Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-25
Anrinnltural psbt nd Tsxation

Agricultural Debt and Taxation.
The planters Of the South, besides producing In the
sgxre9t,e ample sappEe5 OF agricultural products Tor
the entire population Of the South, furnished, sho
about three ourhs Of the exports Of the old Union
They we're ergaged, the average in the most lucia
tive hs least expensive and the most agreeable ineus
trial irsuit Of tae eoantry and almost of the ID
Their oosuolol was less liable 20 serious casualties or
mOru iss than any other while the most certain, not
only Of amps remuneration, but even iuOrdnate profit
SO much vas this the case that the plan ers life vac
Asays the moJs envi,d, the mos. coveted Of Oslngs
AMI - secure those 80 engaged regarded IN The
ooas.ans I'D permanent favor Of good fortune that
they constituted By far perhaps the most resPeeiAole
and inA4sntal class OF our population, and were de-
nominated Arst 1eraey abroad. Yet, ParAdoHieala
it nay sP2sA- this apparently fortunate, established
class producing within themselves nearly every neee
IAry Of lfs aud so largo amount OF surplus, and
snjOJing 30 much ea+e and n s0cl AID 20 ger, ware
Ia general individually ani in the aggregate, nearly
always bShind-han in mOneyema.ters, and lad mole
OSga ioas % their debit than their long purses and
bank deposits furnished ready cash TO their r,dL-
So long established aud uaVersal vas this financial
condition Of our nevertheless thrifty class Of Agricul
turi5ts = condition Evolutionary and hereditary among
Ehsn, tha We may almost assert toat the normal
didOa Of the SjuIhsrn planter vas one o; debt.
As al illustration it WAS customary for our planters
90 hurry forward their produce rre 'c5e Of prices
OF she effect Of such competition upon prices at the
earliest convenient ami often possible, moment to
market TO secure funds pay en- relieve them from
ths pressure Of their debtL Where these debts
not 80 serious a. 10 involve leus mortgages upon
their capital which existed 10 a considerable exhnt
the pressure would uIon them to settle the
rent osnJes aud other 9endures for which they
credited and expected TO meet a! the eOse of Tie
year Tas possibility Of concerted movement 20 Sc
O,ly At such prices the Va;u1 OF their prod lots could
be made 10 command In market, according the Law
Of haie namely, just under such prices pro-
hOitory of their sale or on par with such prices
would bring similar supplies or substitutes for thea
ON other quarters was thus frustrated by he Gag
nss and pressure Of ths p:OduSefs to real 70 ready
money f,Om them. Bus rhs war has taught our plt4
tss tie ao,ud value Of such products. Cotton, ~
nov discover is ae.uiIy worth " sae manufacturer
ma fold the price in god that We we're in III,
hAbi ei getting for L. So also, tobacco and all GU
p,oyson crops, no; only abroad, baS also among
ourselves Il Is needlsss 20 say N she laws of suppl;
and demand regulate these yell Oher prices. But
unfortunately for Us While the supply Of some Of thee
articles almost exclusively in The hands of cur pro-
dlcers, and consequently the plRsr, to great extern
- rguate their prices YET, their eIlravIganee
caused them 10 part vita this poEa, aud place them
selves not only 10 subesiOn purchasers to Gceep.
such prices they might propose, but to further ad
purchasers By their competition in their demand for
money 70 meet these eKFATagAness Tue purchasers,
Of course offered the oaess prices at sbeh these Ar
tioes could be supplied but in return, regulated
the sales Of Sbeir manufactures tbtain their u
value As further illustration Il 10 vel known that our
ATHEIST producers those Of the rich lands, 6ne eli
nae, aad supsriOr staple Of The gres S0uthEes', ia
especial, we're in general under obligations for ous
or Of their crops in advance, and the most "a
Orbi.Ans interest, while the European manufacturer,
sAd to some extent the NOrth,ru, could lay up aad
hold two years supplies and more ahead, and allow
year vi hOus IN crest 70 Iun upou their manufactures
IN Prsereaes TO forcing them upon the market
How stands the case With our planters to-iays Cut
OF from Ihe opportunities of eI.rasAgant eGptndtu g
and further aided By TIA high prices OF their prod &c
Incident much to a 81 stem Of uiiLhvldng them from
market, from actual diminutOn OF supply, they paid
Cd their ObGgadOns 10 sings extent early in thevt
By subsequent sales they have mush longer purses aud
larger bank deposits than formerly which are not 70
be called At the years emf settlement as DO NV
obligations have been entered into. They have in al
d ion many Of them, cop on hand which ihsy re-
gard a. o. moro value than the currency Of the day
and consequently hoard far impressment agelti
viii allow sud are now, with eli this capital in haad
about entering upon another op. Appeal almost
daily made through the press from the halls of legils
ton and tie stump 20 their pstrloIisD to be unTemt
ting and dhgent in their endsaVors not only b. Ing
forward all surplus provisions they ave Oa hand but
IN the crop 70 increase their production 10 the Ut
extent. But hunaa nature is PerSerse all past
history illustrates as vel present war and men
prefer 10 devote their country their Assh and blood
and that Of those dearest them rather than their pro-
psrsy Yet with al the unity, aIdOr and enthusAsm with
Whch We entered upon this var, was found, before
year had rolled round that the voluntary patriotism of
our Deope could not DO relied keep full the ranks
o. our armies. i. also discovered that vol intary
supplies for the ustenanee Of these armies vas even
more unreliable. The strong Of Law had to be re-
sorssd 20 in both Ca'es Though les action upon The
latter far less sweeping than upon the former, ye
the Dissatisfaction and disaRseton thai eEsued from it
re far deeper and more widespread. Appeals 70 be
patriotism Of planters have proved zoo uncertain to be
re led on for the fu.ure Even compulsory evies upon
en- have been to such an extent evAded and lodged
20 be preeaioas rtliance. There Il another appeal
N Oh Olag ess in is late legislation, has ruek upon,
:. ke lust and WI 90 dOubi prove beneficial to bOtl
he goVanment asd the producers, aud which adui
az ,epg greatly extended with increased benefit l. Is