The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-07-18
GRAND NATIONAL
ENTERTAINMENT.
T: :. FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
LADIES' SOCIETY
IN AID OF THE
Suffering and Destitute Poor
OF THE SOUTH,
" Will take place in
Washington, q. c., Aug l.. IsG7.

Washington, q. c., Aug l.. lsC7.
THE Ladies' Society in aid Of the Suffer-
! ing and Destitute Poor Of the South
would respectfully apd earnestly call the at
tention of the generous Northern public to
the great distress and fearful suffering now
prevailing in the Southern States. Letters
nrc daily received from the South, from the
Generals Commanding Governors, ministers
and eminent citizens, furnishing the most
hcart-rcnding details Of the actual want, fam
inc and starvation in their Immediate neigh
borhood. The following few extracts from
the very many letters received by the Sccrc-
tary and Managers Of the Society arc respect
fully referred to:
IIEAporARTEas, 4th MILITARY Dist.
fMIssIssIrPL ARKANSAS.
- V1cKsDrnG, Miss, May II, 1867.
~ ann glad 10 see that the attention of the
gentle aud humane ladies Of the North is
being turned towards tho sad and dcsolatc
condition Of this once happy land.
You, Madam, surroInded with the plent y
and comforts of wealthy city, can scarcely
appreciate the fact, that in many parts ofthe
South, whole communities are, hy failure
of the crops and absence Of money or its c.
quivnlcnt, left in want Of the necessarlcS OF
life; and that poor women, with large FAM
lilies Of helpless children, so accustomed to
dcpend'on the lnhcr of others, that now, with
no husband, brother or servant to help. and
10 money, they do not know whnt TO do or
where TO 90 for food; hut are left i'll the soil
tubes of these Southern forests, in rags and
gaunt with hunger, subsisting OH what the
Iii v.I,o rtf.y
up in the woods. or on what the few neigh
bors, nearly as poor us they arc. can bring
them.
Officers ofmy acquaintance have met with
such mothers, long after dark, out in the
woods. with an old CUR just fired, and the
coon or posst,m just killed; have gone home
with them and met the group of little starve-
lings waiting patiently mothers return with
some of the only sort Of food they had tasted
for weeks: and women and children have
hccn found within sixty miles Of the capitol
Of Southern State. during the pnst year,
who had starved to death III their lonesome
cabins. These CAGES of great distress are
rnrc in Southern cities, for there, even the
most delicate bred can generally find some
work which they can doto keep the wolf from
the door; but the farms or plantations in tho
South are peculiarly secluded, with miles OF
forest or swamp between them, poor roads,
antl the stock and nninlnls nearly all taken
by the war. the famine, the toods, or the
thieves, WHO in such times infcst II country,
and the distressed families nre often. by the
time necessity makes them want to leave, too
sick to travel Oh foot, and there is no other
way to 20.
Your proposed entertainment, Madam,
should it produce only funds enough to re-
.licvc small fraction Of the destitus;on of
this country, viii be good beginning, and
,nnry be- followed in cihcr cities North by SIM
il.r appeals to people who have happily ncv-
or felt tho ,sesolation and the horrors which
follow in the tracks of great armies Of irra-
sion. God speed your society il the good
work, is the wis!, Of, Madam, yours truly,
T.. q. e. ORD,
Drcvet Major General.
iIgAperAnsrrs, F.Esr MILITARY DIrls!nX,
NicnM0So, VA, May II, 1867.
Mrs. Waylorc .NGfhfr-~hlv DEAR MADAM:
I shall be too glad if anything can say will
all the society in lis noble work. \ lnrgc
proportion OF the people of the South have
suffered aud many are still suffering almost
ia the limit of endurance from the devastation
of WAY ;:nd subsequent failure Of crops. They
arc making every possible cxcrtiM to revive
their various branches of Industry and be-
coiue self-surportirg. The liberal assistance
which the Northern p@Gplc arc well able TO
give. will relieve Il grrat amount Of distress.
ana will nn ,loubt be sufficient tU place the
puur of the Sunth beyond further suffering
for f0nl The recent manifestations Of an
almost universal desire throughout the South
for Il rcally fraternal reunion with the North,
may well serve TO stimulate the generous
sylupathics Of. the Northern people, while
nothing could 10 more to foster and encourage
the growth Of II hcaltlIy sentiment in the
South tlinn the generous aid which 1t is the
mission ofvour society to invoke. l sincere
~ hope the noble efforts Qf the society may
resrt:iu the most abundant success. am,
dear Madam, very respectfully. your ohedicnt
servant, v, n, sEliOFlELD,
/, Major-Gencral.
IEEADcrAaTEEs, SEco%D MILITARY Division,
CHARLESTON, S. G., May IS, 1867.
The excellent purpose you have in view
cannot be too much commended. The libcr-
altty Of government of the United States, and
the munificent contributions already made
for the relief of the widespread tlesiitution
in the States. leaves great numbers unproyi-
dctl with food and clothing. And until an
abundant harvest enables the people here to
dqmore for themselves, I TRUST the ever gencr-
ous and prosperous committees Of the North
will coatinue their noble gifts to this impover-
ished and afflicted population. With my
best wishes for the success of your undertak-
ing, l remain, Madam, very respectfully,
DANIEL T.. SICKLES,
Commanding Second Military District.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May 10, 1867.