Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-11-11
TRADING WITH THE ENEMY.

About fortnight ago there was published in this
paper what purported to be copy of an intercepted
letter from one 6. B Lamar, of Savannah, to Hon.
orable" Fernando Wood of New York, containing
proposition to run the blockade with YANKEE
goods with returns cotton in cOpartnership With
thedstingushed Yankee, andsuggcst!ng bribery, or,
the parlance of large transactions, a little dPo-
macy" as necessary to the management Of the
scheme. That we may not be chars ed with any
msconstructon of this extraordinary letter, We re-
produce the material portions of it:
"MY DEAR SIR:-Allow me to suggest for your
consideration place for most profitable adven-
ture, which little diplomacy can render perfectly
SAFE andpracticable
To obtain tho privilege either tacit or written,
so that it be LIABLE to 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 Osssbsw inlet, under
a discreet and retcent MASTER with vessel and cargo
when within Confederate iines) IN my name, soeuM
be perfectly safe, and would furnish her outward
cargo-more than sufficient to pay for the inward
and send sterling exchange for your hay Of the
prgdts
fer the prioi'ege, either BY pro amta division o.
by a direct bonus, to wbomsoever you negotiate
with.
* The profits in and out could not fall
short of 300 to $40 per cent on the investment
which would be equally divided after deducting all
expenses.
l am, &c, G. B. LAMAR
To Hon. Fernando Wood New York"
This letter was republished in many other South
ern papers, but with scarcely more expression Of
interest in it than probably curious forgery copied
from Yankee journal. To the CONSERVATION, how
ever, of those who were thus ready to suggest de-
fence for of The arstocratic money kings Of the
cotton States, Mr.. g. b. Lamar has with barefaced
audacity, that neither wealth, position or the ma
tive i,npudence of vulgari'y can support published
an acknowledgement in the Savannah papers that
the letter is entirely genuine, and attempted de-
6ance not only of public sentiment but of the laws
of his country, and those Of honor and civilization
! everywhere
In this insolent c,af.So;on Of guilt, Mr. Lamar is
pleased TO Bay that the publication in the Examiner
of what in one breath he confesses to be true
transaction, and what in another he declares to be
ian attempt to rev;le his name" will prove IS
H1s Davis course of conduct" Really We have
very little interest in Mr.. Lamar's "nsme;" although
he tells Fernando Wood how powerful it is "within
Confederate lines" And what can be the sense of
the juxtapositipn of himself in this matter with
president Davis" we are at loss to iuagine.-
VI course in MIR. Llmars estimation, Tbs paper is
vulgar, lncendiary," &C., simply because it has
been the instrument of his exposure Bot the sane
| topics OF defence that the EXAMINER IS an "incen-
diary sheet" might be plead BY any rogue whose
exploits are recorded in our news columns.
Mr.. Lamars other pretence Of defence. besides
the stuff about President DIgls and the politics of
the Esanainsr, is, that there is nothing unlawful or
odious in BLOCKADE running" that, on the con-
trary, it is advantageous, benifcent," aud ALTO
gether great virtue. We have had othor occasions
than the present to discuss the effects Of this trade
when carried on with parties other than our public
enemy. But Mr.. Lalnar's case does not come with
in the limits of such debate. He is convicted OF a
proposition not simply to run the blockade" but
to trdde Nth the enemy and divide profits with
ON, and thus to accomplish crime infamous un-
der every known construction OF international law,
and directly calculated, by the Pecunary fruits of
| cepartnership to strengthen the hands of the
| enemy to Cypress us. 1t is not necessary to add
another color of infany 10 Mr. Lamars proposals to
the enemy, In the circumstance that he had design
ed to aid them by bribery what is gingerly- term
ed"a bonus" to the authorities The transaction
! is bad enough without this addition Of d,shonor-
Its results would be treasonable for they would in
crease the wealth Of the enemy and give him all he
| is fighting for-the trade of the South. What
would be justitiable in Mr.. Lamar would Of COURSE,
be j'lstGable in any other member of the commupi.
ty; and the consequence IF 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 he RICH for the whole community
to strike hands in commercial fraternity with the
North, establish copartnerships with the worst of
our enemies, trade with them by land, of course, as
well as by sea and pay them in sterling exchange,
or cotton or gold, for whatever they imported into
our markets. If this we're so the old Union would
be virtually re-established, and Mr.. Lamar might
safely 60 bac6 to bis former occupation of money
! changing in Wall street
| The letter of G. Lamar, which we have quoted
above is of far more importance than any personal
| issues which he may choose to make out of it, II
is melancholy instance of the infirmity 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 m0nopozing
all the patriotism Of the country and furious in ad
vocating hostrlities, who now, when the best por-
ton of our people are 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
/ The class of plutocratic pretenders is we'll illus.
tra:ed 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
tue 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 500 per cent" profit on their
mutual violation OF the laws Of war and the oblga-
tions of patriotism and honor was, if we are cor
rectly informed, president of vigilance committee
in Savannah to prevent the expectation of cotton,
and gave such evidence Of zeal in this capacity as
on one occasion to prevent steauer-the Bermu-
da-from taking out cotton, although the cargo she
had brought in was government stores. But the
nsincerlty of the bogus patriot does not stop here.
Ever since the letter to Fernando GOD was written
and while it was supposed to be quite safe in the
invio.able secrecy of partnership guilt we find
the same G. B. Lamar, on the occasion Of canvass
for the Legislature. expressing i9 III the papers
! OF Savannah the folloWiaan
\"I don't owp.a -