True Democrat., 1862-12-24


 first begun by shop-keepers, as they style them selves, the merchants.
 P. Not by all. There were some who sold out their stock of goods at the old prices and closed their stores. One or two did this in Little Rock, and others, am told did so at Washington, Clarks- vile and other points in this State.
 F. The exceptions you mention are noble ones. Their names should be preserved and honored- But the greater number, doubled, trebied, quad- rupled their prices. They got gold as long as any was to be had, and then amassed large quantities of paper. They hid goods until the market was exhausted and then produced small quantities' which they sold at twenty times their cost. Some, ashamed, if such beings feel shame, or afraid sent their goods to auction to be sold so it might not be known who was the owner. To add to thls' these fellows devised and practised all sorts oi schemes to keep out of the army. They sought and obtained petty cerkships or stations in CIVIL or military offices. You will find them as com missaries, understrcppers in quartermastefs oe- partments or snugly eseouced somewhere and then talk of being in the army. With fine salaries, they enjoy the privilege of buying all the necessaries of life from the government at low prices. Iheir corn, four, bacon, sugar, and even coffee, are oo tained at cost as oecers stores, rations, or such humbug. Now does the evil stop here. Getting their supplies thus cheaply, and having. fine saa- ries, they can afford to buy luxuries at exorbitant prices. Chickens, eggs, butter, calicoes, winch they cannot "draw," they can afford to pay prices for which are beyond the reach of the poor. The result is that they keep up prices.
 P. You speak severely, MT. Figgers.
 F. The severity is in it's truth Mr. Phax. If this war should close, these fellows will talk oi their being n the army, and try to create the i'm prcssion that they rendered valuable aid in the great struggle for freedom They are at 1t already You may hear them talk of " our army " our division" and " department" All this, while the poor man is in the field, trenches or hospital, at eleven dollars month, and if his wife or mother at home, wants to buy chicken dress, she finds the price is beyond her means because tllis fellow has offered dollars where she only has dimes
 ?. When the war closes, public opinion will fasten itself upon these men and they will find that ther demerits are noted and condemned. F. Pnblic opinion is not worth fig. It has no votes. It is poor. No sir, if peace should be pro claimed tomorrow at noon, before sunset these fellows would be on the way to the North, with their boarded gold to buy Yankee goods and nearly break their necks to get them here to sell at high prices.
 P. But, surely, the people would rot buy them. F. Indeed they would.
 r. But when things settle down these things will be remembered and the people will refuse to trade with men who have acted so.
 F. You judge others by yourself, MT. Phax, in supposing that they will remember these things. They will do more fourishng business than ever. They have the capital to commence with. 4 pre- sent of few yards of calico to farmers wife; of a pair of boots to some influential man; hat to some poor devil of editor, and To. their sins are all forgotten the money wrung from the poor, and wet with the tears of the poor soldier wife or widow when it came to their hands, will make them influential. Their wives and daughters, in silks and satins will roll by in their carriages and bespatter us poor plebians with mud or dust, will turn up their noses at the honest, oling poor, and take the first seats at the synagogue or festival.
 P. Every vice has it's punishment and will not these men be punshed
 F. Yes, because their is q God and hereafter. Doubtless many wi Il find that their llgotten riches take wings.
 P. But there is class who are neither store keepers or farmers--people who have nothing to sell and who buy of both
 r. These are the real sufferer; these are be- tween the upper and the neither millstone And what is worse tLan all is that these are the ones who are carrying on the war. Families of absent soldiers who are exposed to Yankee buets are bled to death at kome. Mechanics have some chance to keep even by extorting for their labor, but there are others who have nothing to sell or whose income would barely suffice in ordinary times P. God help them. These are great wrongs ! and the remedy is somewhere. Let us study the matter and if some palliative for these ills can not be found; some plan devised to check this spirit of speculation and extorton, and some mea- sure of relief to be proposed. Let us ponder on it and next week suggest tine remedy to each other. Till then, MT. Tiggers, good bye.