, 1862-05-15
Melancholy Picture Of Richmond
business Houses ClosInG-StarVatIoD
Prices.

[From the Richmond Examiner Mayz1
The present week Will be signalized in the
future Of Richmond Is the great week Of auc-
tons. A larger amount Of property, greater
number Of stocks of merchandise and greater
variety Of goods have been sold at suction du-
ring the present week in Richmond than has
ever been known during the same time in the
history Of the city. The effect, OF course, has
been to close greater number Of stores Of the
fr6t-class, heretofore leading houses in their
several departments Of trade, than was ever
known to close in q single week.
The circumstance has been the necessary re-
suit of recent legislation OF the State. The
blockade prevents first class houses of charac-
Ter from Teplenishing their stocks of goods.
Many Of them would nave continued open with
the remnants Of the stocks they had on hand if
they had been allowed to take out licenses for
fractions Of the year, corresponding with the
size Of their stocks, and if the licenses thus
obtained had permitted the goods remaing on
hand at the end Of the fractional term to be-
then SOLD at auction.
But p is said that the recent Law of the Leg
iElatdRe forbids the issuing of licenses for less
than year, and that such licenses, under the
new Inv, do not include permission to close
out at auction The year for new licenses
commences on the 1st of May. Hence the
unusually large number Of auctions within
the last few days, and hence the melancholy
number Of respectable houses Of business sud
4VAAt NAOoEA III I'LL Phl 10 Va kut civ.
We suppose . like falling off in the number
Of licenses taken out is to be observed
| throughout the State. In part the fact re.
| suits, naturally from the war and blockade,
but it is due also, in great degree, to the
policy Of law which has, at least, defeated
| its great end Of creating the largest possible
| revenue.
=. With the removal Of Gen. Winder's tariff,
the, prices Of country produce and fish flew;
oack with recon proportionate to the heavy
pressure which had been removed. Eggs SOLD
yesteFday morning for sepentyf,r cents a dozen,
qnd 1. ontatr JoT do1ar and h4!t' a pound.
High as these prices appear. they are not ex-
| orb1tant IN comparison with the prices de-
| manded for butchers meat, bacon. groceries.
dry. goods, wood, dc. Butchers meat was
held, according to quality, at between thirty.
| five and hall and fifty cents pound; bacon,
hre#ood from country carts, is sold at the
rate OF twelve dollars q cord. In the way oi
dry goods, we give few instances TN,
bleached cotton is sold ut from twenty-five
to thirty seven and forty cents yard, ac-
cording. to the conscience Of the dry goods
man; bleachcd cotton from thirty 10 forty
cents per yard, and often sold for sixty-two
and half cents yard; spool cetton, two
| collars dozen; Irish linen, from seventy
nVe cents to one dollar and quarter a ward
and domestics at fifty cents yard
An E2cGsABLE INDULGENCE IN RHETORIC,
| From the Richmond Enquirer, May 6,1
Important events are to come in the birth
and the waiting, anxious solicitude which
possesses the public mind, is not favorable
for audiences to other themes. Aud upon liz
pending battles the thought Of which now
engages the concern Of this couptry
! conjecture would be but mockery. Th,
The future is about to throw open her gate
and great events to stalk forth. We attcn
the development with the sensibility whicl
the occasion eyokes and we suspend the con
hict Of opinions and the balancing Of specula
tions, to listen in silence to the sentence .
tate and the logic OF accomplished results.