Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-04
STARVATION HI TEE sOUTsr.

Dreadful Suffering Among the FGOr Ira
Observation-Disclosures Scenes OF Dis
tress.
From the Montgomery Adysrtiscr, Aprt!2l.]
The amount Of suffering among the destitute of
Alabama is not generally known. The people of
Marshall and the counties around have been almost
uDon the point Of starvation. and have probably been
saved from such death by the efforts Of Senator
WINSTON Judge Myeth and other prominent citizens
Of North Alabama. 4 loan effected in this city
among the merchants of $4,000 to aid IA su! plying
their wants and the people Of Huntsville Nashville
and Louisville have responded nobly to the calls
made upon them.
Other societies are in equally destitute crcumstan-
ces Colonel Robert L. Smith, Of Randolph, is now
IN this city. and from him learn that scene. are
witnessed daily in that county that would draw tears
from the stoutest heart As many three hundred
women have been seen at one time around the Court
House on days when rations were expected Most Of
them walk from fifteen to twenty miles, and it must
indeed be case Of great suffering that could cause
tender females to undertake and undergo so much
privation and suffering. The amount allowed by the
6oEernment has done much good, but is not near
enough 10 relieve the wants of the people.
1t Is distressing to know that such things exist in
Alabama, butwhen attention is called 10 them steps
Should De taken TO prevent their longer continuance
We owe debts to tho living well rs the dead and
nothing can appeal more eloquently to everything
that is pure and holy in the human heart than the
cry Of anguish and distress from innocent women ana
helpless children. The State Commissioner Hon NJ
ii: Crukshank, is IN Montgomery, and without con-
sultlng him, have the liberty of saying that any
contribution for the relief of the people Of the State
the State, knows the amount of restitution and states
1t TO be alarming ard heart-rendinG It is criminal
to allow this state of things to exist and weca upon
the benevolent everywhere to at once act in this
matter, and send on their contributions to Mr. Cruik-
shank who will apply them in the right direction.
Iron the montgomery Mail. april 2l.l
DESTITUTION IN AUTLrGA.
IN TIE present anomalous condition of our State
while the wheels OF enterprise and trade are clogged
by the of the radical majority in Congress we
must expect much suffering throughout the hill
countries which lie north of US. This suffering has
been brought upon that wide belt Of Alabama
through no fault of the people. They have always
been poor, but as their wants were few they expe-
port Tor their families AS q general thing their
sentiment was against the policy of secession not
because they understood thoroughly the issues in
VOWED, but because they could not understand how
them. out Of the Union any practicable ADVANTAGES
winch they did not possess II the Union. Whether
they were right wrong in their opinion, they
waived 1t when the issue definitely made and
Ihey were the rank and file of the army, ana host
OF them sleep IN tho graves of the unknown dead
DISASTERS came to them in the field and suffering to
their families ct home.
We have helped the people of that moor reriop
which lies within the counties of Blount De EaIb
and Marshall. But We have cries of suffering
humanity nearer our doors. Within forty miles of
US IN the northern part of Autauga upon Swift and
Cnesnut creeks, and still nearer US in the pine
woods about Kingston and Pine Flat, in the same
county. there seven hundred destitute families
N actual want Of food TO sustain life The United
states Government is able to issue at Kingston
Ia5lohs or only 3aa leaving over fomlies unpro-
vlded tor. The majority of these comprise the
WIDOWS and orphans OF soldiers killed in battle or by
clsease they come to US times barefooted some
times IN miserable wagons. They do not ask f0r
AIMS nut every ilneament of their faces tell us that
give. ~ 49, 'S- N' ~