Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-12-23

su1erlngs OF the people from the necessary incidents
OF the war. The price of foreign commodities was
increased many per cent There was an " extreme
scarcity and want of some necessary articles; for
example, much meat was spoiled and lost fot want
OF SAT- to preserve it: and many trades and mann.
lectures were either wholly stopped Or greatly dimi
nisaed for want of materials. Another hardship
very sensbly felt Tas the force which was used
win all descriptions Of men in 6eizing their goods.
wagons, Stock grain, cattle timber, and every thing
else which was wanted for the public service. To
these may be added the captures, the raxages, and
depredatlons the burnngs and plumbers of the enc
ny, which were very terrible and expensive They
had possession, first or last, in the course of the
war; OF eleven of the capitals Of the thirteen States,
pergaded the country in every part and left dreadful
tracks OF their marches behind: burning. in cool
blood, great number not only of houses barns.
mills, DC. but also of most capital towns and vii.
iages' Yet these evils were not as great in the
Judgment OF Mr.. Webster, land he was AN eye wit.
ness and participation of these suferngs) as those
which were caused by continental money and the (
consequent irregularities Of the financial system
we haVe suffered more from this cause" he says,
tnan from eoery OTHER cause of calamity it has
kliea, more men, -pervaded and corrupted the;
choicest interests of our country more, and done
more injustice than even the arms and articles of
our enemies"
" lille We rejoice in the riches and strength Of
our country, We have to lament with tears of
the deepest regret the most pernicious shifts of,
.prosefty which the irregularities of our finances
introduced, and the many thousands of fortunes
winch were ruined by it; the generous, patriotic
spirits suffered the injury the idle and avarlcius
derived benefit Eom said confusion"-
certain compulsory measures of the Executive
Couac'l o. Pennsylvania, designed to support the
credit Of continental money and Of State bills, gave
inc fatal blow to the SYSTEM in May 1881. Mr..
webster gives minute account of the proceedings :
out we deem it unnecessary to transcribe Them for
as he justly observes, "they will appear to a
stranger as intricate and hard 10 understand as
the prices OF stocks in Change Alley" We doubt
not however, :" that they perfectly understood
oy people OF all ranks at that.time, nasmuch as
every variation Of the exchange altered the value of
all their cash on baud" -
Thus" he exclams, after having narrated the
+ proceedings Of the Executive Council, and their
important effects, thus fell, ended, and died. the
continental currency, aged six years. Bubbles 6f
another sort such as the Mississippi scheme in
France, and the South Sea in England, lasted but a
few months, and then burst into nothing: but this
held cut III ,ch $onger, and seemed to retain vigo.
rous constitution u its last: for its circulation was
never more brisk sh1n when its exchange was 500
to one and ye. it expired without groan or strug
gle; and believe Of all things which ever suffered
dissolution since life first given to the creation,
this mighty monster died the least lanented"
II
equity of our laws; turned them Into engines of op-
preston and wrong. corrupted the Justice of our
public administration: destroyed the fortunes of
thousands of those who had the most confidence in
it, enervated the trade husbandry and manufactures
OF country and gone far to destroythe morality
of our people"
Many who are vet living can attest the truth Ct
this sLaicinent.-G0nys on Paper Honey, DO -
Extracts from Mr.. Lincoin's Message.
THE REsELLloN ~ ..ss
When Congress assembled year ago the war had
already lasted twenty months, and there had been
manv conflicts on both land and sea, with varying
results. The rebellion had been pressed back into
reduced limits; yet the tone of public feeling and
opinion at home and abroad not satisfactory
Wilb other signs the popular elections then just
passed indicated uneasiness among ourselves while,
amid much that was cold and menacing, the kind.
est words coming from Europe were uttered in ac-
cents Of ply that were too blind to surrender
homeless cause. Our commerce was suffering
greatly by few armed vessels-built upon and
furnished from foreign shores-and we were
threatened with such additions from the same quar-
ter as would sweep trade from the sea and raise
| our blockade. We had failed to elicit from Euro
/ pean goya.nments anything hopeful upon this sub
; jeet -.
/ THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
/ The preliminary emancipation proclamation, is
sued 10 September, was running its assigned period
! to the beginning Of the new year. A month later
the final proclamation came including the announce
! ment that colQged men of suitable condition would
be received IN the service. Tine policy of eman
cipation and of employing black soldiers gave to the
| future a new aspect about which hope and Fear
and doubt commended in uncertain conflict. Accord.
ing to political system, matter of civil ad
/ mins:ration the government had no lawful power
to eif1c. emancipation in any State, and Tor long
time it had been hoped that the rebellion could be
suppressed without resorting to Il as q military
measure twas all the while deemed possible that
the necessity for it might come and that if il should
the crisis Of the contest would then be presented
i: came, and, as was anticipated, was followed by
| dark and doubtful days. ..
! THE CoNTRABANDS IN SERVICE.
| Eleven months having now passed, we are now
permitted to take another review The rebel Dor
ders are pressed still further back, and by the COM
pete opening Of the Mississippi the country domina-
ted over by the rebellion is divided into distinct parts
with no practicable communication between them.
Tennessee and Arkansas have been clear
ed OF nsurgent CONTROL and influential citizens in
each, owners Of slaves and advocates OF slavery at
the beginning Of the rebellion, now declare openly
for emanctation in their respective States .Ofthose
States not included 10 the emancipation proclama.
t;on. MARYLAND and Missouri, neither of which three
wears ago would toerete any restraint upon the ex
tension Of slavery into new territories, only dispute
row as to the best mode OF removing WITHIN their
own limits. OF those who were slaves at the be-
ginning Of the rebellion full one hundred thousand
Gre nou in tbs United States military seruice about
one.balf Of which number actually bear arms in tie
ranks, thus giving the double advantage Of taking
so much labor from the ihsurgent cause, and sup
.plvinx the places which otherwise must be filled
with SO many white men. So far as tested it is diff
cult to say they are not as good soldiers as any
No sersle insurrection and tendency to violence o.
cruelty has marked the measures Of emancipation
and arming the blacks These measures have been
much discussed in foreign countries, and contempt
rary with such discussion the tone Of public sent
ment there is much improved: at home thu
same measures have been fully discussed, support
ed. criticised ana denounced; and the annual cleo
tons following arc highly encouraging to those
whose official duty it is to bear the country through
this great trial. Thus we have the new reckoning
: THE CRISIS PAsT-A PROCLAMATION
The crisis which threatened to divide The friends
of the Union is past Looking now to the present
and future and with q reference to resumption Q
the national authority in the States wherein tha
authority has been suspended, have thought 1t d
to issue a proclamation, copy Of which Is trans
mitted. On examination Of this proclamation !
will appear (as is beiieved that nothing attempt
| - h.nn,d rhof IN snyAly justified by the conStltu