, rolling mills,
hotels, everything is gone No one is dong anything
toward rebuilding The people sit suen and when they
speak is TO curse the Government Those who have
any means are waiting 10 what the Government
will do told number standing on the corner tina.
the Government intended to do nothing. only TO thrash
them numerically if they again rebeed II this les
son before your eyes not enough" said, "you can
have another" Eyes" said one "hell has laid her
egg, and right here it hatched" Inside and around
the Court House there was a. least 1000 push
ing and fighting to get up to the place where they get
tickets for rations. Five have been smothered tram
pied on and killed within few days past.
The officer had refused to give tickets for days on
account of the disorder; but daily the disorder in
creased. No guard there TO keep order, or make
them fall into line To-day the crowd was terrible.
The wide halls of the building were packed all crowd
Ing and pushing to get up for tickets Soon they were
ordered away another building on the other side oil
the town Afterward saw them struggling quite as
hard TO get up to a window on the outside These
people mostly from the country; some had come
forty miles. Many of them had only one garment on
them made of cotton CLOTH and net colored ex
oept with dirt Outside the crowd waiting with
anxious faces were who were weldressed. Food
something to sustain life. was their great desire
These were women. 4 few stood around, and many
were arriving from the country One man, haggard
and worn lad low cart, drawn by one OK, with few
corn leaves for the OK but nothing for himself except
few wild pluns which he was trying 20 sell for five
cents quart II have been here four times before"
he said, Ito get rations, but have not succeeded;
there is such a crowd, and so much disorder.
MY wife and / have lived on wheat bran, and
nothing else for five days. Goo help us or we
shall die" 1 said. my friend, do you know who
brought this great trouble upon you" We'll begin to
see it now think it was Howell Cobb, Toombs and
JEFF Davis, SIR" "And are you going to let men of
that stamp rule over you again p well, I hope not
Another man. little better dressed and not quito so
starved also in cart drawn by OK. said to me:
do YOU think the slaves are freeP looked at him
and asked: Do You own slayesf" "Yes. have five.
and my neighbors tell they not free according to
the law The Constitution of the United States guar
tees us our property, and they tell that slaves are
held by the laws of the State, and reckon when we
have q State Government we shall get them back
again." "How much land do you ownf" asked.
About 300 acres. 1t is very poor ~ lays 9p toward
Stone Mountain and is very rocky told nv servants
they might 90 il they wanted TO; but they have not
gone and have to get rations Cor them and myself
too" Here was a man poor that he was coming to
the Government every days for food, and arguing
the case about the right the General Government had
to free the slaves Of those in Rebellion against IT,
Now with all Difference to my superiors it is
my opinion. decidedly that President johnson,
Instead of pardonng the rich-such as Metcalf
Of Augustashoud strip them ofevery dollar they pos
sss and turn it for the support of these starving
people, made so by the acts Of Cobb, TOombs and all
the rich and leading at the South. Is it justice
Tor the Government to give out 200 ratons daily as
understand 1t does in this district and let these
wicked Rebels free with all the property they
beg tie privilege of crying aloud against ths great
abuse Of the pardoning power Already the pot is boil
Ing and Just there is not heavy hand kept
upon these Rebels wh9 bred the mischief there will be
trouble The captain of the guard prisoners
Andersokgille. man who did more to starve abuse
and matreat them than other is resident here in
Atlanta and is suffered TO 60 large II is known every
where here that no openly advocated the starving to
death Of prisoners and yet be at large. The Gov
who has been appointed for the State Of Georgia
Mr.. Johnson-has not the moral courage the back
bone to stand up agans, the Rebel element everywhere
ram ant. When the State was being oanvassed, prior
10 seeding. two flags put up together-one
the flag of the Union the other of the State The speak
els were tod 10 speak under whichever they chose
Mr. johnson went over and spoke under the State flag
Again. he ran for Governor against Brown the las
election under Confederate rule showing his willingness
TO accept Office and take the oath under the Confed
crate Government. Now will he take such measures al
will encourage loyal men. aud protect the freedmen
from beng prosecuted and killed. / think not One
coored man was killed yesterday, and one the day be
FORE by paroled prisoners just returned Governor
should be appointed for these States who would adopt
an ron-cad oath which should cffectualy stop any man
from voting or getting elected into the Convention
Legislature who is Rebel Otherwise the war just
over has been fought in vain.
The further into Dixie get, the hatred find
toward the Government and toward the Yankees. The
military power is the only safeguard. If that were
withdrawn could not travel in the Southern States
and hope 10 get back again alive Tomorrow the
State Road opened through TO Chattanooga it has
been repaired wholly at the expense Of the General
Government. To sum up Atlanta the Gate City is to.
tally destroyed Ten years of assiduous industry will
not suffice to rebuild it, Hoods Army and Shermans
Army marching and counter arching all around it,
have destroyed the country for miles, The trees are
riven and the ground is plowed with cannon. balls
May this terrible lesson be enough to hinder rebellion
Tor all time to come. LEwELLYS.
Fourth or JsIy In Atlanta-Exercises Of
The Day-A Powerful Address by a
Geergisn-A Dyed.tn.the Wool Union