Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-02-13
Business Affairs OF the Country.

Inc OlQClQQall lluCS, III IhO SohNA
ton of trade and business in that city, says:
"tGod help the poor is the phrase which
is on the lips Of every one, these bitter days
and nights, but the prayer, however fervently
made, is Of little avail unless the purse strings
are unloosed, and it is followed up by a liberal
charity. In many year the city has not known
distress like that which prevails. Business is
measurably Frustrated, manufacturers are cur
failing their expenses, and are limiting their
operations to the diminished demands of the
hour, and hence hundreds and thousands, rep
resenting nearly every branch of business and
labor, are out of employment.
Following this comes voice from the North
west, and the St. Paul Pioneer declares:
eve regret to learn from the Minneapolis
Tribune, that there is great restitution and
suffering in that city, and that dozens or fam
lies are unprovided with the means of avertlDg
hunger and FROST and that numbers OF men,
women, and children, are actually in danger Oh
starving or freezing to death. The Tribune
asserts that this is no cxaggeratlon; and says
that the case calls for Immediate action and
that movement has been set on foot Tor q
charity fair to procure means to relieve the
destitute
The Southwest has not escaped the blight
which rests upon the country at the present
time. There is destitution AMI distress in that
section, and the picture is thus presented by
the Nashville Dispatch:
'"There has perhaps never been time OF
greater suffering and distress in the City OF
Nashville than the present. Many persons are
out of employment who would, if opportunity
presented earn an honest livelihood. Hun
dred. and thousands Of lazy negroes who droncd
off the summer and fall months, arc now so
many pestifcrous paupers upon the city. An
accumulation of evils has afflicted our people
Trade, business and the mechanical arts have
been comparatively stagnant Those who have
to live, as the saying is, from hand to mouth,
are now utterly destitute, and without any
means of support The weather is severe, and
the i'll clad, homeless, sbivering sufferers are
real objects Of sympathy"
From the East the same story Of destroyed
business and suffering people is repeated by
the press \ late number Of the New Haven
Register thus alludes to the suffering in Con-
necticut:
"OnIy Jew days since one of the first me-
chanics in the city applied to 4 contractor tor
employment, saying that he would willing lily
work for any wages till spring. The gentleman
to whom the application was made informed
him that he had more men engaged than he
could proGtably employ, and while he should
be glad to accommodate him, he did not feel
like turning away his old hands, knowing, as
he did, that they we're also poor, and depend
ent on their wages for support. The applicant
has wife and several little children, and for
the last month the family has had only one
meal Of victuals per day. The man is quiet,
industrious mechanic, whose only misfortune
is that he cannot obtain employment at any
price We do not suppose that his case is at
all exceptional among this class of persons, and
have no doubt that many cases of similar
character could be found. Had this man a
black skin, we could advise him to 20 South
and get his support from the Freedmen Blu
reau but his color is against him.. >"