, 1866-06-04

Tho Alabama Fnrntnc-Grcne Dcstitu-
rIon-6i,0OO People Su4crtnE-lnter-
cstanE Incidents.

Cxf1DE 30C1QeNt3s
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial
MONTGOMERY, ALA. May q, 1856.
From accurate and official Sources have as
eersaincd some facts relating to the dcstitutlon
In yurious portions Of Alabama, which can
not fall to enlist the active interest Of the
truly benevolent wherever your valuable pa
per Is read. Information reported BY the
Commissioner Of the Destitute Of Alabama,
as well as from other reliable sources, show
that, to-day, 1t would be no extrayagant es-
timate to say there are not less than one
hundred thousand widows aud orphans, old
men, and men disabled IN the late war. who
nEe suffering for food, and are real objects OF
charity. Notwithstanding the liberal assls-
tance o{icrcd ty the General Government and
br individuals, with what has already been
dong by the State In lis crippled condition,
tue supply Of food Is utterly inadequate. In
view ot these facts, both the Governor aud
Col. II. Il. Crutkshank, Commissioner OF the
crease The amount Of rations, for some time
past received from his Department, aud that
olllcer responded promptly By adding five
Thousand rations more per day,
During the administration Of Gov. Parsons,
as Provisional Governor Of Alabama, In order
to bring the matter to the consideration OF
the Legislature, he issued n circular to the
Probate Judges OF the ftty-three counties Of
the State, to report the number Of INDECENT
families and persons, male and female, the
nature ofthe fnfirmlty and the cause Of ina-
bilitT to earn livelihood. Responses from
5o,931 destitute persons, which, With the esti-
matcd number in the counties not reported,
gives total Of 81 900 unable to live, without
assistance. This was us early rs November
last, and now the applications for relief come
up from not far from double that number.
have done incalculabfc good, but the remote
ness OF some counties from tho capital and
supply deppts. and the difficulties Of comnlu-
nieation and want Of transportation facilities,
and the order OF the Government prohibiting
the Issuing of back rations, have operated IN
minority Of counties sub-agents harc not been
able 10 issue more than one-fourth OF o full
ration, while that quota was insufficient to 90
around. Thousands suffer dliay for tho want
of bread. Citizens contribute literally when
they are able, but many hare been compelled
| their lands and animals, to obtain provisions
! from abroad to subslst their own families.
The greatest extent Of destitution Is In the
mountainous districts, where the land Is un-
productive, the farms small, and all are COM
paratiye1y poor, with no means Of culttEating
| them, while many have never owned shell
ter. Gentlemen of Ugh standing constantly
| send up applications for relief, and represent
| in touching appeals the suffering condition OF
/ The people and the necessity Of Increased re-
| Lief Is confirmed by every Probate Judge and
| County Agent throughout the lEligcnt dis
| tricts. Until the growing cropa can be made
| available the dcstitution must continue to In
! crease, and It Is estimated that double the
! quantity Of rations now issued by the Govern
nacnt would not be adequate to meet the
| wants Of the people, added to present aid
| from individual sources. The Legislature
| authorized the issue OF bonds for the relief Of
the people, but owing to existing political
/ difficulties, and consequent financial etnbar-
rassmcnts, Governor Patton, who Is exerting
himself for the relief OF the suffering, has been
unable to negotiate the bonds which be has
authority to do to the extent Of 55EO,HA: Ills
| object Is to aid the most destitute counties In
| purchasing grain to prevent the abandonment
| Ct crops already planted.
| The chief reliance now Is npon the chances
| Of an increase of rations by the Geuernl Coy
e,nment, and further increase Of fifty per
cent from that source would not meet the
| pressing demand. In one small area, as large
Us the Jurisdiction Of q justice Of the peace,
| thirty families, representing two hundred
| persons, chiefly widows and orphans, applied
under oath for relief on the ground Of desti.
tuition. In the county OF Deka!o, think 1t
Was, the State Senator from that county mis-
ed money aud purchased cosuv which he dis.
tributed to five hundred persons tor one
month, aud reported the quantity insuiucicat:
Commissioner Cruikshank relates instances oi
individual suffering that would move auy but
heart as hard as the most obdurate ada.
mant. A few days since, Judge of one o1
The northern counties of the State noticed .
| mother With An infant In her arms In krouI