commanding at Mobile. We therefore beg leave to submit to you a statement of facts which will enable you the better to judge of the propriety of your official interposition to prevent any further drain upon the labor of this part of the State.

A large portion of the county is settled be persons owning no slaves. White laborers under forty-five are generally in the Army. Their families are dependent for subsistence upon the slave labor of the valley. Moreover, this county is invariant by territory occupied almost exclusively by people of limited means, many of them, indeed, very poor. They come to this valley for corn from Coosa, Tallapoosa, Randolph, and part of Calhoun. We have refugees from North Alabama, which has been desolated by the enemy. All the county between this and North Alabama is sterile and destitute of labor. No refuge can therefore be found until they reach the Talladege Valley. Several thousand cavalry and artillery horses and mules are now in the county and have been for months. the consequence is that notwithstanding the large yield of grain last year there is barely enough now on hand to subsist the inhabitants of the county.

Under such circumstances it would be suicidal for the Government to take our labor from us now when we are planting our crops and doing all we can to raise provisions. It must inevitably result in great suffering, and deprive us of the means of supporting the families of the gallant men who are periling their lives in defense of liberty. This county has been a great thoroughfare for soldiers, being on the route from Jonston's to Polk's army.

Looking, then, alone to the public good and oblivious of our own personal interests, we respectfully request that you will use your influence to prevent any further impressment of labor in this county before next autumn. Very soon harvest will be upon us. Our corn crops are just being planted, and if labor be abstracted at this time the wheat must remain in the field or the corn go uncultivated. It seems to use to be far better to impress slaves in those counties where the poor are less numerous, labor more abundant, and the lands less productive of small grain.

Your Excellency is aware that the planters of Talladega have acted liberally in providing for the families of soldiers, having furnished corn at 50 cents per bushel. We mention this as an evidence of the true purpose of this request and to acquit us of suspicion o selfish designs.

Very respectfully,

LEVI W. LAWLER.

WM. MALLORY.

ABNER WYNN.

B. A. SMOOT.

SAML. W. SMOOT.

SIMON MORRISS.

N. WELCH.

O. WELCH.

JAMES MALLORY.

SARAH TUNDERLUNG.

T. L. POPE.

NAT. COOK.

JAMES B. WELCH.

WILLIAM WISON.

MARTHA WILSON.

MARTH. T. POPE.

MARY C. WILSON.

JOS. D. HEACOCK.

GEO. RISER.

M. J. CLIETT.

F. ALSTON BUTT.

H. COLEMAN.

WALTER REYNOLDS.

A. D. BELL.

THOS. H. REYNOLDS.

C. STAUFF.