Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-02
VIEWS OF MR.. ANDERSON,
OF RocKBRIDGE,
ON THE SUBJECT or RKT0R7YON.

House of Delegates by Mr. ANDERSON, of Rockbridge,
in support of the substitute offered by him to the sub
stute reported by the Committee on the subject Of Ex
tortion.
After thanking the House for voting him the priyi-
lege of discussing this proposition, without restriction
as to time with such unanmity which he would endea'
vor not to abuse Mr.. A. said
What are the evils Mr.. Speaker, which we seek to
remedy! They flow from excessive prices; and are,
First The augmentation Of the public debt, necessary
to carry US through this war; to such gigantic proper
tons as to endanger success.
Second The depreciation of me currency, and rem
derng worthless and thus depriyng the Government
of the of prosecuting the successful ter
mination.
Third. The injury to those who live upon salaries,
and have nothing to SELL including that large class who
compose our armies and who fight battles, to whom
the country owes debt of everlasting gratitude.
To this summary may be added, the moral influence
upon society
have never known such excessive spirit of specu
laton-such desire to attain sudden riches. 1t seems
to be aabsOrbiDg and alEpervading: and must have
pernicous influence upon society if not restrained.
Is there no remedy by legislative action! differ
from those gentlemen who think that nothing can be
done by this Assembly patriotic appeal has reached
from the chief Executive OF the Confederate States
and from the Executive OF our own Commonwealth i'm
plorng US do something to eradicate this evil from
our country which they regard formidable than
the hosts which Lincoln can bring against US. And
shall we fold our arms and do nothing? Shall we amuse
ourselves while the Temple of Liberty is burning over
our heads until it falls and we are buried in its runs
trust not sir.
The substitute have had the honor to submit, pro-
poses a remedy What is itg 1t ia simple, and think
will be as efficient it is simple l. strikes at the root
of the evil 1t proposes to repress the nordnate desire
of excessive gan by rendering it unatrainable. To re-
strain the exaction OF eXorbaut prices, by taking
away the motive to excessive charges Aud it does
this simply by prescribing limit to profits, and requr
ing that all over that limit shall be paid into the Treas
ury as taxes And am in favor of allowing liberal
profits, such as ght to satisfy any man. whose avacs
is not immoderate. Even more sir, than the most
thrifty judicous and Industrious could realize in ordi
nary tunes. For should be careful not to be too
strictive to discourage production
Has the Government the right TO do this That ques.
ton is important. 1t underlies the foundation OF the
whole scheme. If the Government cannot rghtfuy do
what is proposed it ought not to be done, and the
scheme must fall am tenacious, Mr. Speaker, of pop
ular tight, and am jealous of the encroachments of
power. But, upon this point, think there caunot be
doubt If Government cannot do this it cannot
income Ii surely has as much right to say that
you shall pay into the Treasury all your income orer
certain per centum on your capital employed in the
business as to say YOU shall pay certain per ccntum
of all your capital But sir, hold that surrounded
we are-involved in such a engaged in
a war in which, if unsuccessful, must perish, or be
y,
last dollar and the last man. if necessary to
will not spend more time on that point
But sir, will the citizen have any right TO complain
should this become 4 aw2 | think not sir. No doubt
it. will dsappoint the calculations of many by greatly
rerenchng their expected incomes And some may not
be able to acquire large fortunes they expected
pending this But when they reflect that they max
ing greatly than they could have done, if this
did not exist and how many of their fellow citizens are
exposed the pers aud suerng OF the enemy for their
defence, without the opportunity of adding dollar to
their property when they reflect that they could not
be allOSed to pursue the they have, without
the best interests Of the country and indeed
the security Of their property, aud OF all that is dear
to freeman it seems TO me they could not complain of
this restriction. Mr.. Speaker, they would have right
to complain.
An important advantage of this measure is that it
will operate in aid of the measures which Congress
will probably adopt to reduce the currency. Those
measures unaded by legislation on part to repress
the excessive spirit of speculation and 10 reduce prices
| fear will not be efectua Congress may by imposing
heavy taxes and by encouraging funding. reduce the
currency. But apprehend there will not be cores
ponding depression in prices. There wall be de-
preston but they will still continue high enough to
que large circulation to meet the daily expenses Of
the Government which will require issues and the
new issue will of course increase the circulation; and
the increased circulation will further advance in
prices which will again require an increased issue. So
that if the continues t will not be long before the
circulation will become inflated again il is at pres
ent This may be prevented, if by our legislation We
can repres the spirit of excessive speculation in coop
Grafton with the proposed by the Confederate
Government.
But it is objected to this scheme that it will be re-
srctive of trade and commerce 1t will be restrictive
admit but not hurful 1t will only restrain its
cesses which are now working so much mischief.
few words now, Mr.. Speaker, to the practical
operation of this plan Some gentlemen have thought
il could not be carried into execution. Why not?
greater difficulty in its execution, than in the execu
ton Of our general tax laws. There is less difficulty in
its execution, than in income tax In the execution
of any system difficulties may be encountered from the
fraudulent and corrupt. We can only guard against
SUCH by holding them amenable Just punishment for
crime. And under the provisions of this BILL such char
acters would be liable to detection and punishment
as they are under your tax laws But such is not the
character Of people, of those generally whose in
terests would be affected by such law as propose.
And in the general believe, it would be fathly ad-
minstered BUTT would have the support of public
timents without which no law can be well executed
1t would, believe sir, so commend itself to the good
sense and patriotism Of the people, that even those
whose would be greatly retrcnched by it, would
pproye
Ii will be observed that have not extended the lmi;
taton of profits to the farmer. thought best to al
low the county courts to regulate the prices of agricul
tural products in their respective counties. Those courts
being generally composed Of gentlemen of intelligence
and public spirit who know the burdens which that in
erest has BEAR could perform this office better than
the Legislature. And my confidence in their patriotism
such, that, believe in the discharge Of that duty,
they would have due regard to the public interest.
1t now remains only consider, briefly some points
of comparison between the competing schemes. Both
schemes, Mr.. Speaker, aim at the thing-the re-
ducton Of prices and the repression Of cXoron The
committee proposes to accomplish 1t by penal enacons,
the other to attain the end by removing all motive
exact exorbant and extortionate prices. Tue ono
proposes to reduce prices by fixing arbitrary maximums
in opposition it is commended the warnings of histo
ry and the teachings of philosophy the other, by leav
Ing prices free but removing all motive to cx ct Excess
sive. The to prevent dearth and famine in our
markets, which mightresut from abrary fixed prices,
has to resort to the expedien of prohibiting, under
heavy penalties the exploration of anything from Vlr
ginia sister States, and thus to abolish all com
mercial intercourse between them. They would be
likely to retaliae, and Virginia would be cut oil from
her of supply OF many articles which ndis-
pensbc to the necessities Of her people, and which she
9th All