Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-07-26
MORNING LEADER.
A severe Remedy Proposed for Rebels
and Gold Cons spiratOrs.

A severe Remedy proposed for Rebels
and Gold Cons spiratOrs.
We referred, a few days since to the
bold and original speculations of Mr..
Wilkes with regard to the causes of the
present enormous prices and the large in
dation in the value of gold. Pursuing
the same vein of thought, he again refers
to the subject. It is well understood that
the present value of gold is due chiefly
to the exertions of certain foreign Jews
and interested operators in the Confederate
loan. They commando a large amount Of
capital, and are thus enabled to control
the sixty or eighty millions of gold which
there are in the country. These are the
men who are the enemies of the people,
and to whose exertions are chiefly due the
high prices which the day laborers are
obliged to pay for the neeessaries Of
life. Gold having become an article Of
trade, and having a fictitious value put
upon it by the preference awarded to it in
the payment of duties, has become an OBJ
ject of greedy gambling.
The remedy proposed for this state of
things by Mr.. Wilkes is thus vigorously
stated
q lThe true remedy, therefore, for our
financial condition. is the resumption of
our ocean business through the means We
state, or falling that, the excision of one
sided commerce, which creates a false de
mand for gold, and has thus become our
direst enemy. Indeed, nOn-intercOurse,
as a remedy, would be more wholesome
and thorough in our present state, even
than the resumption Of our ocean trade;
but rs rion-irltercourse would operate as a
penalty to foreign powers, We should not
infict it if they would do us tardy justice,
bv the cessation of their virtual alliance
with the rebel eorsairs,
aWith a tinshackled commerce and an
eaualized currency receivable for duties,
our credit would be reinstated; with non
intercourse, our vigor and internal pros
peritv would be at once restored. Under
the latter alternative there would be no
further need of gold for duties or for i'm
ports, and what is already pledged as in
terest on our bonds, could be easily OBJ
tained, from the excess which would soon
accumulate from California, under a non
expectation act Gold would then lie
useless in bank, it would hardly bear
market price; the gold conspirators would
disappear; the currency under an en-
larg6d system Of taxation, would be equal
to all our wants and our depleted veins
L haulkhxr
We must either do this or give up the
war. We had better bear however, the
duly adjusted taxation of the government,
than the capricious and terrible taxation
of the harpies of exchange; and the gov
ernment itself might better rid itselfof their
illicit imposts, by resolute diplomacy,
than sink into inglorious chaos through uIl-
avoidable reputation.
As TO the danger of war resulting
from this brave and necessary course, 1t Is
hardly worthy of moments thought, in
comparison with the evil that is pressing
| on US. We cannot long endure the pres
ent state of prices; and we can get along
with foreign war if that should come.
| The advantages are all on our side. We
have no commerce to loose, and our coasts
could not. be successfully invaded by the
whole Of Europe. Our seabOard cities
would suffer not the slightest danger from
foreign foe, for under the improved
methods for the defence Of harbors, we
have not vet been able to capture Viii
mington. Charleston, or Mobile, or even 10
set one Of them thoroughly on fire. On
| the other hand the commerce of all Eu-
rope is at our mercy, and so also are at
our mercy NapOleon's communications
with the Gulf We have nothing to fear,
therefore, from foreign war and if we
must have one, as is generally conceded,
| after the rebellion IS disposed of had we
not much better have 1t now, while our
accoutrements are on, than harness up
anew when our domestic struggle is con-
cluded. At the end of the rebellion we
want peace Whatever We have to set
tie therefore, let US settle now; and rather
than submit longer to the suppression of
our commerce through foreign perfdy,
| and to the destruction of our finances
through outside intrigue, We should prefer
to redeem ourselves from useless luxury
and close up mad fight"