Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-10-21

North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
Florida, mississippi and Tennessee.
At meeting of the Commissioners O
your respective States to fix prices under
the impressment laws, convened by order
of the Secretary of War, at the instance o.
the Secretary the Treasury, at Montgom
cry, on the goth instant, for mutual con
fer cnce, with a view to uniformity Of prices
between the several States, and by reduc-
ton of p~;ees lust to the Government and
the peop g. to suss:.in the credit Of the coun-
try, the undersigned were appointed COM
mittees to address you on this important
subject. and to appeal to you, who of all
have it mo in your power to bring about
this desired result, to come to the aid Of the
Secretary of the Treasury, to the aid ofthe
Commissioners, and to the aid of your coup-
try upon this queAtior vital to her life, and
to ycur own future interest and welfare.
It is your own Government we ask you
to sustain-your own cause we appeal to
you to support-your own credit we wish
you to uphold. But two things are requiI ed
on your part to do this. One is to furnish
your supplies to the Government at low
rates; the other, to invest your surplus
money in Governmet securities. But two
things are necessary to bring the war to a
successful close. NJ n and money. Men
| to fight our battles, and money to provide
the means to support our armies in tie field.
The patriotism of the country has supplied
the men, and we appeal to that same patri
otism on the part of those at home cheerful
ly to supply the means.
1t must be known to you that in prepor-
ton as the Government expenses are re
duced, so in proportion will its burdens up
on you by taxation be reduced. TO reduce
its expenses you must give value to itr cur.
rency, sc that its purchasing power may be
increased and the largest amount Of surplus
secured with the least amount of money
There are two ways to give value to oul
currency. The first is to diminish its vol
ume the second to have confidence In Gov.
ernment securities. Both these depend up
on yourself.
There are two ways to diminish the vol
ume Of the currency. One is to furnish thu
Government with your surplus supplies al
low rate, the other to iayest your surplus
money IN Govern Il, CO. securities. Il mus
be plain to you that this will sustain the
| Government credit, and that it is in your
power to accomplish it. 1t must also h
plain to you that this is to your own bes
interests, as you will then hold yourselves
the Government Indebtedness which will be
returned to you in interest upon her securi-
ties, and in your diminished burdens of tax
alton. But do you distrust the Govern
ment securities IF you do, you distrust
your own cause. and by SO doing impede
the progress of your independence.
Each one Of your States was represented
in the Convention, and the Commissioners
after the most mature consideration, deter
mined upon uniform schedule Of maximum
prices for the several States, reducing the
average prices heretofore about one-third
or perhaps sligtly more. An extract from
the closing remarks of the Prcsinent will
inform you of the spirit of the deliberations
of the Convention:
"Never, in all my experience ia deliberae
tive bodies, have seenA manifested more
harmony, more courtesy, ann more concili-
alton between the members themselves, and
between them and the Chair, than have
been exhibited in your entire proceedings
and each member Of the Convention has
with earnest and conscientious faithfulness
endeavored to discharge his duty to the
Government and the people.
"We have unitedly taken an advanced
stepin the reduction of prices by the estab.
| lishment of uniform MAXIMUM schedule
TO sustain the credit of the currency, the
responsibility of which each one of us ha.
DECIDEDLY felt, but which necessity compelled
us to take in the exigenciss of the coun-
try.
"The people,. | think, will appreciate ou1
action, and approve what duty required anc
patriotism demanded; but whether approved
by all or not, ours is the responsibility aue
we leave it to the calm Judgment Of thai
public opinion which it goes out to meet
and which, filled with just appreciation
Of the success of our struggling cause, viii
determine Justly upon tho measures which
we have taken financially, to maintain it. ;
Congress has provided the expenses Q
the Government are to be paid in treasu
notes and certificates Of Indebtedness bear
ing six per cent. interest, payable two year
after the ratification Of treaty of peace, an
free from taxation. These certificates ar
attended to reduce the volume Of the chr
rency, and are the most valuable means {
J navment offered hy the Governments.