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JN.T1 7.The Labor Reform Muiruient.to guard tbe gold that night, and accompany mo with it to Auguste. The guard was rendered necessary because therewere a great many sUaggUng soldiers and*out Washington. The'ICtrant arclt;l In , a col-Curke,Editor! of the Atiint'i Sun: Some days30 you gave a synopsis of the platform ophxl hr the “Labor Reform Convention nt Columbus, Ohio. Tux 8um ofi Tcaterday contained an editorial, evident- ___________iy written in » very thoughtful mood, | two for the Augusta train. A number of and calculated to awaken in the mind o'. cnvulrjmon and returning soldiers wentcavalry prowling aboutnext morning I started for Barnett, where I would have to wait nn honr ord).It OfWerf ilh lt;•/rovnd’oUct!eut.million ridthe reader a ohaiu of sober reflection.Of nil the questions, social or political, now before our people, demanding soln tion, mid tl.ut will not be put off, this question of Labor Reform is far the gravest. In your issue of yw.u rd.iy you say, “It remains to be aeeu whether or not this new political organization is one to bo despised. The public is not yet aware of the strength or weakneas of the movement. And tlion, in view of the fact that laboring men, in every department of industry, have been for a loag time organizing themselves into societies, trades unions, Ac., you say: “An interesting question, at this juncture is, nru all thoie aoeietiea—these trudea union*— in sympathy with this political movement just inaugurated? If they are, the movement at once becomes one of no insignificance; but worthy the consideration of all who bnvo any especial regard for the politics of the country.Here you, iu effect, admit that therwtion is ono of no iusignifleanoo, for re can bo no doubt that the trades unions are in sympathy with the political movement. This idea of labor reform is not oonfiued to America, nor is it native to tho soil. The great manifestations of it* power have been made anil felt in sited I France and England. For the last quarter of a century it has been the most . marked, not to say tiro greatest, foroe in **•' tho complex system that ha* shaped the diB- political history of England ; and the and- greatest intellect* of tho ageure thorough-Mtv iy in its interest,, But if this idea luid but one follower, ’cr7' | and this one wero its present greutest mil- npostlo, it would still claim tho most g so I thoughtful consideration; for lot it be lg it borne iu ■‘dud that the greatest apostle . . of this idea is no other than Mr. John tituart Mill, the man who lias tho n°re clearest head and who wields the most riplo vigorous pen of our timo. It is bo-now lievod by many thinking men that this same idea, with others that nucleate 1 about it, will, beforo a great whilo, oveno huj ifore, ke aques-ome,iticnlon the name train with in. and when we arrived at Barnett, mud* what was then culled several “charges unon the gold. This, with the guard nod kind as istauce of Col. Ban ford, now of Montgomery, und private Shepherd, now ofiiose make England Republican.liichcut, unis ofin ofin-lov-In this age, ideas govern mankind, tbe I Not oven John William Draper has overestimated this force of an idea. Says ho (I quote from memory):There m a force in political ideee which set* covoiiAut*. contractu, guaranty*, In luiwpvor golt;»«l faith Uray iiray have been entorM Into, at uuught. ami which render* CoumIUuUoum obsolete.Thus much only to call to mind the present importance and prospective The magnitude of tho movement inaugurated nest by the Labor lteform Convention; I ring “Tould rather say, the prospective omnipo-,,.. knee of this movement, tor that it will control the Presidential election in 76, oat- I believe to be us certain as that tho sun (to will rise to-morrow, aud that this will be nin- ouo °* the very least of it* results, I be-. lievo to bo equally certain.! What then is to bo done? Can this *en, Labor lteform party unite with the De-are I mocracy ? Would not such a union defeat tho Republican party uo^, und in '70 utterly annihilate it ?The Republican party cannot unite with this party in tho coming election, because Grant must huvu tho uomi-hall I nation; but if the Democratic pnrty and that lbu kabor P'«*y d° uot ouite now, will thuronot bo a compromise uud union be-aor' tween it aad the Republican party in ’76? 