Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-12-19
A MISERABLE COUPLE,
Mem miuger and Mallory in a Mndd

Nemmiuger and Mallory in a Middle.
The Off ciaI reports OF the rebel Sc rerariss 0.
the Treasury and Navy, Mcmmingec and Nal
lory, are even more lnsubrous in tone, if that
We're possible, than that of thr ir ma st,4r JEFF
The whole actual receipts into the rabal
treasury within the ten months covered bv
Mem Ininger's report, is less than ten millions
of dollars: the war tax yielding only 81, t27, SIS,
and sequestration of the properly Of Uu.ol
II en- > 1.sG2,550; customs, 9sr3i ~: export nuty
on cotton, -, ,lOI, and the patent fund, sIO.7gl
The Other receipts (apparr NJ have been from
borrowed money ard the Issue of noes.
MIR. n Msnmirger estimates that with the pres
cnt amOupt OF rebel debt, and what will be due
al the end OF the year io0l, the frightfui agra
gale Will be c2,3iN GG0.U'H. The debt now is
joCss ~ stated ut 81 SI,GB0,CU0,0Oh of which - No.
OtU,ttU are treasury notes. Mr. Memuilnger de
clares that the only plan that ne can oevise is
10 restore the currency 10 q specie btsis. The
ionfederaCy has o. en- disappointed IN supplies
Fl ON abroad Itexpected immense sums to it
Tor their Gotten and Tor the privilege OF trade,
but the yield has been very triIl ing. Less than
a million Of dollars has been received for the
customs ie.enue of all the rebel States, and
yet JET. Davis tells Europe that the block ade
is ins fficient. Mr.. Memineer intends TO borrO
Il few hundred millions more, and desires the
vile men at Richmond To devise means to pay
the interest III specie. The latter 10 be raised
by specie lax, which Is 10 be wrung out OF a
population entirely oestitnte OF coin. or by the
whole affair is evidentiF a sublimp YoHis,a Io to
Mr. Memminger.
Ee has sort OF dazsd idea, however, thai the
Confederate people can be foTs ed into taking
the bonds by the rec urement hat they shall
pay haii their tax III com OF coupons. thus ere
;iI:ng demand TOR The coupon nonds.
The parties most likely TO contribute 20 the
toan- IHr. Memminger thinks. are banks, rail
road companies and capitalists, and they ali
have direct interest III taking up a ioaa tIa-
VIII retire the currency and thus reduce prices
hs4f E-.1if 4 ct.fr, -
the time III which the Treas ury notes may bs
redeemed is violation of the compact, px-
pressed on implied, on which they were taken
MI. Memminger raises the argument that III
measure ie a necessity OF war, and unless il i
adopted these very notes will cease to be O
Naine; He says: "The proposed scheme ten
uere the creditor payment OF his debt before il
IS due iii security OF greater value. The
Government, iii effect, does what an honest
creditor In distress rs bound TO do--recognizes
It's acct; Oilers the best sc 2uri.y in its power
TOR pay nent, and az ks for time. If the ctrrency
rem 1i9a< la IFS present sty', prices aUst ndrd1cf
tGre5 become tfnissS by reason Of re dsprrcaio7s
II The no'te4 he array cannot BE pad a. fed tac
Government cannot BE- supported. and tie country
. mast 5ucr,.nb. calamities so disastrous must
bc aT"Tted by every means within the power
ci the Government. No contract, however
solemn, can require national rum, and in such
Gaze ihe maxim must prevail that the public
safety IS the supreme las"
Mallory, Secretary of the Gonted Navy. has
budget Of disasters TO chronicle
On The Mississippi many Of the Confederate
yrssels .'were either captured by the enemy or
burned by 0rr officers prevent them from
falling into The hands of the United States
forces He has crumb oi satisfaction ia ihe
capture OF the Harriet Lane, but lowing TO the
vigilance of the enemy he has :. not deemed il
advisable 10 attemp. any offensive operations.
He had designed to "harrass the enemy
severely With tns Nashville, but uunfortu
Iateiy she Has destroyed by the enemy" The
ram Queen OF the West was 'recaptursd by
the enemy" with her officers and crew 81. the
result OF carels sssness on ue part OF the CON-
mander."
Owing 10 the surrender OF Port Hudson and
FicksburE, the machinery prepared for western
rebel boats in progress OF construction is de.
riared useiess. and Mallory advises that il he
sold. The following paragraphs are significant
as showing the nature of the rebel plot Tor Tue
releasr OF Confederate prisoners on Lake Erie:
as admitting 10 the fullest by rebel OH cial
auihority what the British Government seems
10 find difficult to prove. e., the rebel owner
chip OF the rams in the Merssy; aud further
the important fact that both England and
Frsnce ara now turning the cold shoulder to
the rebel pirates ,.-~
During The months Of july and August I
sent twenty seven commissioned officers and
forty trustworthy petty officers TO the British
fIONlhCes. WIN orders 10 organize au eyua-
dlfion and cooperate with army officers in an
attempt 10 fIelease the 1}onfederate prisoners
confined on Johns0n's Island in Lake Erie
Prom time 10 time | learned that the arranre
nients made were Sncn as 10 insure the most
complete snccess. large amount OF money
had Deeh expended, ana just as our gallant
naval Officers were nbou3 10 SET sail on this
eSpfti'ion, the English authorities gave intor-
inatCh 10 lhe enemy. and Inns prevented the
tNfpnuon OF one OF the best planned enter
pTlsCs OF the present war.
e In accordance with The order of tue PTesi-
dent, early in the present year, dispatched
several agents TO EM Mgland and France, with
orders 10 contract foI eight Toil- clad yesssls,
suitable Tor ocean ice, and caicuIG;ed to
resist The ordinary armaTneIt OF the wooden
vessels OF the enemy. These ships were TO he
provided with arms, and designed express Iv
10 break tie blockade OF such OF tho ports rs
W. re- not blockaded by the iron -ciad monitors
of the enemy. Five ofthese vessels were con-
sracted for in England, and three il. France
Dne precautions We're taken against coritrAyeus
ing the laws OF England in the Construction
aud equipment OF the vessels. They have been
completed, but owilg 10 the CONSTRUCTION a.
her neutrality law, the ioyernment OF Eg,giand
stationed several wax vessels at the Inonth o.
the Merseys and prevented thair datlartura
frem England. Subsequently taey ware sci zsd
by the British stioyerHmeait. Another and
larger vessel has since been ,omplafed hat
1t Is doubtful II she will be allowed to lea.a the
khcres OF EnglaIiti, although 1. Is beheya.f thss