Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-22
On a War FOOtinS-NO More Lowell Fab
rIcs-NO More French Silks.

sovereignty of their states against so power
ful an enemy. If they truly appreciated it,
we believe that there would not be such Il dis
| play of sumptuous dress in our streets, nor
such demand for costly fabrics not produced
at home, which must be purchased in the en-
| emy'S country and 'smuggled across the lines.
We should not have heard so much lately of
constitutional opposition to impressment for
the subsistence of our forces; nor would con-
gress be spending its time III discussing alb
stract propositions concerning the unconstitu-
tionality of martial law, and defining the diff
ferences between martial and military law.
Jealousy of executive uSurpationS, and of
all approaches to consolidated government,
are to be highly approved, not only in peace
tul times, but even in the case of any ordinary
kind Of wars For example, in the federal
states, our enemies, there was no excuse for
the slaviSh subservience which has SO basely
yielded all state rights, and rights of individ-
ual citizens. to the tyranny OF Il dictatorship,
for their war is of an ordinary kind they are
not fighting for their existence, but for the
subjugation of their neighbors; they are not
invaded by hostile armies laying waste their
soil, contiscatng their property, and menac-
ing the destruction of their Institutions.
There was no better reason for yielding up
their liberties for the prosecution Of this war
than there would have been in the Mexican
war. And we trust that the record OF the
confederates may always present the illus
trious contrast which it does up to this time,
of guarding the sovereignty of states and in
dividual liberties even III the very agony of
war waged for cur entire destruction. Here,
up to the present moment, has been no press
censorship, no post Office eSpOgnage, no arbi-
trary implisonmentS, no universal suspension
Of the habeas corpus by military authority,
afterwards Unidentified by acts of a seryile
and cowardly congress. Our congress and
our state legislature still govern the country,
each within its own sphere and jurisdiction;
and any power of military arrest has been
carefully limited by previous law, and confn-
ed within the narrowest limits Of necessity by
the moderation of the executive. This state
of things is Il source of just pride, and must
be maintained to the end Of the war, if posi-
BILE.
1t will be also very well, very comfortable
aid gratifying, if we can see out this war
without renounclng any of the luXuries of re-
fined life; il we can all continue to wear fine
cloth without injury to the cause or wrong to
the soldiers or to the poor; if the ladies can
continue to be radiant in silk and lace with
out paying the enemy a premium for contn-
ung the war; if they can ride sleek horses
without damaging our artillery service; if, in
short, this giant struggle for the life and honor
OF our people, and of our children. can, in
some miraculous manner, be brought to
speedy end, and not entail upon us any priva-
tions, not stint us in any luXurieS, not call for
even the temporary concentration of all the
powers Of the nation i'll the hands of the mill
tary chiet-this would be highly agreeable
but, we fear, unprecedented in the history of
mankind.
Most persons, however, are lazily inclined
to put Oft the hour Of painful effort, privaton,
selt-denial, by sort Of vague idea that the
difficulty will be over soon. They sag still
as they hare been saying steadily for q gear
and hnlf-ttat three months or Sir miH see
the end Of the War; that it will be time
enough to do without accustomed luXuries
when we can no longer procure them; that
the county is mourning debt at any rate,
and a few scores of millions more or less mat
tiers little; further, that home manufactures
are coarse and plebian-lOoking; especially
that women in homespun are frights.
The fact is admitted that rich dresses are
much more becoming to that amiable sex; and
we should always desire to see them resplend-
ent in all the rarest tissues of all the looms of
France. or, at least, elegantly neat in the IA
brics of Lowell. Yet they, and all of us, had
better consider at what cost this sort Of style
is kept up; not present cost in money alone
though that is much, while our soldiers
dine on Il quarter of pound of bacon-but Il
future possible cost in freedom and glory to
our country.
In the first place, the lcar may Gerry proba-
bly,, rce think certainly, last two years more at
least. In the next place, every dollar we pay
for even the most necessary articles. to say
hi
is dollar paid into the Yankee purse. The
Yankee would lose that trade if the war were
at an end and our ports open; so that all the
large sums expended for struggled articles are
a direct bride to our enemies to continue the
war. As for the moneys given in payment
for English and French fabrics which come to
us direct through the blockade, and which are
not furnished to our market by Yankee mer-
chants, (and it is the smallest portion those
moneys are not indeed gained by the enemy,
but they are a loss to us, and in this way
gain to the enemy. They add to the load Of
our debt which is hereafter to be paid by Il
great sacrifice of our staples.
A certain amount of that ruinous trade with
foreign nations is needful for the supply of our
armies with arms, ammunition and shoes;
anything beyond that for the indulgence OF
private luxury and extravaganza, is waste
of our life and blood. If the women would
but lay this to heart! If they once would
fully comprehend that in buying articles that
come from abroad, they help to take bread
out of the soldiers mouths, to make the arms
fall from their hands-fnally, perhaps, to de-
feat all their gallant efforts (Which the Yam
KEGS cannot do without our help; perhaps,
to fling us at last under the execrable domi
nation of the vilest of all the white races of
this world; to make our place a blot on the
map and our name kissing; if they once
laid all this to heart, they would make haste
to renounce the pomps and vanities, and by
the mere act of refusing to wear foreign gar
ments they would do more for their coun-
try than if they built dozen ironclad frig-
ates
In truth, nee shall soon be forced to PIT our
selreS on a lcar footing IN all things. Our
tables, our clothes, our very liberties, must
be put on a war footing. The presidents not
of opinion that we shall see speedy end to
it, and has in letter lately published indi-
Gated the nature and extent of the effort yet
to be made.
We are asking the planters and farmers to
discourage the planting Of cotton and tobacco
for patriotism to form county committees
and collect supplies for patriotism. We ex-
meet the soldiers to endure their hard life and
scanty rations, and take all cheertully for pat
riotism. Can we do nothing for patriotism
ourselvesf