Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-23
The Famine.

1--WE have so often called attention to the
distress and unhappy condition of the peo-
pie South that tits with heavy heart that
we again find ourselves compelled, for hu-
manity's sake, to return to this subject
Distress now exists in very many places in
the Southern States that has never before
been equalled in this broad land. The
stories so oft told of want and starvation in
India and other places, and the heart-rend-
ing scenes of the same are applicable to the
condition of our unhappy brethren in the
States of Georgia, Alabama, North and
South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, and
elsewhere. s1faf ats.t IIA 8 Il g,s91 !
The Southwestern Relief Commission, of
this city, is in receipt of so many appeals
| for help, and so many delegates represent
ing the starving districts call upol them,
that an evening is set apart for the consid-
Grafton of these appeals, and often it grows
toward eleven O'Clock during the sessions
before all have hearing One ofthe men,
| bers attending these meetings has been alb
| senting himself from them for some time
| for the reason, to use his own language,
that 8 the description of the scenes OF dis
| tress and want is so touching that after
return home to my bed i can find no rest,
| for 1 see before me those women and child
rem crying for bread and praying for only
little help in such plaintive strains that
toss and roll on my couch, unable to rest
for the thought of the starving"
In order that our readers may have some
idea of these details, we copy from a few
letters received by the Agent OF the Com
mission in one day The Judge of the Pro-
bate Court of Franklin county, Alabama,
writes sThe corn and plows are being
distributed to the destitute. We feel very
4 grateful to your Commission for their kind
ness in behalf of our suffering people. 1t
seems that starvation ,otu certainly come upon
the destitute of this county this year unless
assistance is sent us from abroad"
At meeting OF the citizens of Newton
county, Georgia, Mr.. Lowe was appointed
a delegate to go for food for his county,
and Mr.. L., in writing, says: "We must
/ certainly suffer all the pangs of hunger
! if not death-if our present wants are not
supplied, and that soon. Our condition is
/ indeed deplorable one" Newton county
lis represented as one of the once most
prosperous counties in the State of Geor-
4 Fgia. = i2.3 -i 'sfl u
/ = Col. VIM. o. Winston writes from Valley
i Head, Alabama: 1--WE have distributed
the corn to the widows and orphans. Could
you send some more it would be gladly re-
eeived by those in extreme need at this
time. In the name of the suffering widows
and orphans of this county, L return you
thanks for the aid you have or may give to
relieve them from utter starvation, for l as
sure you, sir, many are crying eUen .fO7
} bread
I The mississippi Orphans Home, ,acknowl-
), edging the receipt of a donation, writes -
The winter that has just passed has been
a severe one on us, and our little ones. On
= several occasions we have been almost with
/ out food. Twice we have had only a part
OF one barrel meal on hand, but it was filled
! both timts, &c. We ask only the necessa-
ries of life and not the luXuries. Coffee
butter, fruit, beans, &c, we seldom tasted
fresh meats never. We now have in the
: Home $50 ehildren,o &c. &c.
The Judge of the Probate Court of Wins,
? ton county, Alabama, writes: There are
} at least 600 destitute persons in my county
that are now suffering very much for the
t want of both food and clothing, and i
{, they are not relieved, and that soon, Dor.
t ton of them will be compelled to starve.-
They consist chiefly of old helpless mer
= and women, widows, and orphan chill
, dren." ~
{ The Rev. E. G. Thomas, of Wilkinson
r county, Georgia, visits the commission as s
2 delegate from his county, sent out for fooC
/ by the different churches and judges of tht
2 inferior court of same. His description o
: the distress of his community is as tn,
: others cited, there being at least I,1Ol
white persons now on the list of applicant
for bread. Mr.. Thomas cites, as an instanct
5 in his district, the case of an accomplished
e and beautiful young lady, a graduate O
, one of the first schools, the daughter of
{ once very wealthy planter, and the belle O
2 the district. Having letter from frienC
|, asking for the services of a young lady a
{ teacher in a private family, he called upoI
the lady in question. He found her in tn
; field, pLoootng, and, upon being offered th
situation at remunerative salary, she re
tfused it for the reason that it would necesi
: state her to leave an aged father and an In
t valid mother to starve. Another and w
8 are done. Mr.. Thomas says that two chill
: dren Of once wealthy planter, living il
1 l~E[1 I..,<
. food Too proud to beg, no one to apply +
+ for help, the father saw the monste
2 Famine take them from his bosom.e7 a
IL > II so many appeals and so much appal