Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-11-04
Extraordinary Card from MIR. g. B.
- Lamar.
TF%ona the Savannah Ne,cs

| last, think, to the Hon. Fernando Wood,
and remarks that "Mr. Lamar is in Sa.
vannah and can speak for himself" This
is all I desire now to do.
/ not only wrote that, but several other
letters, to other persons resident in New
York, both on business and on political
matters, about that time and since; and the
lame attempt of that incendiary sheet, the
Richmond Examiner, to revile my name in
regard to the one in question, will prove as
impotent as its constant misrepresenta.
tions of President Davis course of conduct.
/ had other motives besides pecuniary
advantage in writing those letters; but
choose to defend myself solely on its merits
as business matter.
1t is not deniedthat our Confederacy has,
in cotton alone, capital of not less than
FIVE hundred millions of dollars, which, in
foreign markets, would be available to that
extent, but which, owing to the blockade,
is SO much. dead capital. The game of
"Cotton famine" has been played to the
last card, and England mills, costing hun
dreds of millions pounds sterling, are most
ly at a stand-still for want oft. It is noto-
rious, also, that there is great and grow
ing deficiency in the supply "of staple ar
ticles" in onr midst. If these be the facts
(and nobody can deny them), where is the
evil Of counteracting them, either by the
expectation of cotton or the importation Of
goods? Could we export only half our cot
ton, our currency would be relieved and as
valuable as at the beginning. It follows,
that to export it to any extent must prove
advantageous in the same proportion. If
the domestic production Of staple goods be
SO deficient that prices are double what they
were last year, is he who would supplement
the quantity to any degree to be censured? !?
There is no law against either the expor-
station Of cotton, or theimportation ofgoods !;
on the contrary, the laws encourage and
sanction both, and the Government is itself
engaged in the business, and blockade run-
ming is odious only to those who do not
comprehend its benefits, and who ignorant
ly and falsely charge it with the deprecia-
ton Of the currency.
In order to appease the cotton manufactu-
rers of Europe, Mr.. Seward, in July 1852,
requsted Mr.. Adams to assure their govern
ments 'that cotton should be exported SO
soon as the Confederates could be forced or
induced to furnish it," Now, suppose q
foreign vessel were to come to Fort Jack.
son, consigned to me, with the money to
pay fora cargo Of cotton, would [ not be
serving both the country and myself by
furnishing it? Suppose she had a cargo of
salt, blankets, wooden and cotton cloths to
pay for cotton, instead ofthe money-would
not every body be glad of the exchange ?
And now, suppose, instead of one vessel,
an hundred were to arrive on the same busi-
ness, and induced here at my instance by
letters such as the one to Mayor Wood,
where would be the cause for any impeach-
meut of my patriotism or my actions?
If the clamors of an ingnorant few against
blockade running were to induce Congress
to stop it, what would be the consequences ?
Would the supply of clothing, SC, be iu-
creased? Would prices decline? Would
the people be more comfortable? On, the
contrary, would not the supply be less,
prices advance, and our suferings besmag-
nifed 2 - - ~, Z. '''sz
I insist upon it-sustained by all the
laws Of trade and commerce (Which no legis-
lation can control, and all attempts at which
will produce no good, but unmixed eviD,
that blockade running Is advantageous, as
well to the currency as the country-with
the exception of the loss of whatever of
goods or cotton belonging to our people
which may be captured or lost in the bust.
ness
1t is said respectable and patriotic firm
in Charleston has accumulated an immense
fortune by it. Is the country injured by
their wealth Have the people been dam
aged by wearing the goods? Have the prices
of their clothing been less or more costly
than if they had not been imported I?
But another firm in Manchester, England,
is reported to have made double as much
as the one in Charleston. Is our wealth in
creased or diminished by their success p
Though they have exported our cotton aud
imported goods for US, which were beuiG-
cent to us Cor else we should not have
bought them, as there was no compulsion
except our necessities, yet will their capis
tai pay taxes to the Confederaoy hereafter
like that of the Charleston firm?
I believe that whatever increases the
wealth ofauy one or more of our citizens in
creases to that extent the public veal, and
and that it is the interest, as we'll as the
duty, of every good citizen to promote as
far he can the wealth of all his fellow citi-
zens and that those who are to bear their
share of the burdens of the State, whether
in peace or war, should be preferred above
those who do not. G..B. LAMAR.
Mr.. Lamar's Letter to Fernando Wood.
From the Sauanaah Republican,
We published the letter of Mr.. Lamar
to Fernando Wood (of which the defence
is copied on our first page, as matter of
public interest. We had suspicion that
the letter was forgery-one of the many
base tricks of our enemy, oiDjure our peo-
pie or to break down the influence and