The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-01-19
General scott's Circular Letter.

v. M. Auen, dreenv1lle.
General scott's Circular Letter.
We invite attention to the circular
letter of Brevet Major General r. K.
Scott. Assistant Commissioner of the
Freedmen's Bureau for this State.
The letter contains information of
Importance, and will be read by our
planters with interest:
CHAE2.EaEsTcE, s. c.,
January 16, 1868.
Circular Letter..
The Government having again
charged the Assistant Commissioner
with the duty of distributing food
among the people of this State, for
the double purpose of preventing
suffering from the destitution, now
common in many localities, and to
enable the people to provide against
q recurrence of the like deatitution in
future, 1T becomes necessary, in order
to accomplish, the object designed,
to adopt such a system of distribu-
tion for the supplies thus loaned, as
will most efeotually both accomplish
the objects above named, and insure
to the Government the repayment
of its means. This end can only be
attained by O well regulated system
OF labor-for from such o system
alone can it be expected that any de-
gree of prosperity will follow. 1t
will be found impossible to distri-
butte 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. Hundreds of people were the
recipients of the charity of the Go
vernment, who claimed to be plant
ing at the time they were fed, but
who. upon investigation, were dis
covered to be either idling away their
time, or engaged in cultivating a
small patch, the whole products of
which could not subsist them for
more than a month or two; others
received aid who were located on
barren and worn out lands, upon
which, even by the most severe
labor, it is impossible to produce
subsistence; white yet third class,
without any pecuniary means, enter
ed into arrangements whereby they
gave one-half or one-third of their
time to the land owner, and during
the remainder attempted to dig out a
subsistence for themselves, without
either animals to assist them, or food
to live upon.
10 continue in these foolish at-
tempts to obtain livelihood will
result in the complete prostration of
every interest OF the country, and to
foster such folly by squandering Go
vernment rations on osuch people
would be criminal on the part of the
agent charged with their distribution.
1t Is, therefore, the intention of
the Assistant Commissioner to issue
food in future, to the extent allowed
by the Government, to those persons
only who he is satisfied are SO en-
ployed that they will be able to re.
pay to the Government the amount
loaned, rs we'll as to place themselves
beyond tho possibility of want dur.
ing the following year. To accom-
plish this object, responsible persons
will he appointed agents of distribu
HOn IN cach locality where destitu-
ton exists, who will bo held strictly
accountable for the reliability and
industry of the consumers. They
will be instructed tn take from t,h, t,h,.
rccipients..a bond, giving lien upon
the crops to be grown, and other
products of industry and personal
property.
The Assistant Commissioner must
be satisfied that each applicant has
planted, or is about to plant, sufli
ciont number of acres in cereals to
insure his provisions for the next
year without purchase. TO parties
engaged wholly, or to an undue ex.
text, in the cultivation of cotton, nc
assistance will be rendered. Duly
appointed officers and agents of this
Bureau will he instructed to fire.
quently and carefully inspect the