The New York herald., 1863-10-16


their movements subordinate to the army OF
Bragg.
Az we understand the present situation OF
the two hostile armies ia Virginia. on acciden-
tai slirmish may at any moment bring On a
general engagement; but We arc rati;cr iG-
ciincd to the opinion that Lee has failed to
gain single advantare in favor Of general
battle; that he is wei sNare Of II, and that The
initiative is now il isc J., eds oe Genera, Meade
A for another rcre iovason az Maryland or
Pennsylvania. we consider III entirely out Of
the question.
Speculation and Esmsse Prices Down
South.
Jefferson Davis says that "the passion for
speculation" has become in the South "a
gigantic evil" and that it has "reduccd citizens
OF all classes from a determined prosecution of
the war to sordid effort 10 amass money"
In this the Southern President does not speak
OF "the Jews" that the Richmond papers snecr
at 70 lofty. nor OF the shopkeepers, nor of
professional sharp traders. He speaks
Of the Southern people--"citissns Of oil
classes" And go, after two years and more Of
war. we find, upon the authority Of the Southern
President, that the chivalrous sons Of the South.
instead of fighting the common enemy in the
last ditch, are doing what they can to swindIo
each other out Of the last dollar. Alas for
that heroic race OF modern Spartans" that
was to win the freedom Of the South upon q
swarthier broth than ever had flavor from the
Euroias. Where is it now. II haunts the
H.nr aI,ni skar 10 E..,,
from Yankee soldiers the autographs and Wig
nettes Of Old Abe. sweats coin (once in q
while) and speeulates in -four.
In another column we give some market re-
ports from the Richmond Eraminev, which are
eloquent upon the same subject that drew
forth the bitter expression Of Davis. They give
some Of the dimensions Of the speculation"
he laments. Gold, they tell us. has been sold
very extensively Of latc for drafts .as value.
loss as the paper on which they were written ;"
What the drafts were docs not appear; but
twlIye dollars worth; Of them purchased one
golden dollar, until<the purchaser got tired Of
1t. So there is gold ia that couatry But no
wheat flour arrives in Richmond for sale.
Farmers have their wheat ground '.on toll"
and hoard it '.for higher rates." or for fear Of
tie commissary department. Just now that
article commands in Richmond only forty-dve
dollars pcr barrel. FARMERS "do not cnrs to
add TO their ample stocks of ConfelsAAnTrea.
sury notes" aod hold on firmly. II the confe-
derac cY san1no = isxs*some time this winter.
aad Uncle Sam turn up supreme. wouldn't It
be better to have crop of wheat on hand than
o trunkful OF dcsunct promises To pay? Rather.
And the farmers hold on tighter than over. In
view of all this, the Examiner thinks it i'm posi-
bic to Disguise the fact that, with plenty within
reach. the Richmond people "are on the eve Of
| breatr fHminy.s-- -. :.
Corn meal is scarce at ten dollars per bushei;
pork goes for two dollars and forty cents per
pound; brown sugar for two dollars and eighty
cents, and New Orleans molasses for ffftecn dol
| lars a gallon; coffee sells Cor .Srorn sS9e6 to
| niNs s.1e}larp4D6~ound butter for four dollars,
and 4Sf5tixte cents. Having done what
they coSIH towards the imitation fthc Spartan
heroes. tho Southern people would now do well,
in view OF these prices, TO give some atten-
tion to the doctrines Of the ascetic philosophers.
BY this means they may he able 10 combat the
new enemy az successfully as by the other
means they did the Yankees; and they may be
able In addition to settle for the world the
great question of how little man can live on.
Societies are now in the process OF organization
in the South to resist the spectators, and it is
proposed that men shall agree not to buy or
sell except at certain conveniently low prices.
Such plan must die Of inherent and lanen.a-
bic absurdity; but these societies may do sonfe-
thing practical II they will get the reports Of
the French "Gela.ine Commission" and act
about the systematic reduction of the national
diet. Northern spectators will furnish glue
at very low rate.