The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-16
rRn,I THE sOUrH.

The following Is an extract from |
letter written to the New York Times |
by an army ofticer-a radical mani
the Times says-which certainly does
not give an inviting picture of the state
Of things in South Carolina:
The truth is that these people are so
tortured with debt and poverty that
they hardly mind anything which has
not a direct relation to getting daily
bread and necessary raiment. do
hope to God that we never shall an
proach the horrible crime and cruelty
OF conhscation, or any similar measure
OF mere vengeance. Looking this desc
lated and -pauperized community Of
widows and orphans in the face, feel
like imprecating curses on the head of
any man who strives to add to their
misery. The Amendment is right; it
Furnishes the very men who ought to
be punished; it Is simple and not I'M
| merctIul Justice. 1 approve of Sher-
mans Military bill because it eniorces
the amendment But this whispering
about contiscation seems to me like the
whispering of murdererS. A large por-
ton OF this people is close on the verge
of starvation; and IL you take away
their land, or If you render their land
ed tenures so insecure as to intefere
with the planting OF crops, there will
be horrible misery; the South will be
Poland, an Ireland, an India, hell to
itself and horrible disgrace to us.
The widows OF the men who
fought against us are turning prosti-
tutes. Do you ask who pays them? 1t
doesn't take much. n pinch Of meal
you'd be q temptation, and q bILSheL
you'd be almost irresistible. Their chill
dren are growing up ignorant vaga-
DondS. There is u family within a mile
of this place living in a brush house.
shanty OF fresh pine branches. 1t
consists OF u mother who had u son
killed, a daughter of twenty who had
husband killed, another daughter of
thirteen, and u grandchild OF three. The
oldest daughter told me that she had
been all over the village to get work,
and had failed. furnished them with
some clothing from the Bureau stores,
but how they are to live through the
year, can't imagine. They were poor
before the war, but not like this. They
| had q family Bible once and father
thought eUer so much Of IT. a few words
| of pity brought the tears rolling down
the eldest girls sallow cheeks. 'Ohr
she said 'I're been through a polger IN
the last two gears She told me that
she wasn't used to going barefoot in
Winter, and it made her sick, which
consider very probable, as we have had
three inches OF snow. 7 hear that she is
| q bad character Vel, tOho toOuLCf'Ht be-
There is u Five Points OF crime and
misery all over the country districts of
this State. AS We may suppose from
our own experience in the North, the
war has added enormously to the de-
mobilization. II the fancy houses OF
New York want any recruits, they can
getthem, lean and pale though, among
the four hundred soldiers widows OF
f., and the six hundred soldiers wild
ows of IL. Let us hope that there will
| be no confiscation to complete the ruin
and misery of this misled and pitiable
| population. Let their old political
mills clackk; they will wear out and
| stop some day.
I wish the North would do more to
relieve theSouthern poverty. Itwould
be good political movement, and
would commence the work of CONVEX
sion. Mere mercy-that is, mere lack
OF punishment-seldom brings over an
Kindness must have its good effect. AS
for punishment, we have given up
| whipping our children; can't we give
| up whipping our brothers and sisters
Must the North behave like that fanatic
or maniac who lately logged his baby
to death because it wouldn't pray?
Let us have the pleasure of believing
that Mr.. Stevens will stop short of
that.
1 don't believe there is money enough
in my district to pay the United States
| taxes now due. heard the other day
/
lies had written North for charity and
thankfully accepted SIS. They hare a
house, but can't sell il; land, but can't
hire cultivdtOrS.
The following Is the latest poetical
effusion that we have seen from a rebel
source. 1t emenated from one of the
Richmonders on seeing the statue of
Chief Justice Marshall put up a few
| DAYS ago on its pedestal:
We are glad to see you, John Marshall, my
SO fresh from the chisel of Roeers:
Go take your stand on the Monument there.
| Along with the other old codgeTs:
With Washington, Jefferson, Henry and
Who zinned with great transgressIon,
In their old fashioned notIons OF Freedom
And their hatred Of wrong and oppression
| You come rather late to yonT pedestal John
For sooner you should have been here;
| For the volume You hold Is NO longer the
And this Is no longer Virginia.
The old hlarshall-law you expounded of /
Is not at all to the purpose;
And the maTtial-law OF the new Brigadier
Is stronger than habeaS corpus
So keep you the volume shut with care,
FOR the days OF the law are over;
And II needs all your brass TO be holding 1t
Win Justice" inscribed on the cover.
Could lie awaken the limb of bronze
What would you do with your moment OF
Ye men of the days gone byq
Would ye chide us or pity us, blush or
Yemen Of the days gone by?
Would Jefferson tear up the scroll he
That time has proven "a lie?
And Marshall shut the volume OF law,
And Law II down with \ sigh?
Would Mason roll up the Bill OF Rights,
From a race unworthy to scan II?
| And Henry dash down the eloquent
sword,
And clang II against the granite?
And Washington, seated In nassy strength
On the charger that paws the air
Could he see his sons in Jheir deep disgrace,
| Would he ride 80 proudly there?
| He would get him down from his big brass
horse,
And cover his face at our shame:
For the land OF his birth Is now "DIstrIct
One
Virginia was once the name!