Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-12
VAmPEREs.

80 outrageous and grsSping have specu4uoia
Fec-nty become in the country among uedesmen
and adventures, that the Executive OF our
STATE has been forced to recommend stringent
legislation On the subject TO the General Assem-
Div, now convened at Nashville. The reasons
given FOR imposing restraint upon the custom by
legal enactment, as presented in the message We
published on yesterday, are quite plausible, and
c~ertsinly deserve the most careful consideration
~ the hands of our public legislators. The laws
oG trade, depending solely upon supply and de-
nand, are so simple, that IN ordinary times tam
Bedng with them by Legislation would be uni
versalIy regarded as impolitic, not to say inde-
fensible. But at a crisis Ike The present. when
the very existence Of our young republic is al
stake, and hungry vampires, unmoved by an in
stnct Of patriotism and bent only on the salts
faeEon of their own rapscious appetites are sap
pin. the very likelihood Of the government by
m0uopoSS and eztortions. the QUESTION ssSumeS
IN entirely different aspect.
II public opinion cannot put down this info
nous system, which has obtained among q large
number Of unconscientious scoundrels, it is time
fr the strong arm Of Government to be brought
70 bear upon it. We must acknowledge that the
step Is exceedingly dangerous Ct any time, un-
les regulated by prudence and wisdom Of rare
character, and in taking it, the Legislature
should be careful to keep one distinction con
stautly in mind. A difference must be made be-
tveeu mercantile transactions where bona fds
sales take place at market prices, and cases
where professional spectators se holding large
stores Of goods, merchandise and provisions,
waiting for an advance in price. and refusing alb
-~'iu5ely to make any sales at present whatever
Ne constantly hsar Of these Shylocks every
G4y hiding away under lock and key such neoes-
say articles Of food as coffee, pork, salt, etc,
used daily by our army, with the expectation Of
realizing on them ten times their original cost.
Men in this city have been at this sordid and
misery work. caring little doubtless who con-
quers in this war, provided only they can get
tcn dollars a sack for salt which cost them one,
or fifty cents for pork that cost one-sixth OF that
amount. This class Of genuy-ve mean the
d.lssory kind that are holding on with a deadly
clutch, waiting ike Mr.. MICAWBEB for some
A+tAAk ~ Au4n uH -eAoAl4 4fNNlNt tuE tSlNN4dA
attention Of the Legislature. They are as insen-
sible 70 the modification OF popular olium as a
rhinOceros hide 70 q stroke from an ordinary
horsewhip, and, at course, ann be in1uSlced
IN the slightest degree by = mere exposition Of
their iniamy at Tee hands Of a journalist. Tufts
af grass viii fail to bring them down from the
tre they have climbed. Missiles Of . beavisr
character must be used.
But there is another view q the subject, which
viii do well TO attract tbe attention Of the Gen
epI Assembly, invoking the adoption Of an en-
iirely dferent policy towards these bloateI YAM
pires. 1t = to 1T them quietly continue 70 hoard
cad bold on to their accumulated stores, in the |
capacity Of instees for the government. When !
the army shall stand in Ssut Of these neccssa-
lies, and find il impossible 10 obtsin them else
where, government can order them to be seized
and appropriated to its own use, paving the
owners a reasonable price for the labOrs Of THEN
agency, and q profit that falls considerably sLon
Of their OWE unconscionSble calculations. Their
can be 10 dopbt about the fact shat this course,
@ the part Of the government, vii be fully
justified by public opinion, fvrif resoriel to at
al, & viii be done with great reluctance. But
craspmg Donopolists, who are dissatisfied with
any profit "a investments, falling short of five
or six hundred per cent, had better take warn
ing IN tine, and save their bacon
The policy Of the Confederate authorizes thus
f4r, in ~scrapuloasiy observing every httlS con
sElutional technically however Insignificant,
shows their laudable spirit OF forbearance and
Cancellation towards conspirators of all kinds,
mercantile, financial aud political. But if the
prompfinss Of patriotism fail, selfinterest viii
induce these parties not 20 go beyond their tetheT
lines, remembering SAat there IS limit beyond
which this forbeaunce win cease 70 be a virtue.
The establishment OF our national liberty upon o
safr and permanent basis Is the goal towards
which lre direct our concentrated energies, and
ID dishonest schemes Of s~peculatcTs and eztor-
iionistz can b. allowed foy one moment to cir
rasayeat or i~ulsirats las great and glorious con-
e1nuzLrr.