Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-01-25
Relief for Planters.
SCorr lnc ;..1 A. en-
HEADo'Rs: AssrsTT. COMMISSIONER,
BUREAU REFUGEES, L. AND 4. LANDS.
District of South Carolina.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Jan. 16, 1868.

INC Goyernment having again charged the
Assistant Commissioner with tho duty of dis
tributing fSbd among tho people of this State,
for the purpose of preventing suffering from
tho dcstitution, now common in many localities,
and to enable the people to provide against a
recurrence Of the like dcstitutiou in future,
1t becomes necessary, in order to accomplish
the object designed, to adopt such a system,
of distribution for the supplies thus loaned,
as will most cffcctually both accomplish the
objects above named, and insure to the Gov
crnmcnt the repayment of its means This
end can oply be attained by we'll regulated
system of labor--for from such system alone
can it be expected that any degree of pros
pcrity will follow 1t will be found impossi-
bic to distribute food to the needy thousands
as individuals but only as communities.
The sad experience of the past year should
have given lesson of profit to all Hun
drcds 'offpeople were the recipients of the
charity ofsthc Government, who claimed to
be planting at the time they wcrc fed, but
who upon Investigation, wcrc discovered to
be either idling away their time, or engaged
in cultivatins small patch, the whole pro-
ducts of which could not subsist them for
more thana month or two; others received
aid who wore located on barren and worn out
ands, upon which; even by She most severe
labor, it was impossible to produce subsst-
cnce; while yet n third class, without any Pc
cdniary means, entered into arrangements
whereby they gave onchalf or oncthird Of
their time to the land owner, and during the
rcmaindtr attempted to dig out subsistence
for themselyes without either animals to as
sist thcmlorfood to live upon.
TO continue. in those foolish attempts to oh.
tain livelihood will result in the complete
prostration of every interest of the country,
and to foster such folly by squandcring Gov
crnmcnt rations on suoh people would be Grim
inal on the part of the agent charged with
their distribution.
1t is therefore the intention of the Asss-
tant Commissioner to issue food in the future
to tho extent allowed by the Government, to
those persons only who he is satisfied are so
employed chat they will be able to repay to
the Government tho amount loaned, as we'll as
to place themselves beyond tho possibility of
want during the following year. TO accom-.
plish this object, responsible persons will be
appointed agents of distribution in each 10.
calty where dcstitution exists, who will be
held strictly accountable for the reliability
anu industry of tho consumers. They will be
instructed to take from the recipients bond,
giving lien upon the crops to bo grown, and
other products of industry and personal prop
crty.
The Assistant Commissioner must be salts
fled that each applicant has planted or is about
to plant sufficient number of acres in cereals
to insure his provisions for the next year with.
out purchase. To parties engaged wholly or
to an undue extent In the cultivation of cot.
ton, 10 assistance will bo rendered Duly
appointed officers and agents of this Bureau
will be instructed to frequently and carefully
INSPECT the plantations Of those who are the
recipients of assistance, and if it shall at any
time bo found that they arc likely to fail to
fulfill their obligations, all necessary measures
will bo takon to protect tho interests of the
Government.
Tho Assistant Commissioner desires it to be
understood that tho amount Of assistance that
ho is authorized to render is limited, and it is
therefore necessary that all persons who have
private resources ut command should avail
Themselves OF such, the 20 supplies being only
intondca by tho Government to relieve the
most cxtrcmc GASES of destitution.