Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-28
FJr the Enqvirer
Kiunds fnr Tho War.

i The Montgomery correspondent Ci lce hlcn'
nond Enquirer" says:
"In regard to funds for the war. fifty mil
! lions will probably be raised, one hall by trea.
sury notes; one iourt': by customs, and one
fourth By direct taxation"
Well, and suppose that We should raise this
amount by these modes. Grant that our cred
| it will be sutfi icicnt TO Sustain the Treasury
note system to the extent CT twenty tive mil
| lions now, as doubt not it will be. Grant
that the customs will yield twelve and halt
millions in spite Of blockadcs and he war pan.
ic which is perhaps probable Grant, TOO,
thut the people can respond 10 direct taxation
to the same extent without embarrassment
and without&pfoducing discomfort, which is
certain. It yet il manifest that this whole
scheme is an up Hill business THAI it may
strain. our credit, and bur,hen the people
create sense Of insecurity for the future, and
distress the country with a fear that in the
.even. we shall have 70 continue tile system to
meet the augnenting demands of prOtracted
uar, VIC may not have the means to prosecute it
with the yigor and unon the extended scale
necessary to the establ lishment Of urinde1nen,
I dence and our credit sn1ong hue nations OF the
earth.
1t is manifest that no nation on earth mas
the same amount Of permanent resources for
the prosecution Of eterHc! war, rs the ConieGe-
rate States Our cotton, rice and tobacco are
all surplus. We can live in luxury, and sus.
thin ali cur interests upon one.haJ uf our agri-
cultural productions. | combine my estimate
10 the single article Of cotton. One hall the
annual crop, or lwo millions OF bales, will DC
amply sufficient to meet the current wants OF
the C0ttoo States. Suppose that the Conleda-
rate Government should buy tie other half,
and pap j0r in G05<rnment bonds Of fdsn0mi.
nations suita6ls Jvr u home surrehey. This
would at once relieve al! pressure OF debt g..
home, make the Government strong in tho IL.
terssts, as we'll as the affections Of all classes
iLr at least two generations, ED furnish
permanent anaualJuna Of one hundrtd mil
lions efdoliars Jo7 tie prosecution n tie aoar!
Add to this fund the resources Of .he border
States, and tue cIstoms; and the Confederate
States would, at q bound, rise 10 a position OF
FISCAL power and credit which would parsiyzs
line Northern Government, and establish an in
auence in Europe, which would mock ct and
DEFY all attempts 10 degrade our nationality,
or delay the acknow led sGnent of our indcpcn.
dence.
1t is manifest that the only solution Of this
war is to be found in the utter p2os.ration Of
both North and South, or tEe timely inter posi-
ton Of other nations, 10 prevent such an cx.
haustion Of Our resources IS would deeply az
fec. their own interests. This iHtcrposlton
can be best secured by q movement which will
place US at once upon permanent rdr JVot-
ing, az to pccuniary means, and deinsnstratc
to the keen eyed statesmen OF Eagiand and
France that our sujWgatioa Is an iHzpossi1iHty,
That demonstration would establish our fac
to nationality, aad it would speedily result i'll
having it made u de jure nationality.
Ii this plan should result in pouring into
the Confederate treasury more money lnan
should be necessary, there could be no diff
Gully in aPproprialing the surplus 10 the re-
dcnption Of It's bonds.
DO not pretend to elaborate the details Of
this scheme, and especially in its application 10
the agricultural productions Of the border
States. throw oct tie leading idea ss sug.
ges.Ion, and in7ire 70 its consideration the pub
itc mind Unquestionsbly We have al the re-
sources the occasion can demand. Ii becoIues
Us 10 consider in what way they can be made
,ncst easily available and most potential.
DESCRIBING entirely the theory that public
debt, oi any Sort is pubic blessing it yet
seems 10 ne, that, ii The Confederate States
Government can 20 through This war and cone
out victorious, with no debts but t. the people
OF these Stltes, it will enter upon It's career
of nationality infinitely stronger than II en-
numbered with the burthen Of foreign deot.
There would be 10 difficulty in having the
cotton delivered 10 the Government in our
warehouses, by simply requiring them 10 re.
ccive it-pay Confederate bonos for IL, and
pass iu to the credit Of the Government, s2d
deliver receipts tor il TO the TREASURER in pay
rnent for the bonds.
But do not cl,oose to specify details. An
act of Congress could be easily SO con!ryed,
as to regulate, not only cotton, but all our
other agricultural exports.
This scheme not only avoids sn experiment
at direct taxation, at the aorong t;ms, but Sc.
cures the policy Of ESSENTIAL Jree trade from
the serious difficulty which will result 10 it by
the necessity Of raising much revenue irozi
the customs. Direct taxation and free
trade may hereafter betoms The settled policy
of our government, and ous h. not to be broken
doun in Hdrahee by the weight Of the war.
The one will pro.cc. us against the corruptions
Of the old Government, and the other bring 10
cur support the sympathy Of all nations.
May 20!h, 1861. MARLBOROUGH.
p. S.-A very judicious friend, TO whom
suggested my scheme, deems it to be impraeti
ceJls. As an economist he approves 1t, and
thinks if it could be reduced Lc practice it
would work admirably. HIS scruples have
mace me think, and the mo:e do think the
more am convinced that ine plan is <attrsty
practicable. 1t would be very simple opera
ton for the fiscal officer Of The Government! 81
each por. to take possession Of the agricultu
ral cxpo-ta, as the agent Of tho Government,
sci. them abroad, and. upon The reception d!
account sales, TO pay over 10 the warehouse.
men, as the agents Of the producers, the pro-
cceds Of the saes-nalf in money and nall in
Confederate bonds-aad to pay into the Trea.
sury half The money. Their bonds could be
made ample and there could y" no fraud, as
the books Of the warehouses Id contain ey-
idence of all the facts IN each Gaze, and the in
dividusl planters would hoi'; receipts that
would render any collusion i'm. .ssible.
Perhaps system even moro simple and safe
than this might be da"ised II.
a HIoH CoMPLlHEHr,-All. the pagers OF