The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-11-10
GEN. GUSHING AND THE LADIES

! vulsion. The New York Herald takes the
other side of the question, and declares
that nearly all the ladies,-we suggest to
him to speak of his own section, for it is
not true of the Southern ladies-who have
money or credit, or could obtain either.
have been for several years shamefully ex-
travagant-that they are almost entirely
responsible for the excessive imports of ar
ticles of luxury, which imports have drain
warehouses with articles which are of NO
earthly use, and that they are even now
spending too much money for articles which
| they do sot need, but which they buy sim-
ply on account of decline in price.
The Herala then proceeds to substanti-
ate its charges by figures. 1t says: "The
total value Of the imports for the fiscal year
ending, June 80, ls56, was $3l4.639, ,942,
of which. for articles of luxury consumed
by women. we have spent $43,62A559.-
Forty-three millions of dollars! That is
equal to the whole product of the gold
mines ia California for aae year. and that
would have more than suficed to have saw
ed US from the crisis. Of this sum $3l,-
218,766 were paid for silks and manufac-
lures of silks; $6376, $50 for laces and en-
broideries; shawls, $2,529,771 gloves.
$l,344.55O; furs, $964,73l; jewelry, $S44,-
G30 ; silk and worsted goods, 81 ,335247.
We spend two millions more for silk than
for sugar. and so on. We have omitted
many items which would tell against the
women, as il may be urged that men con-
sumo portion of the articles above emu
merated. The articles omitted-bijouterie.
artificial flowers, French shoes and boots,
fancy articles, and the thousand and one
fripperies that make up that wonderful mys-
terry, fashionable women's attire-would
moro than balance the account. There is
little item of $42, 900 for purfumed soap.
which is quite good index to the whole
thing. Again, it must be remembered that
these figures are taken from the Treasury
reports, and that the articles are valued ut
something under the Wholesale rate, while
our fair country women are charged upon
all such matters as laees at least one hun
dred per cent. profit. A set of laces which
cost in Paris twenty dollars could not be
bought here in flush times for less than
sixty. 1t should further be remembered,
that twenty or thirty thousand of our wo-
men either reside abroad or 60 to Europe
nearly every summer. The amount of rich
stuffs-slks, satins, velvets, shawls and
jewelry-which they run through the Gus
tom House free, is something enormous
not less than a million year; and all luxu-
ries of not the slightest use to any body on
the face of the earth. We have seen OH
board one ship lady enter, as her person
al baggage, twenty large trunks. No
princess in the world would have so much"
The Herald then proceeds to add insult
to injury by speaking of the marked dis
tinction between the promenade dresses of
"upper ten" and of these abroad the
French and English women going out to
walk in plain, neat serviceable dresses,
whilst the New York aristocracy, having
very much the vulgar and undiscriminat-
ing taste for show which characterizes the
African character, have for walking dresses
robes which are made for carriage or the
drawing room. Nowhere in the world"
says the Herald, ''are the women dressed
SO badly and so expensively as in America.
When we go abroad we are astonished by
the simple morning and promenade COS
tunes of the daughters of the English no
with rent-rolls TO which an
American fortune is a drop in the sea. A
French Countess, with a fixed income of
hundred thousand pounds year, will not
spend half so much on her dress as the wife
Of New York merchant whose business
nay give him profit of ten thousand dol
ars year, and may bring him in debt to
double that amount. Let the Chevalier
Cushing look at the vulgar display made at
Saratoga, Newport or Cape May, and com
pare it with the modest attire of the aris-
;ocracy of Baden, Brighton or Barrritz."
This is the Herald's account of it 0Dn
aristocracy. 1t is not a true picture of
american women in general; for happily
he overgrown Northern cities are not
america. A lady correspondent of the
Herald. however, gives him q Roland for
his Oliver. She asks him who smoke the
our millions of dollars worth of cigars and
obacco which are imported, and who drink
he seven millions worth of foreign wines
md spirits who support the gambling
,Iubs, fast horses and fast women.
THE WEATHER AND CRoPs.-Many of
,ur readers will be pleased to preserve the
ollowing statement, deduced from the re-
,iew and examination of thirty-two years.
IS lately given in DeBow's Review:
Average latest spring FROST March 23.
Average earliest fall frost, October 26.
Average time between the latest and earl
lest frost. months and 4 days.
Average date of first bloom, June S.
nd for 1857, as follows:
Latest spring frost, April %.
Earliest fall frost, average October 20.
Growing season, 6 months and days.