| From the Memphis Appeal |
| |
| October 29, 1862 |
| |
| The Sugar Question |
| There would seem to be sugar
enough in the Confederacy for home consumption, from the following
extract of a letter from Jackson, Mississippi, to the Mobile Tribune.
It is an outrage on the part of the government agents to entirely
prevent the transportation of a portion of the sugar and molasses in
that region for the use of the people at home. If our soldiers have no
coffee, the question is pertinent, what do they want with so much sugar? |
| Considerable quantities of
sugar and molasses are being landed in this region. I would not name the
point; and there is great complaint by the planters, merchants and
people at the almost entire monopoly of this business by government
agents. |
| It is said that hundreds of
thousands of hogsheads of sugar now crowd the government warehouses, and
almost every means of transit is now taken up by the government. Sugar
and molasses are still going forward. |
| The inquiry very naturally is,
what does the government want with so much sugar? Perhaps the item of
molasses is not so large, and, can be more readily accounted for. The
soldiers do not generally get coffee, therefore the query, why so much
sugar? |
| The war is being waged to
protect the right of the people; but in the sugar question, the people
think that they ought to be allowed a chance to get some out for
the men, women and children which are at home. |
| They ask that one or two days
in each week at least be allowed for the transportation of these for the
people; but no, the order comes and goes that nothing but government
sugar must be forwarded, and boats and railroads are now (it is alleged
by many) all pressed into this sugar service. Hence, sir, your people
have to pay thirty-five cents for sugar, and $1.75 per gallon for
molasses. |
| I trust that our government
officers may take a practical, sensible view of this thing, and not goad
the people to intoleration. |
| I was informed that some
planters and merchants from Georgia and other States east left Vicksburg
without purchasing, because of the stringent government orders
fulminated at Vicksburg a few days since. |
| I hear a gentleman say
yesterday that complaints had gone forward to Richmond upon this
subject. It is hoped that the department there will see that this thing
is so far remedied as not to result so disastrously to the people, and
in so much complaint against the powers that be. |