Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-08-02
ExEoUTIvE DEPARTMENT, 8. G., !
GoII1MRIA. .JnlY g. 1865.

.uGUSTutr--l unf6 Gut 7uOuuI~Lu ydChuOWi-
edge the receipt Of your letter Of the Sd
inst, informing me that there was trustwor-
thy testimony a. to the suffering for waut Of
food by the poor in South Carolina, of both
races, and that General Sickles had dissp-
proved of the ration return upon my state
ment that the want is very much exaggera-
ted, has just been received, and / hasten to
reply, with aview of correcting any misap.
prehension on the subject growing out Of
my conversation with General Sinkles -
There is great need Of distributing rations
through the Freedmen's Boreau in every dis.
trict in the State. In some che necessity is
greater than 10 others, and what | intended
to impress upon, General Sickfes was that
applications were made by persons, white
and colored, who were not fit subjects Of
relief, and that, if all the stories which were
told Of Tie officers Of the Bureau ID differ.
ent sections were to be credited, the distri-
button would embrace too wide'a range.
I regret that Gen. Sickles should have
understood from me that tie necessity for
issuing rations to very many people, white
and oolored, had passed. As early as March
last an estimate was made in the Chester
field District, and it was found that there
were only seven bushels Of corn to each per.
SOD in the district Without feeding any
portion Of this to the stock, the supply was
inadequate to bread the people. Other dis.
tricts are nearly as destitute In Pickens,
1 am informed that some 600 families are
without sufficient supplies of breadstuffs -
The scarcity is also great in Barnwell, Beau.
fort, Colleton, Clarendon, Williamsburg,
Lexington, Spartanburg, Lancaster, Rich.
land, Fairfield and Kersbaw, and the local
authorities cannot possibly furnish the nee.
dy. The tax levied for the support of the
poor is direct tax, and it happens that in
those sections where the scarcity is most
felt the general population are least able to
pay local tax, and hence there are thous-
auds in the State, white aud colored, who
must suffer for the commonest means of sub.
slsteDce unless rstons are issued from your
Bureau, and l regret extremely that any o.
pinion of mine should have been 80 under
stood as to justify or require the suspension
of the issue of the rations which 1t was pro.
posed to distribute in this State. Ny OBJ.
ject and intention was simply to. guard a.
gaiDst the issue to persons without claim,
and thereby increase idleness and vagabond.
ism. Doubtless did not sufficiently explain
my views, and Gen. Siekles was justified in
reaching the conclusion be did. 20 u +,
!. A month ago it vas generally believed
that about the time of the wheat harvest 90
average crop would be made, but since the
crop has been thrashed ont it is fo1nd not
to exceed half an average crop, and far less
relief will be furnished the needy from that
source than had anticipated 1 therefore
earnestly request that you will the "a.
tions issued as estimated for by your agents
IN the State, and which was disapproved by
Gen. Sickles. Proper instructions to dis
tributing agents may be, if they have not
already been given to guard against imposi-
tion from those who are not proper subjects
of relief. l have written to. day to General
Sickles, and have explained to him the ex-
tent to which I intended my conversation
with him to 60. JAMES L. ORR,
'--' o" Governor of South Carolina.