Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-11-02
G6gefeb..(e5l1bsrtls|er,
From the Southern Guardian.
To NeWberry.

the Guardian, of the Sd instant. In some
of the views which you. present / fully con-
cur. The inequality to which you. refer,
arising under the operations Of portion oi
the military act, approved s17th February
1884, tis apparent, and .shonldbe femedied.
But even with that inequality, the friends
ofthat provision found; great difhcultYiSin
having it; engraf.ed upon the act, as many
thought, although. accompanied with the
conditions and obligations therein spacihed
exemptions and details should not be, al
lowed.
The great evil; under which the country
is suffering, is extraordinary high prices
which have taken place in everything, dur.
ing the progress ofsthis var rea-This Is an esfl
which seriously aifectsall non-produeer and
especially most OF the families of those gal
liant men who are in the field, and who, at
the neglect of their own private affairs, are
devoting themselves entirely to the common
good. 1t is also entailing upon the Govern
ment, aud through it, upon the people, pub.
lie debt which is becoming fearfuliy gigantic
in its proportions. & 1t issan esilwhich, If not
arrested may lead to our financial ruin.
What is needed isa scheme which, at the
same time.reducing prices, shall alse operate
equally upon all classes, professions and
empfoyments. he that st this time would
originate sucha scheme would deserye and
receive the warmest thanks Of his country;
and, as your representative, thank you for
the thought whien you have. bestowed upon
the subject, and the valuable suggestions
which you have made to me. The currency
aetito which you allude, had this object in
view, BY reducing the volume of the cnrfen-
cy. IL has not, however, produced fully the
fruits expected, andlntherand more thorough
legislation IS required. s:9,sssA. *
At.the last session efaCongress Isintfednc-
ed hill as substitute to the impressmept
bill, which, though by no means perfect, n
it had been adopted and faithfully executed,
believe, would have brought much relief,
and would have met and remedied some Of
the evils complained ofin your cemmunica-
ton. The leading features Of the bill are:
First. That the Government, through prop.
erly constituted agents, shall he authorized
to purchase the entire surplus of the country
at its gold rdlue, or, in, other words. at the
prices of 1860. Second. That. the Govern
ment shall be authorized and required to. re-
sell at cost, and for consumption alone, to
noh-producers and to consumers generally,
such portion Of this surplus as the necessi
ties of the army may not requreto be retain
ed. Thirdly. That this s.rplas shall be
paid for by the Government in gold certif
Gates, which, upon their face, the Govern
nent shall solennly pledge itself to redsem
in gold six months after the ratification OF
peace, which shall be receivable as gold in
the payment of the public dnes, taxes, .ana
which shall also.be receivable Ms gold by the
Governmentin is resale to consumers Of
that portion OF Che surplus not needed torlhe
use ofthe army, as provided for above.
1 will now briefly explsp the objects
sought t9Ibe accomplished by these different
fea'uresh
think the Government should. purcha.e
the entire surplus Of everything produced for
market, for the following reasons: First-sBy
Vadoptikg this course it would then be in the
power ofthe Government. by resale, to them
at reasonable prices, to meet the wants Of
thousands Of falnilies, who, as you suggest,
if somc provision is not adopted iu their be-
half, must seriously suffer. Those upon
whom these families have been heretofore
-depenSpt to supply them arc in the field
far away from home-their business neglec-
ted, theirfarms and pursuits abandoned, strug-
Cling for the common good and upon a
-pa( ludl WOu'o SS1ECSi1
at present prices, single bushel of corr. In
The absence of these enaturalprotcctors, whom
the Government has called away, it is its du-
ty enjoined upon it, by the most sacred con-
sfderations, to step in and become common
protector to them ALT is its duty to take
these families from the hands Of the sharper
and extortioner, and to. see that they shall
not want for necessary supplies, furnished
at livingrates. Ifanythi"g was needed to
stimulate and encourage our gallant men in
the army to q more faithful discharge Of their
perilous duties, nothing would so fully ac-
complish this. and 80 nerve their arms upon
the day ofbattle, as knowledge, upon their
part, that that Government for which they
were imperiing all had resolved to stretch
its protecting shield over their loved ones at
home; and especially in the matter of seeing
that they were furnishedsat reasonable cest
with the means of subsistence. To DO this
the Government should get control OF the
entire surplus Of everything which might
contribute to that subsistence. Secondly. It
would equalize prices, removing that. inc.
quality Of which you complain, arising from
the fact that portiopof the community is
under bond TO sell at schedule prices, Wf,ile
the remainder is allowed to sell withont-lim-
it as o.price. This is oppre. siye, especially
npon- the bonded party since be is not al
lowed to barter or exchange for. such things
as hedoes7net produce, butmust go into the,
market, subjected to tue highest market
rates, after selling all Of his produce at the
schedule prices. If, however, the Govern
.ment was the sole purchaser. from all and
iheaole vendor to all, prices would be COM
pletely equalize6, and exactjusticss measured
ont to each.-.
Itnay be objected, that should the Gov-
ernmelt 90 into the Market determined to
buy everything, that ,prices would mount
higher and higher, that parties dealing with
the Goyefnmept'wo lose their conscience
and would gradually increase in their de-
mands until the highest possible rates wonld
be established This, however, would not
be the case underthe operation of the bill ss
you VIII perceive by q slight examination of
the general scheme contained therein.
Inthe first place, it is proposed that tue