3— | Can wo accept the Labor Reform platform on it*merit#; if not, can we not make a 0,l 1 compromise plutform on which the parties can unite ? who Whore uro our political lenders? Tho De- people want to hear from them on these op’s questions. .and 'ou» Messrs. Editors of Thb Sun, write very gravely on tho subject, which 10*(' shows that you are not unaware of its tied I importance, but you suy not a word di-not recti y us to the lino of policy we ought nisi-1 Puraae- You have been accustomed to take a prompt and decided stand on lids; an queBtions that have come before you; -nil aud tho peoplo want you to speak out on sou-1 this which, ono of them at least, believes to bo tho most importautquostiim that him over como before you. W. D. T. Maucii 4th, 1872.mn-1ii«LPUPI*}I/IS iftdollDitD!liift!aoiMloru-heirTexas, were successfully resisted.When I reached Augoata I athlrcHaed tbe following letter (marked A) to Geu.L. McLawH, commanding, and with Lie concurrence entered iuto a correspondence with Gen. Mollynoux. who received the fuuds in iny hands, 13 boxes bullion weighing $34,905, and he amply provided for tbe returniug troops from the U. 8. Commissary Department; so that the fund, $4,905 in excess of what I receipted for, wus every dollar appropriated ah it whh intended by the order (marked Ii.) Tbe excess occurred from the fact that the bullion when received could not be weighed, but bod to bo taken,by estimate.It was delivered by me to a Capt. Adams, of Massachusetts, Ilegt. Provost Marshal of Augusta, weighed at the Mechanics' Bank, Augusta, aud certified to by Mr Hatch, the cashier, and two officers of Gen. MoJJyneux'a staff The original receipt is iu the bands of Hon. Jore. H. Jllack. I loft it with him in presence of Col. J. D. Wmldcll, present Clerk of the House of Representatives, ah I was curious through some one in Washington to ascertain whether the bullion had been accounted lor to the United Stales, ol which fact I am still unadvised.Another curious 44 historic incident” occurred sbont this time. The day after the gold (that was carried away by the Confederate truin) left Washington, a cavalrymao threw a bug over Geueral Toombs' fence and galloped off. On examining it, tho bag contained $5,000 iu gold coin. Gen. Toombs immediately sent it, by my son, to the Federal Quartermaster then stationed at Washington, to be used for provisions to supply each troops as might pass through Washington unprovided for.I could state many amusing incidents, and annoying ones too, that occurred while I was possessed of the treasure ; but suffice it to sar, in tbe then condition of tbe country, determined to exocute tho order with which I was entrusted, I found $35,000 in gold an elephant in my hands, and was {rejoiced to get rid of it, and at tho same timo have the soldiers supplied with rations aud tho Confederate Government vindicated from anything liko a disregard te their comforts.Respectfully, It. J. Moses,Late Confederate Commissary for the 8tato of Georgia.