The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1862-12-12
Remedy for Exeortiou,


There has been so much said upon the sub
ject of extortion, and seemingly to so little
purpose, we almost grow sick when we SEE
the word. Abusing the extortioners is some
what like abusing the trafickers in mean whis
key-the more they are abused the worse
they become. No man takes what is said to
himself, for the reason that what is everybo.
dy's business is nobody's business. We have
long since given them over to the devil and
the gnawing of their own consciences, and
now only refer to the subject to suggest a re,
medy. No man is so blind that he cannot
see, nor so ignorant that he cannot under.
stand, that the extortionate prices of food and
clothing are seriously threatening the over
throw and ruin of our Government. The evil
may be paliated, possibly remedied, by the
following means:
Let day be fixed for the funding of the
notes now in circulation, and if not fund
ed by that time they shall not be funded
at all, but be left to be redeemed according to
their face, six months after a treaty of peace
concluded with the U. S. Government. IF
funded, that diminishes the circulation to that
extent. 1t is the demand and supply, and
the amount Of money in circulation, that rule
prices Let the new issues be made fundab!e
peremptorily, at short intervals, thus to pre-
vent redundancy. Let Congress levy d.
rect tax to meet the interest of the funded
debt, by that means to keep up the credit of
the Government. Let an act Of Congress be
passed fixing prices on all necessaries of life
corn, wheat, -four, rye, oats, barley, pota-
toes, beans, tnrnips, and so On throughout
the list So also on cotton, tobacco, rice, SUI
gar and molasses-on boots, shoes. leather.
jeans, linsey, cotton cloths and yarns Let
it be required, as writer has already sug-
gested, that every person who is trader and
Spectator shall say on oath what his profits
have been the last - months, and after al
lowing him reasonable per centage, require
that he shall pay the overplus into the Trea-
sury to pay the interest on the funded debt,
Something like this must be done, else the
army will be dispersed, the Government bro
ken up and the South subjugated. Prices of
all food of whatever kind, whether for man ar
beast, are daily incre asing. and daily is con
fidence diminishing in the ability of the C :
vernment to redeem its issues. The prices
given for everything and anything, prove the
estimate set upon our currency-shoes 10 to
So pair, boots 20 to $50, pair of jeans
pants $50, a jeans coat so to $40, a bushel of
corn $50 to So, a bushel of wheat 81. a bar
rel of flour sos, bushel of sweet potatoes IS.
and so of everything that is bought and sold. !
Now what people can stand sneh prices p
what Government that gives such prices can
foot the bill?
If the prices were fixed, every body would he
satisfied but the Jews, and the cormorants in
our midst.
To leave prices to the laws of trade is idle.
An extraordinary state of things now EXISTS,
calling for palliation or an eiaectaal remedy.
The latter is almost, if not entirely, im,ossi-
ble The cry is universal, to put a ssor to
and let the effort be made. Who
n our Congress has the moral courage to
perform it? Political men should be bold in
'ttering corrections for evils, withou. regard
o the loss of the favor of that class who would
ct the Government sink, so they heanea up
reasure. 1t we prize liberty. the evil must
De put down. Humanity appeals to us to do
t. The poor and the families of soldiers an.
zeal to us to give them bread. and shoes and
lothlng. Shall we hesitate The hanest
nan says no! The soldiers wife aud chill
lren say no? and the army with one voice
avs no?