The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1868-01-09
MPIIION
Tullahoma, Jan. 8, 1868.
Ballots, Bullets, and Bread.

The news from the South is positive
Nv alarming. Making due allowance
for cxaggerations in sensational reports
it seems TO be certain that the
present winter threatens to bring new
horrors upon this long suffering section
Of our common country. In spite Of
favorable harvcsts of grain in many To-
c%aliUies, there is evident and unmistak-
able want oftood in very many places
This lack Of breadstutis, usually not
alarming in the South, has become so
on account Of the gcncral. failure of the
cotton crop, the oppressive tax-which
as if Northern farmers were compelled
to pay thirty cents tax on every BUSH
ell OF wheat they scll--and the very low
price Of that staple. The planters
have not money enough to pay the
debts incurred in raising q crop, and
nothing is left for the expenses of the
winter and AencXt season.
Moreover, for months q very large
number Of negroes have been idle.
They have left their cotton picking to
attend political meetings ana clups' aho
to deliberate on their duties anu PRIV
ieges rs voters II conStiLutlon-iAaA-
ors. Naturally they were aoz,e4 ny
their new privileges. LAKE, children
with G new toythey are wholly apsoro-
ed, and ordinary daily duties are neg
lccted. Then the strange ideas concer'
ming con!iscation and government sup
port, which the u~nprinciplea V~agaoohus
VINO nave assume 10 olclalc ile pom
tics OF the negroes nave taught lhem
have confirmed thcR IN the ldlchcs:
which might have Decn only, Temporal
ry. At least the result mas peen' ina
the poor crops OF thescason nave peel
, but poorly harvested; the Whlte mel
e haYelostthai produce, and the ncgroe'
t haytnot earned their wages. 90,
And now the negroes are espoclaii.
threatened with famine lh9y maven
money and they nave no iood; ana a
this season ana IN these t'ines OF uhiVet
sal poverty, they can II no WORK
/ ConIscation itseltwould not hclp tnen
now form most cases there remain
nothing but the bare hclus 10 cohls
! cate, and men cannot iecd on earII
, For the time, we hcar OF them roam
ing about Jhc country, pluhdcrlhg-heh
+ roosts and smoke houses aha snooVlni
|, hogs and cattle IN the WOODS DutioI
bing is Wastetul as wei! us crifhlla
and these seizures OF priVale proper;
are sometimes opposed ana preVen'
ed.
d And now comes the last step: Ines
{ men have been taught to consider u
,. property OF the whites as nghtluli
belonging to the blacks. In tAis tim
= of want and suffering, any Change seem
g desirable to tacm, and any violence e'
y cusablc. Secret associations ara loIn
ed almost everywhere, and some {
these associations have plotted conspV
acics. Some OF these seem TO nave II
definite object but others are thorough
y organized, the members are arme
and drilled, and they designed TO Us
the bullet rs freely as they nave Use
! the ballot, apd seek remedy ior tlie
sell incurred want and poverty at. IN
q point OF the bayonet. ouDtle man
! exaggerated reports nave neen puDl'sl
ed, but there are soIne wileh nave Dec
thoroughly established ana nave alre'
dy called out the Interference o. III
= military government Aho' IL INC su
. ferings of the blacks increase we ma
expect 10 sec !. muiIlpi'o"l'oh VI oue
= the very Ignorant, when threatehe