Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-25
TIE issue OF SHALL NOTES BIZ TEE CORPORA
TON OF RICHMOND.

which led 70 the issue OF snau Do'es " VIC oou eu
the public not priva to which that 'sus has been
appropriated, will enable the constituents of that body
to understand fully the merits of this action on the part
Of their representative II would appear that the act
was determined upon after consultation With the best
and highest authority financial aad defensive mea.
sure OF the direst necessity impersvey called fer by
the position Of Richmond ct the time indispensable 70
comfort and support Of her volunteers aud their FAM
e to the defence Of the city from an approaching foe,
and to the part she called upon sustain in her
position the Capital Of the Confederate Sates The
fact that the city has been Aoodd With other .sues offs
mixed indefinite and extent irresponsible small
note currency, for private Joft cannot a the pal
pabe policy which prompted the issues of the Corpora.
ton to meet the public necessity.
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF TIE STATE OF
VIRGINIA:
The Common Council OF the City Of Richmond would
respectful ly represent
Tnst the difficulties crossing OFT Of our rev relations
TO the United States, during the last spring, cUmpd
the Council considsr what could be done by hen for
the relief OF people and the defence OF tie coanuy
against the threatened war upon Us By the Tilted Stats
Government. Tho CouGcl sIS that the apr tensions
OF evil had Withdrawn from cir;ulspu large porion
Of the gold and sYer which had entered into daily
uses of the people, aud thsg although the banks OF The
Commonwealth had been author ED by the Convention
70 issue notes uSdsr the dnomInaIoG Of five dol,Ts
this privilege had acted a linn ed
by ia Sc institutions citix compc ID
pay per cent premium for all the gold aud silver
which they required 70 have In carrying their
business.
Tho Council we're well aware ha. from the location
OF the City Of Richmond and bscau'o il 10 be
for time the scat OF the Confederate Government aad
the point which the troops would be conceBIs ed
the expenses which be borne by the people wculd
be great; aud therefore the Council were compelled
TO consider what we're the resources from which
these expenses might be met. The condition If
the country bad rendered il impossible to sell the
bonds of the city, and the had ben a high
10 the prosraion Of business could be borne by
people. And the only measures by which could
eiy tue want Of small CURRENCY, and provide tie
means Of meedog the drafts which would be m-de upon
w. were to stop all expenditures for city purposes po
per, which X possible TO dispense with, and i-sue
notes under the denomination OF FIVE dollars The fIst
OF these the Council proceeded at car.
ry into effect; and every dollar Of expenditure for the
city which was no: absolutely necessary has bee sp
ped IIdesd the OILY expenditure Of any amount for
the improvement Of the city which has been made dur
Jog the year. has been uptn the new slms hou.e, which
has been surrendered to the Confederate Government
free of rent, 10 b. used as a hospiBl
The Couucl klew that il had been the policy OF the
State of Virgiuis and tho members Of Council ap.
proved that policy prevent the issue Of bank NOES
under the denomination Of FIVE dclsrs ard suppress
the Issue OF notes by unchartered COMPARES aud ia6i
viduals. But under the circumstances Of tho coun.
try, the Convention had relaxed that policy as to
the issuesf small notos by our own bank and had
admitted such notes Issued by banks Of other STATES;
ard no rational doubt that the notes OF the Cry
OF Richmond would be much better and safer currency
for people than the notes OF these foreign b4Iks
Of the condition soyency OF which they must he to
great extent ignorant And 1t seemed u the Council
that the law however wise and polite when tho c.un.
try was at peace, and was Suffering from nosoutwa'd
disturbing causes, ought not be permitted TO s.and
in the way Of prcydif the which ne
cessary 10 protect cur homrs ana defend our lb,r-
ties against ruthless and INSCRIPTIONS enenies.
The Council therefore, after consulting With the Gov.
vernon of the Commonwealth, and Obtaining bis sp-
prova Of the measure determined to issue three hur
dred thousand dollars of the not Of the city Of the dc.
nomination Of and two cellars and Of 6 ~ cents
and the most OF them have be N Issued.
The Council mis- AIKEN In supposirg that the
demands upon the city treasury would De very g'eat-
The CoLfrd erate Government could not buy house
without the Of the General Assembly and none
suitable for the resd Of the Predent Of these
federae States could be rented aud ia this emery ncy
TIE Council applied 70 to purchase house WHICH
might be used for ha. purpose. This application tho
Council f. t could not refuse, and house al furniture
have been purchased at cost Of be iUrtytWo aud
fortythre thousand dollars which terdtred r,nt
free to the Government but whilst the house accept,
ed the tender as to the rent was d, cinel
This city has furnished to the army ef the Cor edee
States twenty-five hundred volunteers. For arm-
ing and clothing these volunteers, the Couuci IL Aur
las. apprc psted fifty thouand dcll1r; and this sppro
p'iaoa has been expended. In September a further
appropriation Of fifty thousand dollars made for
providing volunteers with clothing and blankets for
the winter; and company OF volunteers from Maryland
has been adopted as part OF our own And whilst We
have thus provided fer those who Of house
held Rave not beer unindfli Of the many lcs soldiers
among US coming from other paris Of the counlry but not
TO spesk of what has been done Tor them by citizens
the Council has made ind. fate appropriation 70 pro-
vide medicines for them.
number Of cur volunteer companies now In tie
service OF the Confederate States, cid companies
formed long previous 10 the war; AID 10 these compIns
les there are many Who have families o. their .wD
o. mothers aud sia.eys Who are dependent upcl
their labor for support. These cannot DO
allowed to 60 into the camp and the & Id of bat.
e and pose themselves TO all the hazards aud IA.
taes OF BOTH in defence OF the country ard especial
ly Of ourselves and homes and their families be al.
lowed TO sufr from wen. home. Early in April up.
wards Of $4,000 we're contributed by private ciiEen,
to provide for hse families This fum, after the most
careful application cfi has bstn expendsd The Cout cl
mas snce opra,ed five thousand dl4rs 10 this
object and the demands from this source must not or
" t1ue but must increase duiiHg the winter. Ard
to be told tia. the fomi Of volunteers, Low
anding defence sgaint INVASION shs s.fer Tor
bread 10 cat and fire them, rather than the
City Of Richmond shall issue acne dollar a do lr
NOE as good and as safe currency ss any state can
isue.
Auother source OF heavy expense TO the city h the orn
GATORS which have been built around Fortified ions
for the defense Of other cities have been built the eI
psnse Of the States the Confederate Government or
by her troop but have been subjrc.ed to large eH.
pend;iure Tor iLose around Richmond whilst the
sand of soldiers imped around have been permit
ted to lounge idly in their camps wan6er IDLY
through streets For these fort foaons the Coun.
Gil has already appropriated thirty dollars and
sill have to pay some ten thousand collars III, re-
In addition to these expenditures immediately
> n citing our own people, and oh rs mish b. NJ n.
Toned the Coancil haa invested ~ thcu-sud asn
tho bonds Of the Confederate States In aid OF tue cause
in which the whole South is engaged
]! Is whilst we have thus been ezerting ourselves TO
guard the business interests Of the city, 10 provide for
the comfort of our volunteers ia the camp and their
families at home and to prepare Richmond Itself for do
tense against enemies, that fnd ours.lves AZ.
raigoed malefsctorS SUI sct to G1e and imprson.
ment for the adoption oil he OILY mearc within our