The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1866-07-25
o. 0. HOWARD,
Major General.
Executive DErARrMENr, S. G.,
COLUMBIA, July 8. 1sG6.

"'''."f = \ huFc inc nOnOr 10 0C-'
know'c1l:95" w''c:l9" the receipt Of yonr letter Of
the Sd inst, informing mo that there
was trustworthy testimony rs to the
suffering for want OF food by tho poorin
South Carolina, Of both races, and that
General Sicklcs had disapproved Of tho
ration return upon my statement that
the want is very much cxAegcrntcd%has
just been received, and | hasten to 70
ply, with n view Of correcting any mis-.
apprehension on the subject growing out
of my conversation with General Sick.
les. There is n great need OF distribu.
ting ralions through tho Frccdmen's,
Bureau III every district in tho State
LII some, the necessity is greater than in
others and what intended TO impress
upon General Sicl1lcs was that npplica.
tons were made by many persons, white
and colorcd, who were not fit subject OF
rciicr, and that, if all the stories which
were told Of the officers OF the Bureau in
different sections were to bc credited,
tho distribution would cmbrac6 toU'
wide range.
regret That. Gen. Svklcs sl.ould have
nnderolood from n4s. that Tho neeea,i.y.e
lor i:smng. r"lons to. very many people,
white and colored, had passed. Ks
early as March last an estimate was
mauc in Chesterfield District, and it was
found that there were only seven bush.
els Of corn to each pcsron in tho district.
Without feeding any portion ofthis to
tho stock, the supply was inadequate to
bread the people. Other districts arc
nearly as destitute. In Pichcns, I ani
informed that some GOO families arc.
without sufficient supplies Of brcadsluils.
The scarcity is also great in Barnwcll,
Beaufort, Collcton, Clarendon, W;E
iamsbnrg, Lexington, Spartanbnrg, Ian.
caster, Richland Fairfield and Kcrs aw,
and The local authorities, carnot possibly
furnish The needy Tho tax levied for
the supper, Of the poor is direct tax,
and it happens that in those sections
where the scarcity is most felt the gcNe-
raj population are least aLlo to pay
local tax, and hence there are thousands
in tho State, white and colorcd, who
mnst suffer for The coMmonrst means OF
subsistence unless rations arc issued from
your Bureau, and | regret extremely
that any opinion Of mine shoulI huvo
been so understood as TO justify or re-
quirc the suspension Of tho issue of tho
ratIons which it was proposed to distri
butte in this State. My object and in
tenlion was simply 10 guard against tho
issue to persons without n claim, and
thereby increase idlnhcss and vagabone-
ism. Doubtless did not sufficiently
explain my viuws, and Gcn. Sickles was
justified in reaching the conclusion no
did, i.n
a month ago it was generally bvliev.
cd that about Tho time OF The wheat
harvest an average crop would be made,
but since tho crop has been thraslel
out 1t is found not to exceed laif,an
average crop, and far less relief will bo
furnished tho needy from that source
than | had anticipated. l therefore
earnestly, request that You will have thv
rat'onS issued as estimated for ,by.your
agents in the State, and which was dis.
approved by Gen, S;ickles. Z. Pro,,er.
Instructions to distributing agrn,smay
be' 'isheey have not already bGcn given,
TO ognard against imposition from tl,oso,
who are not proper suLjeots.of reliteGT
have written To-day oGGn. Sirkles,
and have explained tobnh the ex,en, TO-,
! which | ihiondod my conversation With
him to 60 ~,
JAMra r, t()up