Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-11-06
TRADING WITH THE .EiNEMY

-, TRADING WITH THE ENEMY
About fortnight ago there was published in this
paper what putPorted to be copy of an intercepted
letter from,one 6, 3 Lamar, of Savannah, to" Hon.
| orsble". Fernando Wood, of New York, containing
proposition ito run the blockade with Yankee
goods with returns IN cotton in Gu partnership with
the distinguished Yankee andsuggesting bribery, or
the parlance Of large transactions, little diplo
macy" as necessary to the management of the
scheme Phst we may not be char ed with any
misconstrdetfod or tis Extraordinary letter. we re-
produce the material portions Of It: "
my DEAR SIR ALLOW ns,to suggest for your
consideration place for {, most profitable adven
tufe, which little diplomacy can render perfectly
| safe and practicable ..-..... Il .ir7
! To obtain the privilege either tacit or written,
so that it be liable to run the line of blockade with
cargo of staple articles from foreign port and to
return with cargo of upland or sea island cotton
Such vessel coming in at Ossabaw inlet uDder
discreet and retcent master, with vessel and cargo
! (when within Ocnfederateliues) in my name could
BE- perfectly safe, and would furnish her outward
cargo-more than sufficient to pay for the inward
| and send sterling exchange for your half Of the
profits. .......-.-,,. ,..-s.
The profits would enable you to pay ATadsomely
fer tie PrivRege either by a pro rata division o.
by a direct bonus, to whomsoeyer you negotiate
with --.-. =, d,
: The profits in and out could not Gall
short Of 800 to 800 per cent on the investment
which would be equally divided after deductng all
expenses. .-.....,... .....
Lam, &c, G..B. LAMAR.
To Hon. Fernando Wood. New York"
This letter was repubshed IN many other South.
ern papers, but with scarcely more expression Of
interest in it than prObabya curious forgery copied
from aYahkee Journal To the consternatioD, how.
ever of those who were thus ready to suggest de-
fence for of The aristOcrac money kings of the
cotton States Mr. G. B. Lamar has, with 6arefaced
aGd1city, TIA: neither wealth, position, CT the ma
tive impotence or vu!garity can support published
an Acknowledgement in the Savannah papers that
the letter is entirely genuine, and attempted de-
fance not ouy Of public sentiment but of the laws
Of his country, and those of honor aud civilization
everywhere
In this iasolent confession of guilt Mr. Lamar is
pleased to say that the publication in the Examiner
Of. what in one breath he coafosSes to be a true
transaction, and what in another he declares to be
IAN attempt to reYile his name. will prove as
impoten as It's constant Misrepresentation Of Pres
ident Davis course Of conducti" Really we have
very little interest in A5. Lamars 'nAme although
he tells Fernando Wood how powerful it is within
Confederate lines" And what can be the sense Of
the juztaPositiOn Of hiIuseli In this matter with
president Davis" we are ut loss to Imagine
Of course in Mr.. Llm4r's estimation, this paper is
vulgar, incendiary," &c, simply because it has
been the instrument of his exposure. But the
topics of defence that the Examiner Is "iucen-
diary sheet" might be plead by any rogue whose
exploits are recorded in our news columns.
Mr.. Lauars other pretence of defence besides
the stuff about President Davis and the politics of
the Examiner, is, that there is nothing unlawful or
odious in blockade, running;" that, on the con-
trary, It IS advantageous, beni6cent, and alto
gether great virtue. We have had other occasions
than the present to discuss the effects OF this trade
when carried on with parties other than our public
enemy. But Mr.. Lamar'S case does not come with
in the limits of such debate. He is convicted Of
proposition not simply to "run the blockade" but
to trade NTH the enemy and divide profits with
him, and thus to accomplish crime Infamous un.
der every known construction of International law,
and directly calculated, by the pecuniary fruits Of
co partnership, to strengthen the hands of the
enemy to Cypress us. 1t is not necessary to add
another color Of infamy to Mr. LsInars proposals to
the enemy, IN the circumstance that he had design
ed to aid them by bribery or what is giDgerly term
ed ga bonus" to the authorities. The transaction
is bad enough without this addition Of dlshonor.-
Its results would be reasonable; for they would in
crease the wealth the enemy, and give bin all he
| is fighting for-the trade of the South. What
would be justi6able in Mr. Lamar, would, Of course
be justifiabe in any other member of the communi
| ty; and the consequence Uf his reasoning would
therefore, be that while our devoted soldiers are
barring their breasts to the sword and the FIRE Of the
enemy, 1t would be right for the whole community
to strike hands in commercial fraternity with the
North, establish co-partnershps with the worst of
our enemies, trade with them By land, of course
well as by sea, and pay them in sterling exchange
or cotton, or gold for whatever they imported into
our markets. If this were so the old Union would
be virtually re-established, and Mr.. Lamar might
safely go back to his former occupation of money
changing in Wall street. !
4 The letter Of G. B Lamar, which we have quoted
above, is Of far more Importance than any personal
issues which he may choose to make out Of it. 1t
is melancholy instance of the inirmity of GER
tain class in the South That class is composed Of
certain heavy capitalists chiefly in the cotton States
rich by accident but Of coarse, greedy nature who
at the beginning of this war, were for monopozing
all the patriotism of the country and furious in ad-
Vocating hostiliues, who now, when the best por-
tioRo our people fighting TO defend them in the
retirement Of their homes, are coolly counting their
gains in the blood and tears of this war and en-
| riching themselves as the convenient pimps of the
Yankee. .,... -. .ass. ..-t. -~S
The class of plutocratic pretenders is well illus
trated by e. B. Lamar in public, the incandescent
patriot, but in reality the co-partner of Fernando
/ Wood, and the proposer of bride to Seward out OF
the profits of a reasonable commerce, and one de-
clared Infamous by all International law. This same
man who writes to Fernando Wood of the charm
ing vision of 1900 to 900 per cent" profit on their
mutual violation Of the laws of war and the oblga-
!rtions Of patriotism and honor was, if We are cor
foEr .tSy informed, president Of vigilance committee
in Savannah to prevent the expectation of cotton,
and gave such evidence of zeal inthis capacity as
on one occasion to prevent steamer-the BermU-
da-from taking out cotton, although the cargo she
had brought i'll was government stores But the
nsincerty OF the bogus patriot does not stop here
Ever since the letter Fernando Wood was written
and while it was supposed to beiqute safe in the
inviolsble secrecy Of partnership in guilt we find
the same g. B. Lamar on the occasion Of canvass
for the Legislature expressing in one Of the papers
of Savannah the following heroic sentiment:
IL don't own a wharf IN the city that i would
not sooner sacrifice altogether than the, Internal
Yankees (now wagng the most savage warfare
against us, and using the scum of Europe of all
reetrnSnt III fnsieta 20 III and dasfrnn Our rnna,