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The method of wholesale conscription exempting certain individuals by a system of details, which was put in force here, exceedingly convenient for the wealthy, and threw the great burden of peril and exposure upon the poorer classes. It is considered that of these forty thousand persons from eighteen to fifty years of age, one half were heads of families averaging three persons each. These persons nearly all of the poorer class have been almost utterly impoverished by the destruction of property of all kinds by war. So these sixty thousand, white  widows and orphans are to be added, other infirm white persons made destitute by war, or otherwise, and all of such helpless freedman, women and children as fail to find shelter with those of the wealthier class, for and with whom their lives were spent. So all it is fairly estimated that these several classes petitioners from  whom are moving all parts of the country, and of whom now begone individuals present themselves every day here, member in all one hundred thousand persons.

Possibly however the State might have cared for them in some sort if a crap had been made last year as was the case in Georgia and in Tennessee. But the very late occupation of Alabama presented the seasonable resumption of agricultural labor, and this cause, with the terrible drouth which supervened, has so far as I can judge placed this State nearly a year behind any of its neighbors. This phase has however been often enforced and illustrated to you.

Amid such vast need all that the Government can do is to select and care for those actually ready to perish. And this could only be done wisely through some system which could avail itself of persons of neighborhood reputation and acquaintance. To provide this a Commissioner was sometime since authorized by the Legislature and appointed by the Governor to distribute such supplies as were received by the Government and could be purchased with State bonds.

A system was set on foot by which as far as such system could be carried out, each justice of the peace in the State prepared a list of persons in his beat to whom supplies were indispensable. Each of the parties to this list made oath to his condition, enforcing various particulars. These lists were then consolidated and reduced by the county Commissioners and Probate Judges, by whom an agent was appointed who should
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once a month draw on a provision return signed by an affair of the Bureau, the number of rations allotted to the County, and issue them as best he could to the persons on the list. The circulars embodying this system are transmitted to you herewith. The allotment above referred to was made by the Governor the Commissioner and myself, in council, dividing according to the best information we could get, such an aggregate daily issue for the state as was the best with which we could possibly get along. Sin depots were established where County agents could get their supplies, and the Legislature authorized the Counties to meet the necessary expence - complete power of revision and [[?]] was [[?]] to the Commissioner both of the Bureau and the State. And change have from time to time been made. Under this system an estimate was forwarded for supplies to be delivered during the month of May, amounting to thirty thousand three hundred rations daily. You have been advised of the circumstances which led to this limit being fixed. During the first month there has been abundant evidence that great as it is it is yet insufficient. Men are starting every where trying to get help.

The Governor has not been insensible of the duty of the State to help herself in this emergency if forcible and and in repeated efforts to negotiate State bonds having failed he will go next week in person, to the principal food markets to endevor to buy food with bonds. With these it is proposed to supplement, and as fast as practicable make substitution for the amount required from the Government, He has only wated this long for the execution of the bonds. 

Meanwhite pending the effort and until the wheat harvest is got in, the Governor and the State Commissioner each worked in the strongest terms an increase for the month of June of five thousand rations daily - Copies of their notes are transmitted to y herewith. The estimate for June has accordingly increased and copies transmitted for your information. I hope I am insensible neither to the imperfections nor the grave evils of a gratuitous issue of such magnitude. Out in a question of life and death, these persons being not only worthy of confidence in their character information and judgement, but the official representation and guard of this people, & feel unable to refuse this exercise of a discretionary[[?]] particularly in view of the effort they are making to take the burden on themselves.
Next month the wheat crop and potatoes will afford relief and ?                

Transcription Notes:
Edited once through, but needs it again. The writer seems to want to write eloquently, but misspellings and grammar uniqueness make it difficult to understand the flow of thought.