Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-03-11
IlIE TAN ON GOLD,


THE TAX ON COLD.
) The Secretary Of the Treasury has tiirtctt
thft tae tax on gold aid siiver, bullion .
dast. be collected in kind ~ i9e fer cent
Gold will cease 10 be very valuable IL
vcstmcn., siaoo one thousand iollrs in so!'
pays fifty dollars in gold which, at twenty
three for one, is equal to eleven hundred ;.n,
fifty dollars in Confederate n,uncy-wllich j.
just i've per cent. on twenty three thousand dol
lars. This tax approaches gold to Confederate
money, and as the difference in value decreilse
under tho operation Of this tax, gold vii
cease to be.aought after to the depreea:ien-o
the currency Of the country.
Who pays this taxi And ior tho benefit o.
whom is it paid? Tho hcardcr ol gold mus
bring his hidden treasures to lisht,. AMI lc
must ray them over for the Use aud bcneIis o
INC country. II there amy reason why this
very proper law should be interfrred witt. -
Enne whatever. But We expect S. me eff RI
will lie made to relieve s"ld. I.Nyii rnt lc
sunnes>!u if the people will carefully w.:"
the movers in it.
We are permitted to publish the following
letter from the Right Rev. John JclnF. Bi-n-
op OF the Diocese Of Virginia. t. the Hon.
| Secretary Of War Of the United States ir.
correction Of the statement of :. l. S. Sur
] gcon, who was rarcled upon the rtqucs: o!
Bishop Johns.
| The letter is Gated January oS, 1861 and
was duly seat to Mr.. Stanton, with the rr-
gent request that he would publish il; hu: ns
ho has never permitted it to he published. wc
nnw lay it before onr readers, in the hope :hat
| some U. $. paper will present i: n the Ir,l!a
or the United States
RIcHAusD. Va Jan. ., lSG,l.
| II Ike Hon. Secretary of Uur, / s.:
Allow me to .uLsnlt for Y"Ir consideration
| 8 sIrrlc statement, with IL other design than
70 sul,scryc the caure of humanity Us connect.
| cd with the treatment Of prisoners.
Some weeks since j. was my privilege 10
obtain tbs release IF DR.. QCld.boroush, =
Surgeon in the U. S. Army. had repeated
ly yisilcd him during his confinement. and WAS
permitted to prefer 10 him and others simi-
Iarly :i!natcd an assistance whrI ! deemed
proper lie invariably replied to my enqui
| rcS thmt irc Wa. furnished with everything
winch Il prisoner cf War could expect = want
| irg no:hing but All additional dcr.Garucnt
to supply the place Of one which ho Lad lot
at Gettysburg. This offered t" send him .t
once; but ~ he expressed Il rreicr"rca io-
purchasing it with i:!s own fund.-, which warc
In the Ios, essicp ut Gen. Winder, ha! tho
order rocu-ed and p!accl q: lis disposal.--.
lie did not use i. and. in u sub=f4ncnt irtcr-
visw, attempted ;:a explanation, but 20 e.n-
fused in its charantc" that ! changed The c1n-
yersatiUn TO relieve his embarrassment.
Al u later date, he snnt fer ne 90 Show mc
@ letter which he had resolved, informing hin,
Of thG .l.c Of his father and brother, and of
their great desire to SIC iIin, and asked mo t.,
try and procure his parole iur Jhi1 rurrS,r.--
lie urged this On the ground Of his he;ng {,
non n-combatant--assnrinS re shat he had ~.
inincd the army from lay zeal against the
South ha;, being without practice. he
was desirous 10 he in i portion which wcuil
q ri him employment and support in tkr
line Of his profession. ] iwcnt immediately +.
Judge Ould and asked tJr the paro.c, svi.iY
on the plea of humanity. He rrE'ie that.
under existing Iii :ultics, which had arrested
the exchange ur plisuncrs. l!c did no' feel au-
,horized t. geld to :ho sympathy "Hirh t'r''
cuse ;avGlrcI, unless hy ~ doing something
could hc ;iiectcl towards general es sibanS:
IF Surgeons ard chapiaina; hut il DE-. q.
could and would visit Washington for th:s
purpose, and use his owa aad such ether iti-
fluence as he could Obtain to promote thi: AID
the plan proposed bJ Judge Ouid. thea the
p..olc might be granted. asked for these
conditions III writing, and handed them to DIR.
G, for his consideration. lie assured me that
he cordially approved Of the views "f Judge
Oold. and w"uli do all in his power
to prevail upon his own Government to
concur. lIc then signed an "greeinens
to this effect and took copy for himself. Bi
the u, yt flag Of truce he was permitted to re-
turn to the United States, and carried with
him the fu;ds which, during his imprisoir-
mcnt, had been in the keeping "t tha Provost
Marshal In parting, ] took tbs liberty Of
stating to him that my ability t. be nl snr!Ic''
to others would depend very much On hi1
course after his liberation, and expressed the
hope that nothing would occur to make III" re-
gret ,ny agency in procuring hi' parole. ijis
assurances left no room for "pprchcnding tie
slightest disappointment. And yet, t!'is man,
with worthy name, which he should have
changed before prostitu;ing it by ingr"tltudc
md falsehoud, had scarcely reached his home
when ho began to utter tho sro1sest misropra
sentatious as to the treatment tO which his lel-
low prisoners and himself had been subjected
hastenei to Washington, not to comply in good
faith with his engaa mens ~ an ayert for
cfecttny a humane arrangcmsnt; Du; t. wider
the existing observation-disclosures revenge ay has
report of crucl.ias which he knew had hc7cr
been practiccl aIr;l then b3;:st that lls state
ments had stimulated his Government /" sc.
we're retaliation upon the Confederate s,liiars
in their prisons.
As was con led with hs parole, which
AZ ,rjed him the opportunity for attempting,
TO increase the srffsringe Of others, deem it
n duty TO make this statement to onirhct I'll"
false impression which his uncoutra'!ietcd
representation may have produced, and to prs
vent the misery which might ensue. Ny own
testimony il 81. follows: Daring my visits t'
Libby Prison tn minister u its inua:"s As need
might require have often appealed to them,
Individually cnd IN groups, 10 know i! iiay
had any cause to complain %! the traa.ncut
which they experienced, assuring them ci my
readiness 10 secure tho redress Of any r..!
grievance. Tie uniform reply has bcGn kat
they had 10 inhumanity to complain Of aGh
thai except tho want Of outdoor Exercise they
wanted nothing iut 10 90 hcmc. The spacious
rooms Of the building w',i:h was originally
an extensive tobacco warehouse always faurd
sufficiently warmcl and yentila.el, aal tile nP'
rca.luec OF tic inmates tha; of rHrsuES II,
good hcalt?,.
In peanins ti.;< s:t!amSs.s ia n,t eoap'F
with the dem ,rds nr GnnIcicnce an,i huu:mili
ty, and shall be most harpy if It serves {. pre-.
vent all unnecessary suiIarn@. on tic part Of
those whom the iorInne ur w.r !al auhjecic't
- ,ricnnmpnt