Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-02-09
Mr.. wYNDHAM ROBERTsoN's
Remarks on the Bill to. prevent Ertortion" (by frin
DricsSl

| SUBSTANCE OF
Mr. WYNDHAN ROBERTSONS
Remarks on the Bill to- prevent Ertortion" (by firing
pricsS.)
Mr. r. after thanking the House for the courtesy to
which he owed the opportunity of then addressing them
proceeded say that he thought the circumstances
der which the Bill stood before the House did not emit
tie it to confidence. The phases under which it was
presented too varying and inconsistent jus
tfy dstrust Neither to principle, detail did
gentlemen who propounded il show any consistency or
| stability When il first presented few months
| ago. the scheme that of discriminating farig
where articles we're enumerated in classes and dii-
fersnt of advance the prices of May 'G affixed
TO each few weeks ago, the bill offered by the gen
teman from Petersburg (hr. Hopkns) abandoned the
discriminating feature and adopted the horizontal tariff
for "a articles used for the health comfort Of
or beast" Now, after much coyness the sliding scale
plan is at length recommended to adoption. As
little stability is found in the tests applied by the bill
what il pleased decree fair eItortionate prices
In October any price exceeding IS per cent on the
price in May Gl Of numerous articles was denounced
az eKtortion In January, 100 per cent on the very
sam, articles might be demanded without mourning that
| stigma. Now is not 10 be held an extoroner
till he demand exceeding 200 per cent. advance on the
prices of May, 6lbut three months hence he is to he
an extortioner il he exceed l75 per cent and three
months after if he exceed $50 per on the same
standard price Of May o. And he is 10 lie thus re-
puted and punished too, even though all the causes
which go Justify 200 per cent now should exist 10
| an aggravated degree at the periods indicated
Was known, in respect to questions of 50 much
magnitude such instability and oscillation of counsels
Il shows that gentlemen do not feel of their ground
1t usfes a doubt how long they will continue of the
| same mind. II makes il duty to follow cOunses so
shifting and unsteady with the utmost caution.
The character of the bill is such might be expect
ed from such antecedents What is it? Ii assumes
that on the lst day of May ls6l-(but why that day
should be selected of all in annals the whitest
and most auspicious is not explained people
all honest-prces we're all fair and the whole country
prosperous and happy. On this LIST day of February
1865 it finds that our people, this same people, ali
extoroners-" all without conscience" in the words OF
the gentleman from Petersburg unconsconable dogs"
as Shakespeare calls themprices all exorbtant and
the country most hipless and wreched. And then,
with equal kecnness Of penetration and force of logic
referring former supposed prosperity low prices
and our present alleged distress to high prices aud
having now discovered the onghidden secret hog to
make country happy it issues short and simple edct,
that high prices shall cease, and only low prices prevail
for the future and the work is done BY stroke of
the pen all distress is TO vanish and the country to go
forward again. prosperous and rejoicing.
Happy dream enchanting illusion Could t. indeed
be realized the glory and the gratitude that the great
benectors OF their race-uoward, and Jenner aud the
rest have heretofore by their benehcent hbors
would sink into absolute insignfcance compared with
the obligations which the world would be nnder to
the 0utnOT VI Win
BILE blessings.
1t seems almost pity to disspatc such pleasing iu.
sions But they the mere irOstwOrk of fancy and
VIC live in the midst OF stern realities that may not aud
must not Ice triied with. II the experiment of their
truth were merely harmless they might be let pass to
vanish as they would at the touch OF reality But the
experiment. ITSELF is fraught with mischief In my
view the project is frozen viper living the bosom
of ssccty aud waiting but the breath of your favor
warm it into life. There is no alternative of safety but
10 crush IL.
As we gaze, delighted OH this picture of promised
happiness uneasy thought rises TO disturb How
is it. if the misery that of and scarcity
can be readily alleviaed by law TO reduce
prices that the world has often and deeply suffered
from easy TO remov;? Seasons of want, OF
scarcity of famine have been of unirequent
renee from the earliest down to the present times Is
it conceivable that if means so simple and so obvious
these adequate TO remedy the terrible evils OF
those seasons that they should have been till
lookedy Perhaps they have been tried and found uA
successful. All these thoughts may well give us
pause and put us inquiry They naturally suggest
doubt whether there is some mistake in the mat
ter-perhaps after a high prices may not be the cahse
of the mischief to be corrected and, not being So
moving it would not cure the evil.
There has been great mistake in the matter The
evil 10 be renieded far as exists Is not high
prices Its The difficulty Of obtaining needed commodities.
This difficulty results always from both OF two
principal causes scarcity of commodities disorders
of the currency High price of itself does not
rily cause this difficulty. High price is itself the unver
sal aud necessary effect alike OF scarcity OF accommodates,
and of redundancy Of money Where it results alone
from redundant currency il affects every thing equally
and creates increased difficulty whatever, except
temporarily in obtaining commodities. 1t is as ndisso-
ubly Joined the FROM which springs the
shadow TO the substance You might well atemptto
brighten or contract the sbsdowseas By descending SUM-
as to reduce mitigate prices in the face increasing
scarcely or expanding currency undertake TO avert
storm by regulating your weather-eoeks, relieve
scarcity by regulating prices IL to Ay in the face Of
nature By rat fixed and memorable as any Of her
material laws price waits the relative quantities OF
goods and Of money and defes human regulation II is
tide set in motion by the instincts Of whole people
each and all engaged in applying they best can the
resources which they have 10 the supply each Of bis
wants which human law is as mpotent to arrest as 1t
would be to stay the tides of the ocean High price
far from being the cause OF scarcity, il the effect aud of
spring of il, aud ia the parent of abundance, and
pledge Of relief-while low prices on the other
hand, are the offspring OF plenty, and the parent
and harbinger Of want Let not gentlemen be
startled / repeat, that in any given condition
OF scarcity; high prices are the appointed and
only menstruum to correct IL, and the higher.
the price, the quicker the relief How do they operate
thiseect? First they compel to frugaily. Hence each
using the least possible for himself there is left the
greatest amount possible for the Of the community
Again, being highest uhere the commodity is searees