Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-08
THE QUESTION OF WAYS AND MEANS.

| To the Editor Of the Wig:
The financial condition Of country Is such as y
arouse feeling of the deepest interest and concern
the bosom Of every patriot trust you will there or
pardon me for trespassing on your time, with commu
ucstion from such an humble individual as myself upor
subject that is epgrossng the attention OF the wses
heads among us.
The Government mus. have funds, to carry on the
great struggle in which We arc now engaged and how
70 obtain them Is the question. All agree that foreign
loan at present. Is mprsccable and that We must rely
upon ourselves alone for the means but differ as to the
odu, opnan Il was the current impression that the
produce loan would sever the Gordan knot, but Mr..
Memmpgers letter exploded that idea for If carried out
as he explained il would certainly be Of no benefit to
the planter and in my humble opinion, Of but little to
the Government until the blockade be raised.
Direct pxaton must be resorted to, and unless the
Confederate Congress devise means to dispose Of
our produce taxes cannot be paid and at the expiration
Of the war we will be the verge Of bankruptcy Now
for the mutu. benefit of the Government and individuals
would it not be best instead Of issuing Treasury notes
bearing per cent interest," issue notes without interest
to be redeemed ten years hence devong oneha Of the
notes thus issued TO the purchase Of produce and the
other 10 the expenses Of tho thus making produce
the basis Of currency instead Of specie These notes
would be infinitely preferable to the hnpasers that
flooding the country and far better than those Of our
strongest banks for the Govern ment would have one
dollar in specie for every two that we're issued. The
scarcity Of money would be longer felt trade would
resume It's eli channels and would be again pros
rerous people Cautious fnanciers would recoil with
horror at the bare idea Of the millions Of paper money
thu, circulated through the country but paper just
a, good as gold il We have sufficient security that it
would be rtd,emod" The question however, might be
asked would these notes be sufficiently secureds think
thew would because as soon the is ended or the
blockade raised the Government having the monopoly
Of the cotton and tobacco trade could 80 regulate the
price Of those articles as to themselves from any
loss and If at the expiration Of ten years the Govern
roent could not redeem them all It could effect sui
cient loan on notes bearing interest either from capital
isis at home or abroad to liquidate the debt!
By making Treasury notes the currency OF the country
the interest amounting eighty millions in ten years or
one hundred milunQ, would be clear gain to the Con
federscy.
This plan II may be urged is impraeiicablc, bu. We
mus remember that long the present state OF thing
exists we are compelled TO live entirely within oursevs
and the notes will 20 from the Treasury into the hand
of the people many of them to be returned In the
of taxes, the Government s. holding the cotton an(
tobacco purchased. thus rsdeemiug them without eI
pending the basis upon which they were Issued.
These suggestions are thrown out with the hope tina
If worthy Of notice. some ADLER pen will give them to The
public 10 more presentsble shape. u.