Year: 1864

Word about the Farmers.


Mr.. Wigfall alluded some days since in the Sen
ate to the contrast between the disposition Of the
farmers at the beginning Of the war and at this time
in relation to furnishing supplies to the army and
to consumers generally. Two years ago, he said,
the farmers of Orange County, Virginia, furnished
large quantities of supplies to Gen. Beauregard free
of charge now they haggled about the price Of
pound of pork, and would burn their wheat before
they would sell it to the government Mr. Wigfall
attributes this change to the fall in value Of Con-
federate money, but this is not the true cause 1t
is the result of the unjust and oppressive manner
in which the farmers Of the country have been treat
ed by the government In the first place, the gov
ernment issued currency which to some extent it
repudiated thus adding to its rate Of depreciation;
in the second plsee, IL passed the tthng lswwhich
operates unequally, and exposes much Of what is
collected to decay and loss in the third place. the
impressment law steps in to take from the farmer
what the tithng law has spared in the fourth place,
the government officer notifies the farmer not to
sell any thing which the impressment law has
spared, as the government will need what may be
left; in the fifth place, exemptions from military
service are provided for nearly every calling with
the exceptions of that of the farmer; in the sixth
place. the slaves frequently ordered to distant
points to work on Notifications, and the farmers
themselves have been required to lose valuable time
in attending musters: and in addition to all this,
the prices of labor iron, agricultural implements
and the like are enormous; and when we consider
these things, with the further fact that the farmers
have to pay at the highest rates for every thing
which they purchase Of the merchants for consump-
ton in their families, are not surprised that they
ask the prices they do Tor what they have to SELL


Every thing comes from the soil. 1t is the only
source of life and wealth to all classes. Yet those
who cultivate the soil have enjoyed no exemptions
from military SERVICE and the heaviest burdens in
other respects have been laid upon them.


The necessaries of life, scarce at this time and
selling at enormous prices will be still scarcer six
months hence. and if Confederate money should be
the standard then now, prices will have greatly
ncrsased~ Thousands Of farms in this State of ali
sizes are now uncultisated, the fences aecssins.
the bitches filing up, and the fields covered with
briars and weeds. The stock Of horses, cattle,
mules, and sheep has. greatly diminished in mum:
Der and value; vast amount of labor Of both
races, white and black, has been lost to the State;
the means of improving the lands that may be cul-
tivated, such as foreign manures, composts and the
like are not to be had; and suitable implements
for breaking up and pulverizing the soil, and pre-
pairing it for the crops cannot be obtained, while
those on hand are wearing out supply of corn,
and fodder, and bacon is indispensable to the ma
king Of the next crop. Hands and horses cannot
work without strong food Where is this food to
come from? We fear it is not in the country in
sufficient quantities to meet the demand. We may,
therefore, look for smaller crop the present year
than was realized last year; and if still fur
ther drain should be made on our agricultural pop
ulation to increase the army, We may anticipate
the most distressing consequences. We sound the
alarm in time--let Congress look to it.