Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-03-20
From the Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel
Our Destiny.

proper light2 Let US stop a moment'and
reflect and examine ourselves and our
course. What are we doing? We are all
frail beings and cannot see far into the fu-
ture; we never know what day will bring
forth yet We all have our views of things,
past and ahead, and one mans opinion or
notion is worth about as much as another's.
Mine is this, and if it is worth anything,
examine it and profit by it: The course
that large mass of the citizens of the
Southern Confederacy are taking, is whip.
ping the South most awfully, and if the
Yankees will just stop and be still, they
need not fight any more We will soon whip
ourselves. .. .-
Only be still one moment and let your
mind survey your acquaintance around you,
and you will find that very many Of the
citizens in every community, who made
the most and the loudest noise about Sc
cession and fighting for our rights, they, in
so many instances, are now the ones that
are staying at home, and going to war is
the farthest from their mind, but running
here and there, trying to speculate upon
the soldiers even that have gone to do our
fighting as we'll as those that are behind.
Take, for instance, our Cotton Factories;
twelve months ago they we're buying COT
ton at from 10 to II cents and making it
into Osnasburgs and selling it at II to III
cents; now they are buying the cotton at
8 to 81 cents, and selling the Osnaburgs
at rs to % cents, and making a larger per
cent. on lighter homespuns. But they say
the demand makes it so high. That is
false pretext. What is there about it to
make it cost any more than it did twelve
months ago Nothing but principe
that is false, untrue to the interests Of our
Confederacy, and that principle is this
it is the love and desire of staying at home
and making money out of this war, instead
of going and fighting like true Pstriots.-
These men could sell their cotton goods at
10 to II cents and make 10 per cent. more
than they did twelve months ago. The
same may be said of oil goods of their man
ufacture. Men have already been heard to
say that they would not care if every fac
tory in the State we're blown up.
What better can We say of the Tannery
and Shoe business :? They are buying up
hides at from 8 to III cents per pound,
which are the old prices, when they made
negro shoes from Sl.25 to sl.75; now g.
rs to $500, when the leather cost them,
upless they buy it from a brother specula'
tor, an average exceeding 80 or S5 cents
per pound when the average weight Of the
shoes will not be two pounds per pair
So you can see the exhorbitant price and
dwarfsh patriotism. Shoes have been made
up and sent to the soldier out of inferior
leather, not a particle of calfskin about
them, pegged soles that did not weigh two
pounds, and allowing 80 cents per pound
for the leather, sl.60, they charging S..
5O-making the shoes. This is a pretty
good days work for a negro shoemaker,
costing perhaps one dollar per day. These
characters are helping to carry out seces.
sion and gain our independence with a
vengeance.
Talk about distillers. Congress, it is
said has passed an act, or the Confederate
authorities have ordered the seizure of corn
to stop distilling. God grant it may be
done, but am not able to see which is
doing the most harm of the three evils
mentioned. There are not few of the
speculative civil.doers in our Confederacy,
and if they could all be got together and
put into Brigade and put under Ben.
McCulloch or JEFF. Thompson, it would
be the largest now in the Southern Con.
federacy and I honestly believe they are
doing more to whip the South than all the
Brigades of the enemy.
I mention those as only few instances
of the terrible army who are making capi'
tai out of the war for speculation. don't
know that l would be going too far to say
that our government would be doing well
to stop awhile the manufacturing Of mum
Iitions of war till this class of l don't now
what to call them are put down, or curbed,
in some way.
This article is already getting too length
y, but my duty to the soldiers already in
. the field compels me to notice another
class; it is this: Much the largest portion
of our army is made up of men who have
but little at stake, or to fight for. But,
says the wealthy gentleman, am making
it up by my heavy taxes. You are paying
tax on what you are worth; the poor, OF
man of little wealth, is doing the same,
= while many Of them and their SONS are en-
during the hardships Of a camp life as well
as the suferings Of the battle field, and in
, many instances, furnishing themselves with
the necessary clothing and covering to make
their lives and health secure.
This last complaint is not intended to be
as general thing, for there are many who
are doing noble deeds of courage and ot
liberality while others are staying at home
watching at every point and corner, not on
y to hold what they have, but to grasp still
, more, and keep their purses screwed sc
tight that the air can't even enter. Now
when this war is over, this is stigma thai
will follow this class of men through life
and unfortunately their children after them
: Tell me not that these men can lay theil
hands upon their hearts and say with a cleal
: conscience that they feel that they are do
ing their duty. Tel! me not that these mel
OF exhorbitant prices and charges, because
the demand is SO great, are justified; bu
# you will tell me that it is for the wan
: of that sort of material which constitutes 6