Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-10-13

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have been heretofore adopted to accom-
plish this object have signally failed.
It was attempted to compel the fund
ing of the treasury notes in the hands OF
The people by depreciating their value
after certain dates. THIS like the viola
ton of the promise On the part OF the
Government to pay the interest accruing
on the fifteen million lean in coin,
whether from necessity or other causes,
was a squirting toward reputation
which certainly did notincrease the con-
fdence Of the people in the belief that
The disgrace Of such an act might not
eventually overtake rs, on the plea OF
necessity so often abused.
If the object had in view, of reducin2 |
the volume of the currency to the prop
erstandard had fully succeeded, itwould
certainly have redoanded to the adgant
age of the people, but the accomplish
nent of this object should not have been
attempted by any means which violated
the government faith, or tended to impair
the confidence of the people. We pro-
pose to examine briefly some Of thel
schemes and suggestions now occasion
ally met with III the attempts of cores
pondents of the papers to solve the diff
iculties which under present circum-
stances have become almost insurmount-
able, and which cannot perhaps be rem
edied by any legislative action that will
not also cngender greater or less a
mount of dificultg in its execution, and
inequality in its workings We are con-
strained to believe that any expectation
Of good results spring.ng from any vol
untary action, on the part of the people,
that will bear any proportion to the
evils to be remedied, are doomed to
nest certain and complete disappoint-
inert. Such expectations are based mp
IA too high an estimate of the intelli-
gent I'D enthusiasm of the people, who
ire So de PLY absorbed i'll their own pri-
vate affairs, and who have SO little con
idence ii concert of action on the part
Of others, that the course pursued by
even the most intelligent and patriotic,
i who are determined to act Individually,
will be slow and uncertain.
| The difficulty lies in the want of in.
| diyidna'ity amongst men, an intelligent
view of what is right, and disposition
and determination 20 act upon their own
views without respect to the course pur-
sued by others. The concert Of action
necessary in the present emergency will
never be brought about the whole
, people from one limit Of the Confedera-
cy to the other are fully aroused not on
lily to the absolute necessity OF individual
! action, but to concurrence of opinion
as to the means employed, and the good
] results that are to flow from them. 1t
will hardly be possible to withdraw the
minds of the people from their private
affairs 70 such a degre,; as to accomplish
+ his object, and wec can, with regret, but
! regard the whole scheme as Utopian IN
The extreme. Enthusiastic meetings
) will pass patriotic resolutions resulting.
J 40 doubt, in some good, but the people
a few excepted, and a majority OF the
members OF these meetings themselves,
sill neither give TO them second
thought, nor lend the influence OF their
!. example / seeing them carried out
/ the truth is the people are looking to
| The Government to remedy the evils en-
| gendered by bad legislation, and our
/ governments, State and Confederate,
eem to have given up in despair the
accomplishment of any good results
) commensurate with the evil, by leeisla
i've action. lit be SO difficult to at
| ain to concurrence OF opinions and
concert of action in our legislative halls,
shy expect with much less reason these
motives to action amongst a whole pee
| pie?
| The truth is the subject presents most
serious difficulties, and we are not sur
prised at want of agreement in opii,
ions III any quarter, But the evil is
most alarming md continually increas-
ling, and even if a course of legislation
! should be adopted that would be attend
ed with some inequalities, we should, in
order to remedy greater evil which is
creating discomfort amongst our PEG
pie and engendering the success OF our
cause, submit to them with patience
those who trust to the measures that are
proposed by those who are attempting
. lnclte the people to do that which, il
done at all, must be accomplished by 81
concert Of action between our Contede |
rate and State Governments, will neverl
we tear see their hopes realized, and the
me thus lest in such experiments will
only iead 20 the augmentation Of the
wi. In our iteXt issue We shall advert
20 some Of the measures proposed by
correspondents of the papers before thel
inauguration Of the scheme of county
! meetings, and their resolutions to do
what will never be done. We regret
not being able 10 have particle OF filth
IN the efficiency, in the remotest degree.
Of the means thus employed for accom-
piishing the desired object, for it is al
ways painful to see the good intentions
Of any portion ofthe people thwarted by
an attempt to carry out scheme that
becomes inexpedient because of the i'm
possibility of securing the unity of &C
non necessary to render it available.
LINCOLN PRESIDENT FOR LIFE
The New York Sunday Mercury of
the Both nit. publishes a letter from a