[A.1Ofihck Chief Commishary Dkpaiitm't, Gbobgia and Alaiiama.Capt. G. Lamar, A. A. Q. M.: For the information of Gon. MoLuws I have tbe honor to state that I am advised by tho C. 8. of Gen. J. E. Johnston's army that it is necessary at onco to place 13,000 rations at Augusta, 45,000 rations at Washington, 45,000 rations at Atlanta, 15,000 at Columbus, and 15,000 at Mooon. Total 148,000.At all these points wo had in the month of April to tho 1st of May about 050,000 rations, besides an excess of salt, peas, tea and sugar. Since the surrender of our several forces tho depots in East Georgia have been socked, both by soldiers and oitixeus. This lawlossuess still exiHts, and although the Department hud ample supplies to meet all contingencies thut might arise, it is impossible iu thq, present disordered state of things to rely ^ on Jfimliug any given quantity of stores at any of tho points iudieutod.About 3,000,000 ratious wero destroyed at Columbus by Geu. Wilson's command. Maj. Robertson, C. 8., informs mo ho hiul between one und two million rations, which wero captured and ap-Kropriuted by the mime command at [aeon, besides taking control of all of our accumulations in Southwestern Georgia. I have no way of purchasing the supplies except from tho balauco of a fund iu my hand, placed there by the Commissary General for tho sacred purpose of feeding and providing for the re-Hiii.L»lt;Plt;cidioiPlt;wolluabiklt;SitlXIdnuP•1A1u;£ulUitlcACuJla\holuthociUuwFrom the Columbus Enquirer, March X“Historic KriulnHceiicr* of the ‘rn‘?K . ' i “tf,w°und«I.lust Daya of tlie Confederacy” This fund, about $30,000, will have to boTo the Editor of the Enquirer: You pub- .u1B‘H,./or Purcho«ing these supplies, uuless, In-1 liali Ibis morning an extract from tho *ho Commanding at Alacon, wholler. Richmond Dispnkh iu reference to the “' J'V? nccumu‘f,tei1 atC°NFEDEIUTB GOLD ^ 1 h*1 M*’ W 1°®* ’ i° I i1 bJ left by President Davis at Washington, 10 b« P}^ a‘ tbe fT«ral pouits jIdlj Wilke* county. Georgia. The extract re- ,ro'u the “PP1* a» hose place*, me (erred to has this sentence, which re- . X‘“ ‘“Pf^ant that this matter should * quires au answer from mo: bft ^tonded to Promptly, and that ample 1. “I learn from au old army soquaint- l,ro‘f ton «Lovlla bo phveed at the several * 1Bxt ancc of highest respectability, who was P? nt,®f dfatobutU®, olherwuo no pro- k ume one of the party formed here to guard it ™,w{ c*n tor tho *Jiter. whaw *I is while being transported to Auguste, that th^ bftV® » K111,10, cxrec Jt- aml mucb 0 a o( the return^lsoldiers were proveutod from f,u,,OWCl1 b? hwlessnea*. must |,n„ helping themselves by being told that tlie be expected.,ov- money was to be used for tho benefit of . °*u !«s»tiou at this time.sanoma-»h1 our prisoners at tho North; thut it roach- ,lbo eou“ftV “ m P0?808*100ited I od Augusta iu safety; thut guards wora Foaeral forceH. Iho Confederate author-triia than paid twenty-five dollars cai«h for ^,,a wlUidrawn, aud I have no power to their services and discharged: aud whilo I ou^urcc orders aa nn oOicer.\ I it cannot !o provolt;l exactly what became I _ therefore, respectfully ask that thooHijhtHinstwof tho gold, yet it iseertaiu that our suf* Federal Geueral Commanding tho Dis- j faring boys in prison never hoard of it. tr!c* 1)0 foquosted through his corn- ^urtv Ah I am tho officer with whom that oiwwriat to supply iho rations requirod, gold was entrusted, uud as 1 am ablo to leavo tho funds iu my hands for tho \ 9 prove to tho curious who desire to in- oaro Iho sick and wounded, to bo dis-glo- spoct tho vouohers, thut tho gold Was ap* buried through civil organizations, for o a I propriatod in oxact accordauco with my which I am fully authorized, or that ho eati orders to tho uttermost farthing, Ithiuk wh take charge of tho fund and as-J lit is duo to myself that thii much further tho rosponiibility of liAving myshould bo added to what tho writer in trust discharged by his proper officers.I tho DitinUch terms “historic interest iu desire is that tho fund shall notconnection with the last days of the Con-1 h° directed from its proper and beuevo-\ in I fedoracy. Froa't Davis,Geu. llrockinridge tout objocta. Rospeotfuliy, your