The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-07-25

u /.
WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF REFUGEES,
FREEDMEN, AND ABANDONED LANDS
WASHINGTON, July 8, 1856.
Hou. james L. Orr, Goceraor: ~
As there seems to be conflicting testimony
of an otherwise reliable character as to SUI
fering for thewant OF food in South Carolina,
and as General Sickles has disapproved OF
the ration returns upon, your own Statement
that the want is very much exaggerated, and
as these returns have been referred to me for
official action, / respectfully request from
YOU some statement that will justify me for
withholding supplies, for really it is not the
purpose to give where there is not absolute
want, and in no case whatever to encourage
idleness, but the direct reverse.
Respectfullv. O. O. HOWARD,
aIl48 Major General Commanding
Elk. DEPARTMENT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
COLUMBIA July 6, 1866.
GENERAL: have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter OF the I'd IN
slant, informing me that there was reliable
testimony as to suffering for want of food by
the poor in South Carolina of both races,
and that General Sickles had disapproved OF
the ration return upon my statement that
the want is very much exaggerated, has just
been received, and hasten to reply with
view of correcting any Misrepresentation on
the subject growing out OF my conversation
with General Sickles.
There is great need of distributing rations
through the Freedmen's Bureau in every dis
trict in the State. In some the necessity is
much greater than in Others, and all inten-
ded to impress upon General Sickles was,
that applications were made by many per-
sons. white and colored, who were not BIT
subjects of relief, and that if all the stories
which were told the officers of the bureau in
different sections were to be credited, that
the distribution would embrace too wide a
range. l regret that General Sickles should
have understood from me that the necessity
for issuing rations to very many people,
white and colored had passed.
As early as March last an estimate was
made in Chesterfield district, and it was
found that there were only seven bushels of
corn to each person in the district, without
feeding any part of them to stock. The
supply was inadequate to bread the people.
Other districts are nearly as destitute. In
Pickens 1 am informed that some six hun
dred families are without sufficient supplies
of breadstufs; the scarcity is also great in
Barnwell, Beaufort, Colleton, Clarendon.
Williamsburg, Lexington, Spartanburgb,
Lancaster, Richland, Fairfield and Kershaw,
and the local authorities cannot possibly fur
nish the needy. The tax levied for the sup
port of the poor is district tax, and it hap
pens that those sections where the scarcity is
most felt the general population are least
able to pay a local tax, and hence there are
thousands in the State-white and colored-
who must suffer for the commonest means of
subsistence, unless rations are issued from
your bureau, and regret extremely that any
opinion of mine should have been so under
stood as to Justify or require the suspension
of the issue of the rations whichit was propo-
sed to distribute in the State. My object
and intention was simply to guard against
these issues to persons without claim, and
thereby increase idleness and vagabondism;
but doubtless did not sufficiently explain
my views, and General Sickles was justified
in reaching the conclusion he did.
A month ago it was generally believed
about the time of the wheat harvest that an
average crop would be made, but since the
crop has been thrashed out, it is found not to
exceed half an average crop, and far less re-
lief will be furnished the needy from that
source than had anticipated.
therefore earnestly request that you will
have the rations issued as estimated for by
your agents in the State. and which was
disapproyed by General Sickles. ~
Proper instructions to distributing agents
may be. if they have not already been, given
to guard against imposition from those, who
are not proper subjects of relief.
have written to day to General Sickles,
and have explained to him the extent to
which intended my conversation with him
to go.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
JAMES L. ORR.
- Gopernorof S. C.
Major General O. o. Howard, B. R., F., and
A. L., Washington, d. G.
THE New BRIrIsH MINIsTRY.lThe
following are we have reason to believe
the arrangements for the new or next
government, so far as yet made:
First Lord of the Treasury-Earl of
Derby.
Chancellor of the Exchequer-Mr.
Disraeli. 80
Foreign Secretary-Lord Stanley.
Home Secretary-Mr. Claiborne Har-
dy.
Colonial Secretary-Lord Cranbone.
Secretary for India Adderley.
| Minister al War4Gen. Peel.
First Lord of the Admiralty--sir ].
Pacingiton. "a, 49, i ii 49,
Lord High Chancellor-Lord Chelms-
ford. s
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord
Malmesbury.
Lord Chancellor of Ireland Mn
Whiteside.
Under Secretary Of war-Earl Of
Longford. ~
Attorney -General-Sir H. Cairns.
81 Solicitor-GeneralEM Bovill.
| Board of Works-Lord John Man
ners.
Postmaster-G eneral-Lord Colches
| ter. go. ~. ea, sis
The Duke OF Richmond, it is under
stood, was offered and declined the
Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland. Sir e. l.
Bulwer Lytton is to be made a peer
Mr.. Walpole is not to be in Office
Chief Baron Pollock will resign, and
make way for Sir Fitzroy Kelly. If
Scotland it is expected that Mr.. George
Patton will be Lord Advocate, and Mr.
Els. Goadon, Solicitor General.--Scot
| man. .f,s a its 80 Is
FINE CoTroN Dassino mitchell