Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871, 1863-04-29


ment IN manner entirely without parallel in
the history of nations. This idea was still
more deeply impressed upon us few days ago
by something palpable to the senses. Our
feiiow-citizen, Virginius Block, Esq, Who is
en- gagged as government agent in the purchase
| OF cotton, brought up with him from Union
county about one hundred samples of cloth Of
| domestic manufacture, which he had collected
| at the houses of the different planters he had
| visited in the course of his business. 1t was
| very interesting to look over them, as without
occular proof we find it difficult to believe that
with such inadequate means, and with so little
| experience, our women have arrived at such a
| degree of excellence in fabrics for clothing as
| is here presented to the sight. These samples
| consist of every variety of cloth, from heavy
woolens for costs to the lightest fabrics for
ladies gowns
Considering that each of these samples re-
presents the industry of a family for whole
year, and tells of hundreds of yards-that the
same industry is rife also in hundreds of fam
lilies which he did not visit, and that Union
whole South, and the aggregate -alue of this
newly sprung home industry. rises to the i'm
agination in colossal proportions In contem-
plating it, we receive an assurance of internal
strength which inspires a confidence not less
than that afforded by well appointed armies
in the field. We may rely upon our noble
women (proven thus worthy of the chivalrous
devotion which has always been paid the sex
by all true of the South) for so much of
the support of our armies as depends upon
clothing. 1t is great work Our hearts
warm towards them with pure admiration.
They have not been used to it. By far the
greater portion of them have heretofore been
relieved from the necessity of this labor by the
facility with which the heads Of families pro-
cured such articles from the North. For nearly
whole generation, the hum of the spinning
wheel had been an unworted sound in the
South. The old looms of the pioneer settlers
were packed amongst the lumber Less noble
natures would have been spoiled by the ease
which our women have been enabled to indulge.
or rendered frivolous by the pleasures and
| accomplishments to which the leisure time of
most of those of moderate fortune had been
devoted. They have shaken off these things
pear, with the first necessity, sublime in their
self-sa critce, their patriotism, their true de-
votion to all good works Truly Gods last act
of creation was the browning one of excellence
God blaSs Them oil md lot
whose ''amen' sticks in his throat De hence
forth accursed. The Yankees are lost then
beyond hope. Butler and all his sort will re-
alize the hyperbole of Satan, and in the 'lowest
depth" find still a slower deep opening wide
to devour them.
These sentiments naturally arise, but with
them train of thought of much practical
busin ess consequence. We are led by this
especially to estimate the compensations for
the expenses and sufferings of the war, which
the South will derive from what seems at first
an unmitigated evil. We chafe under the rig
oious blockade of our ports. We have appre
hended privatons of infinite consequence
Short-sighted that we are! The blockade has
saved u.s. From an ignoble reliance upon the
interested trade of foreign nations-from de-
pendence upon foreig gil looms and foreign work
shops which would have drained our purses
an d exhausted our means, we have been forced
upon the loving hearts and busy fingers of our
women. There we rest securely, and all our
IN cans not required for the prosecution of the
war are safely retained in our hands, to form
the basis of new enterprises with the first ap-
proach of peace. Eas it never occurred to any
one of our readers that, outside of the i'm
mediate lines of the enemy, our people will
emerge from this contest less exhausted in
private fortune than ever happened to any
people in so desperate a war?
Yet such is the case undoubtedly. We spend
not hing. All our wealth is retained at home
We create no new debts to drain the proceeds
of our crops, for we can buy nothing and are
per-force economical We save the millions
paid to the mills of New England for nece ssary
clothing. We no longer buy the expensive
silks and articles of toilet, which found their
way into every family of competence. We
save the cost of the magnificent pianos, and
carriages, and carpets, and furniture, and
costly articles of ornament, which now our
women abandon so cheerfully. We, NOR: sell
fish sex, are compelled, cheerfully or not, to
abandon the costly champagnes, the wines and
brandies, the Havana cigars, and the thousand
and one hurtful extravagancies which kept our
planters poor and eat into their estates; and,
more than any other single item, we save the
prices of Northwestern pork and -four, which
enriched the vast population of the upper
Mississippi valley at our expense.
These are but portion of the compensations
which we have to balance against the public
expenses, which seem SO terrible to the unre-
fleeing. and against the wanton destruction
of propssty committed by the armies OF the
North. Ne have not made the calculation,
hut guessing 1t the result, are ready to believe
| that our private savings more than compen-
| safe the public debt.
We must consider, too, that we have passed
the crisis. The most dangerous period to the
| young swimmer is, when he first casts aside
the bladders and trusts himself alone. Our
| crisis was when the stock of imported goods
| became exhausted and before our habits of
| self-denial and prudent economy had been fully
1