Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-24


CsppsspsnAspps % ne Whi9. -,
TO TIE PRIEST OF ygE CONFEDERATE State.
In the udst Of your many other grave sld important
duss The present dsvovss on You enc Of the most
extraordinary and anomalous Of I'll 10 this county You
ara BY force Of circumstances exsrcsng the same pow
ordinarily welded BY ths municipality Of Paris and
Other Europssn eitisa. Toa srs nov regulating tho
price Of bread. Buying here In Virginia. ct the rate OF
three millions Of bushels Of shest year. and about the
same amount Of corn, you determine the price Of these
tvo great staples Of our State in al our nsrksta The
price givsn BY The small buyers q regulated BY tho
prios given BY your Commissioners. The millsn will
ALLOW no more to the farmer than the amount which will
enable them 70 mako proat in selling your agents.
Like Rothschid In the stock Market or Louis Napoleon
In the grain Market ordinary purchasers follow In your
wake There being an abundant supply, there ID no
composition and buyers gladly plead your example in 70
ducng thsir Offers y the dniuuvs price given By your
agents.
The farmers are obliged 70 ssll-thsy cannot keep
back their grain The increase Of Kaon aud the large
y enhanced price Of everything they buy, must force
their grain into Market wherever IL Is possible 70 make
the transportation. You will purchase. them at whatever
price Il p,sasss you. TIE question now presents ITSELF
1t the interest Of your consistency the people Of the
Confederate Ssatss ths the price Of breadsus should be
aIsd low - not to pay the cost Of productou' No
one Who Is all acquainted wish the subject, believes
that the present prices regulated - they are BY the pr
Cos given By toe Commissioners Of the army, would
store 70 the farmers the expenses Of making their grain.
The Who would engage in the cultivation Of wheat
and corn for . series Of yssrs, the prices remain.
ing - they nov are, and also the prioss Of other
commodities, voull soon find himself . bankrupt.
Nine.tsutbs Of the people you represent are farm
ers and producers OF corn and wheat. Though
not al interested 10 the price Of thts, articles
sellers yet they have al the symps.hss Of tbi, class
These the who are for tbs most part tbs pay
srs Of the taxes on which the Government must rely 70
carry the present war. Again. just p-iss for the
produces Of their l,bor win enable them TO ply the
taIes. without Il thsre vill DO great difficulty. TIE
Confederate State sod County taxes average more than
one per cent their o,pital rnls Is equal to sixteen
and per cent Of their beng sup
pod to BE- on an average not more than Elk per cent.
10 ordinary years Add to this bIrdsn OF taxation the
screass In pa, Of everything they buy-.ha increase
amounting on many commodities to ons hundred per
osat-thsn the extraordinary expense which they have
voluntarily incurred in sending soldiers into the Ia
taking care Of their families; in many instances in the
purchase Of arms and in the supply Of hospitals aud
also in forwarding TO the soldiers In camp many neces
ries and even Injuries. Il must be recollected aso
that the production Of tho country 10 m;nshed to
some extent by the sbssncs Of % many useful and
industrious men, and also BY the withdrawal Of
L. -knk .wa linn into T..
forHcstious and clear fores and others who hsve at.
tended their masters to the camps Under tbee crcum.
stances can be desirable DO sIpadisn tina, the
prs, Of the products Of the farmer should be Pot down
By the action Of this Government below the cost of
making them. Would IL not embArrass the Government
itself more than BY giving fair remuneration! II
you adop the pirsusd the rule Of action
It believed tina; large numbers will DO able to pay
ti.ir ts1sA But the c,ntary instead Of this Jew.
Ike preceding which has the odor Of the market hoes
aud Of psy shops, your agents should conform to the
ussgss Of grea. ami enlightened governmental and deal
fairly. not to y HOsraly, With the psopls Of the couu.
try, they can meet every reoaisidon on them. The
true question to Be asked Is not at how reduced price
corn and wheat may be bought 70 &C: on such prn-
cple 10 not consistent with morality justice policy
Il would b tser suited To Yankee spectator or coz
tractor. Better things srs expected Of aGovsrnmsnt
conducted BY Of high prize and Of clear per.
ceptions and rt6nsd sensbliy sutscs Of right and
honor. There 10 20 QUESTION about the disposition Of
the people All are wiling 10 give thei' whole income,
and s,FiA TO- IL b. necessary. But lst it DO gift,
"so nomine," Let not income and capital bs sscri.
hced under the form OF contracA There are few men
In Virginia, none that know Of, who do not expect
to contribute their lcoms to the prosecution Of this
wsr-nons that am personally acquainted With.
Who are not wiling TO Soi6ce their lives, also,
Il the fats Of war demand It.. There would DO
no hesitation In tbs srotion Of country il SELLERS
we're in need and the Government s,uld not Sup.
ply them, to stint ourselves a1d families and send
our stores 70 the defenders Of our liberties ia the
field. Many have done - already, rj,cing In the pr
vsss Of doing something for their s,unuy 10 this crisis
Of her destiny But the Government 10 not poor-iis
credit unlimited In the Confederate States IL h the
c,nH isrs, and affection Of the people All feel per-
sou,l interest In it. the grsa. engine Of defence against
savage enemy Who would deprive them Of their rgSs
and liberties Lat not these fssgs Of respect sad regard
be weakened BY agents, bridging the principles Of the
hone market into the great transactions Of powerful
~
dignity that Ito agents should not be permitted to s
the poe pie bu. on oil oesssIons 70 give fair reasonable
moderate prices for the produ,. Of thsir labor. Forty
Ave or Sgal osnts for Ia tbs price tfred on
the Hstt.poui and Rappshanuock; and red wheat the
kind principally used 10 mix, dour for the army, would
no. yield nett eighty cents. These arc not reasonable
prices. ThoY who sell do 90 from compuion. No far
n.r can make either for any such sum. X then, s,n.
sssnt With the respect the G,vsrnmsnt owes to itself
Does Il accord With any sentiment Of prcp-sy ard jas
tss reduce the eavsoss Of the soil 70 the necessity
Of taking such inadequate returns Tor their boi The
Covenants taxes them to suoh an extent to fierce
them to sell, sod then fIss the price n kan ons-thrd
less than the valaa Isb not presumed that you your
elf have given any attention 70 this su o. No one be-
usvss that you would lover the dignity Of the Gsvorn
psnt or oonnivs At icjus!es Of any kind You would,
doubtless, recommend economy but not p,rs;mouy.
II he's not prob,bly occurred to you In the midst Of