Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-01
A Currency Article.

A Currency Article.
The following editorial article from the Charlottes
vile Chronicle is worth reading The remedy pro-
posed for the present embarrassments is question
able one, but plain talk on such subjects is the way
to arrive at results:
Perhaps "our wisdom is limited +" as Mr.. Sam.
Weller remarked on familiar occasion; but if any
body can see Of what imaginable service the Con-
tederate currency is to any human being, outside
the extcrtoners, unable to follow him. We
understand a currency to be measure of values
Ii Mr. Davis treasury notes are measure of value
then may our taiErs get the dimensions Of their
customers by measuring their images in a concave
mirror, and the tumbers that contain the drains of
our farmers should no longer be plain, but formed
OF series of convex lenses. II we called upon
to dream with uniformity, then let whole world
environment be brought to one standard Supply
the whole nation with appropriate glasses, and let
us have general carnival of unrealties. Is two
Thousand dollars the measure Of horsey Is twelve
hundred dollars the measure of a suit of clothes
Is two hundred dollars the measure of a pair of
boots? Is fifty dollars the measure of bushel of
meal? Is eight dollars the measures Of pound of
bacon? Is eight hundred dollars the measure of
cow Is nine thousand dollars the measure of
the board and tuition Of a child for nine months
Is the president of bank to pay his whole salary
for hundred weight Of pork ? This is all very
well for the boys, that is the farmers and the mig
gers; but it is death to the frogs, that Is towns
people and the poor in the country. Ii is crushing
ont the life of the body of the people 1t is bur
den too heavy to be borne. Patiently have the Peo
pie waited.
In February last (and this is September n we were
told that GlljORS changer tout celia; but Inc
currency act has produced more impression than
shot fired at random through the top of poplar
to make squirrel show himself For seven long
months has the country staggered unGler the mani
pulations of the Secretary of the Treasury. The
winter approaches; the heavy expendi lures of the
year are at hand fuel, pork, -four cot hing are to
be purchased Where is the money to ONE from |?
The mystery is, the worthless notes are as rare as
precious gems Difficult to secure; notifications as
the Aydrogenerated compound with the color of
whiskey. Mr.. Trenholm has the waggery to an
nounce that the prospects of his department were
never better. This may be so-they were never
good. But--as the fellow said when he Jumped out
OF the two-story window of his apartment TO avoid
his landlOrd-"w. can't wait There is pc
remptory and unse :led bill in the public stomach
and the amount u .ISt be- cashed
Everything now IS reduced to the gold standard,
and this is twenty to The sham has lived long
enough. No goyernment-no people can encounter
such system of values as this. The government
indeed, avoids the difficulty. Il has lis schedules
But the poor widow woman, the iniirm old nan
living on mis- little income, has no schedule What
purpose, then, we ask, does the currency seTve?-
We cling to a currency from habit. The fact Is i,
our circumstances, We want no cGrreDcy. It is a
I'll
sooner the spectre is dismissed the better. Bat it
is asked, how shall the government supply its wants
without money! Low shall the people 10 with
ont medium of exchange? To the latter Que stivn
we reply. that the currency does not cfft Ct uur.
chaseS it merely ministers to oppression. IC is
medium Of exchange where Thousand dollars
OF coupons of interest secure only fifty dollars worth
OF alfP sdity. Nh hua5FsA &Hd Glty dollars
are destroyed IN the operation. To the first ques
tion VIC answer that tine government is entitled to
supplies for the army, and it must have them Let
it. as is now doing, give its certificates Of indebted
ness, bearing interest
AL the notes in the Coniederacy should be burn
ed-the government cofnpcnsating the holders with
cotton or bondS-that is the remedy for the Con-
federate finances. any other remedy will merely
tax Mr.. Trenholm with imaginary devices that will
endlike Mr.. Memminger's. Mr.. Trenholm has no
lamp like Aladdin and he may rub his present one
till dOomsday without getting dollar What would
the people do on the disappearance ofthe currency?
They would do as other nations have done already
they would simply exchange one commodity for
another. The farmer would give meal for sugar
man would give two cows for a horse Some ar
tcle would become the most common article of ex-
change, as, for example, tobacco Persons would
procure supply of such article, and give an
equivalent for equivalent announcement this
would be certainly; but something is better than
nothing As matters now stand, the presence of the
notes shut out all this you cannot even use gold
We have tried to buy bacon with gold. We could
not do it. The lofty figures tempt the cupidity of
sellers, and the prices unhealthy.
When a fact developes ITSELF it is the part of
common sense to treat it as fact Statesmen should
act upon existing facts, and not cling to objects
which the current has passed. There is time to
be cautious and time to be bold; and ne is the
good surgeon who knows when to cut The life is
better than an eye or a leg. What is Mr.. Trenholm
standing there for steadying himself in the eddes
of Confederate notes Let him shove out in the
current and the boat will swim.