Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-16
Spectators and Extortioners.

In another place to-day we lay before our
readers an extract from the Mesa ge of Gov
Harris. of Tennessee, on the subject of those
who are fattening on the pi esent necessities
of the public. We are sorry this wicked and
unpatriotic spirit is so abroad ia the land =
We heartily commend the action of The Gov
ernor of North Carolina, who has prohibited
the citlzeus of that State from selling bacon
and other articles of prime necessity beyond
the limits of the State; aud of Louisiana, who
has seized for the use of the government all
the coffee In New Orleans, to prevent 1t get
ting into the hands of those greedy cormor-
ants who gloat over the wants of the public,
because they can thereby feather their own
nests.
Such men have none of the elements of hu-
mainly or patriotism in their composition.
Their ruling passion is lust for gain; and
their sordid souls care nought tor the miseries
OF their fellow mortals, aud have no interest
In the good of the country. if its ruin would
advance their own personal aggrandizement.
We hope the Legislature. at its approach
ing session, will put stop to alr this in Geor-
gia. We do not advocate aggrariauism, or any
interference with the sacred rights of proper
ty-neither do we desire any supervision by
our authorities over the morality or con-
science of any man. This is a free country,
and the spirit of our institutions is, to leave
every mans conscience free. impose no res
traints on him, aud protect his right of pro-
perty; but cur laws very justly prohibit
man from INDUCING in immoral habits to the
annoyance OF others, or the ouiraging of pub
lie decency; aud on the same principle the
law should prohibit man from taking adj
vantage of an0thers wants to eXtort and TO
grind The face Of the poor.
We by no means desire TO encourage a spir-
it of which some people are possessed look
with and IaalOuEV the nrOSnpfIty
OF others. This is wrong, and we condemn it
in any man. There is, however. a golden
mean" To be observed in all things: and ex-
tremes may run in either direction from that
grand point. We do hope our Legislature
will take some judicious step to put down all
monopolists, spectators and extortioners du-
ring these hard times.
Bacon is now selling in this city at so cents
per pound 1t did not cost any man the third
of that to make il. 1t is too high, and no man
should be allowed TO take advantage of the
scarcity of this or any other article of prime
necessity to extort immense profits from those
who are lily able to pay them, even III flush
times. sEt
No persons are more interested in proper
respect for the rights of property and all
other private rights than property holders
themselys; and no country in the world ex
lists where greater popular respect for pri-
vate rights is observed than in the States
now composing our new COnfederacy. In
order to preserve this same state of feeling.
let those who own property be sure to do
nothing Justly calculated to excite the bad
feelings on the part of those who own but
little. 1t is duty the Legislature owes to
the people TO enforce a proper regulation.
which will effeciually prevent all extortion-
ers and monopolists from making the danger
Gus issue just alluded to. Our peace and
safety at home, and the perpetuity of our in
stitulions and country, all demand some at
tention to this subject.-Atianta (Ga.) Con-
federdcy @