Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-10-19
What Might Be Done.

Suppose all the Farmers, Manufactu-
rsrs, Merchants, Mechanics and the Peo-
pie of the South generally, were to give
up their extortionate prices for what they
make and have to sell, and were to con-
tent themselves with reasonable profits,
as in the days of peace and suppose
everybody would contribute by deed and
counsel towards Sustaining the currency
of the country, by valuing Confederate
money as they do Bank note promises
to pay and suppose every n should
exert himself to infuse into the public
mind a hopeful, encouraging feeling of
the condition of affairs now, and of con-
idence in the final result Of our struggle
for independence /; instilling patriotism,
patience, courage, fortituds and strength
into the minds of the masses of the peo-
pie; what glorious, inspiring conse-
qusnces would follow, and how the great
heart of the nation would throb with
exultant, confident expectations of a tri-
umphant issue from all our present diff
| hculties.
Nor would such confident expectations
be %illusory or d~elusive; but as surely as
the d~arkenness of night is expelled by
the rising orb of day, so surely would
the chief obstacles not only to our fnal,
but almost our imme date success, be
hurled from our victorious pathway
And this most to be desired of all earthly
ends, can be arrived at, without the sac
rifcc of truth, honor or interest, but
would be greatly conducive of all these.
Is it asking too much, then, of a PEG,
pie engaged in the mighty contest IL
which we are, that they should give up
preying~upon the life-blood and treasure
of our people, our soldiers, and our gov.
eminent, at such astime as this? May
we not, will we not advance our indGoid'
uol interests, (f men take such a selfish
view of things,) by upholding the gov
eminent scrip and taking it at par, as
we do the promises to pay of Banks
corporations and individuals ? Is no
the present condition of our army affair.
such as to justify us in truthful, de
claring that. we cannot, will not be con
quered, and that we shall emerge from
our difficulties ~glofioasly tEiamHBaht sn y
pray, fight and labor, be most surely ad
vanced by establishing unity, frmness
courage and confidence among the people
instead of doubt, fear, distrust and alarm
Can the incubation of these latter feel
ings do US or our cause any good? Blu
do they not inevitably, nnavoidably, cal
ry along with them the most direful cor
sequences?
Would that the system could preva
for a few weeks or months, in order tina
the good results might be demonstrate
Can it not, will it not be tested? Ar
men SO bent on piling up money whic
they are constantly depreciating, thu
they will sacrifice their c~ountny>ahd rel
der worthless their ill-gotten gains? Ca
any good come out of croaking, sighin
and significant waggings of the heat
thereby causing dependency and alar1
among the masses?
If Motif all these things tend to en-
barrass and injure our cause-can he b
a well-wisher to it, who persists in an
policy calculated to dampen our ardo
spread distrust among the people, deprs
ciate the currency, and pile the prices
the necessaries of life mountain-high w
on the heads of the people