ob't s'v'tf be Texas,and others of theCabinot, R* J. Mosas,arrived iu Washington with tho cold; Major and Chief Commissary.n(HMGeu. Hragg was also there, aud a Fargo N. II—If upon closing my accounts I are boilyof cavalry w ho had guarded tho gold ®nd a larger balance on hauu, I will of not 11° Washington, aud who received a part I course appropriate it to the muno object of their pay iu gold. I hod received or. or taru it over as required. Ouo-balf of den to have 180,000 rations at different amount was intended for Georgia and•iOIMClMlIIIIU0lt;Jo1WOhatingItthecmp•oujwiDts, with which to supply the retura-1 ^or Alabama,iug soldiers from Geu. J. E. Jobustou'sa.oftm\army. Tho CJomuiissary Geueral, God, I Wasuinoton, Oa., May 4, 1865.J. M. 8t Johns, then in Washington, -V«y- E. J. Moses, C. S,: Major—I . . had no funils. I called to see tho 1‘rcai- *hMl not at present be at such point* as l“e dent, but could not see him; ho was ex- euablo mo to close up tho business ili-1 Iniustcd from fatigue. I theu had au in- °f 1,10 Commissary Department, and to torview with Geu. Toombs, aud told hint that personal attention to tho want* of tho necessity of having funds to sup- °* tho returning holdiera and sick and ply tho troops. Tho gold had already wouuded in tho Confederate sorvioe,i —A 1 «I ■ « 1 t t ■ I k. 1 .t. it. . _* llODfoi1Oc)ionuieenthethetenstarted, President Davis haviug loft pro- *M©h the present condition of the monaJ an interview I reQuires. 1 have Ihorcforo placed iuroncMl:riowsly. Gen. Toombs had on interview j ± uavo uwrvioro piacea in your„ with Gen. Breckinridge; tho result was bauds the entire available fuud, after de-j,. that I received an order for $40,000—ten a small amount for necessary ex-tbousaud for the Quartermaster's De* P©®*©* of^ tho Bureau. I wish you toparlment, and thiity thousand for the u?6 with economy, so that the sol-wo Commissary Department. Tbia was mJJJ r©eeivo the full boneflt of the md amoug the last orders ever issued by tho *uud. To effect this objt'ct, and to wind I Confederate Government, aad wasa^ntIuP ^be business of the Department inj I l.. ^ A . . /I ..^1 T' .. I. _ _ I » I n (UAPXIil Atk.l A I. ll.. Hid Mnn LJml. by me to General Toombs about a year Georgia and Alabuma, yon are hereby r-v since, as a historic relic, in which be had bivested w*th full power, bytberui id i tbtJtopulISO0irdweilhSI) ___________ ... yourself andacted a gcucrous part in behalf of our *ocb a8eut8 M you may select, to carry ldiers, and ia now, I presume, in his Iout •*»® complete the object* above indr-pos*lt;w*ion. I followed tlio train aud “*** *u ocb n'auner a* yon may deem overtook it that night, and re- 1ot l**® pwblic interest and tho com-1 1 ceivud sixteen taxes of bullion, estimated M°rt and rare of the persons iM'fore re-*NoiJ*LU U) eontain $40,000. I returned with this fen°d to-UlTlsat to Washington, and paid on the order off The propriety of conferring with the iti- Alexander, Major aud Assistant to Federal Commandobonn.as^ . or in Georgia and AUlt;the Quartermaster General, tbreo boxes bama and soliciting his co oieraiion in of bullion, estimated at $10,000, to bo the discharge of tho responsible duties opened and weighed beforo the two com- devolving upon you, will no doubt sug. missioned officers. These boxes were de- gest itself to your mind, aud I refer to livexed to K It. Wood, Maj. and Q. it merely to give my cordial concurrence M., at {Washington* Wilkes county, on to such action on your part Vtry re-the 6tli May, 1865. I employed four spcctfnlly, J. M. 8t, Jobn,young men of tho Washington Artillery, J Commissioner General.UOv.AlU0clUio1R.IUIml
Newspaper Details
Atlanta Daily Sun
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Thu, Mar 07, 1872
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 28 Nov 2021
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