The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-02

yet u is nnt psopes 70 sci ! ms1imum ON The pro-
peIty 20 represented
1sss the law Of maxiMnn viii be dif,cuIt
to enf0sce l readily sdmn. 30 Is The whole
loaa Of moasy Il nsefe ihaa 1aeai Interest. So l.
That bnsht, hopeful, aad sIauns plan Of s.vaiion
for which Saytoss dled. 1ss shaii We, fpr sach
seasoas, abandon our efEortgebseiofm, bensht, and
save maMkinds
Bat III naxts,nm woslIa have o.hef tmpossan.
advaataaes. II w0uld pus ~ end % discont.nt
aNOn4 the people; Il wnniA{ xtinguish tbs prac-
tics Of boarding snd htlings " ifhoat any hope "f
aish TO consusnera sheis ljsptas. unifornity OF
ps!ee and the aryIicatto0 g. ne n!azimam ~ ali
things woum, am pcss1 Ned, tnsplfs general
saaisaacsioAs end relieve thAersssary daty Of col
whtsh "a. Rsis,aIare, Il lIay esses, made the
duty in1st unpleasant. and fekfOre those Kind aud
a6sseabie relutInns which skauId always exist ho-
tvecn die people aud their Government. Surely,
es.ss .si si.s ssss suites viii hi .pes y adop.n.
AZ an. auxiliary ~ the MAXIMUM II Is Of great
importance that the cOmuo9 law cf:nce OF f0
siaiiing. rceratng, aud en5rossng should be made
affective FoeestaiIng IL defined 10 be ssthe act OF
buying provisions before thzy are offered In mar
kei, with intent to sell ticia at higher prices."
kegraiias Is .the purchssnf OF provisions and
selling them tmltt,e same n4rket Engrossing is
s.lhe buying up ~ large quantities Of commodity
In order to raise the price, These acts are all
offences at the common ian because enhancing
the aneccssasies OF life, ane thus committing q
psbiie wrong. These pfacsfees are common, and
AeaossssAs each ncts = - tary ~ pubic policy,
an1 BY a SEMINARY remedy panlsh all persons
guilty Of them, 1t wold relieve the people from the
cruel exs0rtioh to which they are now cOmnelitd d
to submit and many poor family from suffering
and want.
Of Kindred character IL the practice Of with
holding from sale Othtr articles thar provisions,
with vi. W Of obtaining higher prices at future
Anu alls ~ oixt In
sion Of articles Of whatever description not need
ed for their use 10 offer tnetA for sale. AGdtO pf
vent frauds and evasi0hs, sdch persons should be
requiied 10 make out inventories of all such aru :
clcs, whether they arc their own property or the
property Of others with the cost price thereof, and
to deliver the same to Board of Commissioners,
to be provided by law, who should put their stamp
upon each article, and restrict the owners to Il
profit not exceetin. p per cent thereon. can
not here give all the details necessary TO perfect
this scheme; hot 1t is enlireiy practicable, and
would greatly contribute TO the relief Of the cOun
try,
diciai 10 the good morals and to the country. |
regard it as having done more to the prejudice OF
our currency thau any other known agency, and,
uader our present circumstances, as an uhmiti-
gated evil. Indeed, regard it as a gigantic sys-
TEN of gambling, under authority Of law. hope
it will be speedily suppressed.
At the special session Of the General Assembly
a law was passed TO suppress distillation. II was
the objects contemplated by the act, however,
breweries should be suppressed, and no sale OF
malt or alcoholic liquors should be permitted, ex-
cept, perhaps, by apothecaries, who, under proper
regulations, might BE allowed ts do for strictly
medicinal purposes.
There are many persons among US, foreigners by
birth, consuming our food, growing rich by specu-
atiOn and extortion upon ua, aud vet denying their
obligation unite in the defence of the country.
Although cannot see how such pretensfons can
be maintained, YET. ii valid under the law now ex
listing, the law should be changed, aud such Pcr-
sons should be compelled to perform military duty,
or, at any rate, to leave the country.
1t is matter of concern TO every patriot 20 see
many able bodied men anxious to escape mij-
tary service, and ito do so, seeking empi0yE,eR;s
of the Government, or leaving the country for for
cign parts This evil might be, to n cOnsid .rabe
extent, corrected by a rigid enforcement Of exist
log law, the refusal OF all passports 10 leave the
country, aud the enactment OF such laws by the
State and Confederate Governments as might bs
necessary to correct It.
cannot tOUearncstiy' press urOn the public con-
s'desation the great Importance OF organizing the
reserved force of the State. Every element Of
strength, whether OF means or men, which Is now
left to us, must be combined auxilIar, TO the
armies in the faid. Tue Confederate Govern
ment has our entire body of militia under its
comm md, consisting of the able bodied men ol
the State, and new proposes to organize our re-
served force. do not intend, certainly ct present
TO raise any question about the right do so hut
confess should be much concerned to see ii exer.
"A
without the dignity of strength-stripped Of all
her men, and without only the form Of pageantry M
power-wOuld, indeed, be nothing more than
wretched dependency; to which should erieve te
see our proud old Commonwealth reduced. Re
cent events painfully admonish US, also, Of the ne.
cessity ofthorough and complete organization, arc
doubt not the General Assembly will, on re- as
sembing on the 9Th instant, promptly relieve US oi
all uneasiness about the legislation OF Congress
by the passage of a short yet comprehensive act
clothing the Governor viii. full power to or
ganizc the reserved force of the State In
such manner as may best promote the public In
terests. having due regard, ot COURSE to the char
acter aud 10 the limited objects to which 1t Is to bt
applied. A generous confidence on the part Of tht
General Assembly in the Governor, to whom the
executive power Of the State has been entrusted
by the Constitution and the people, Is. It seems tt
me, q constitutional duty. But, apart from thai
view of the subject, Respectfully ask IT, because il
Is Impossible for any hunan forethought provide
by legislation for the varying circumstances which
may occur during tne gisanNc war IN wnicn we
are engaged, and because cannot believe that
can abuse any trust cOnded to me, fail tenderlJ
10 consider the feelings and interest Of my fellow
citizens in regard to the military duties which they
may be called to perform.
The currency of the country, Consisting, as Il
does, almost exclusively of Confederate notes
with which the States and all the people thereof
are identified calls for the most careful considera
ton. 1t must be thoroughly reformed. The fa
City with which it Is created, and the enormous
amounts which ara daily issued, naturally lead Il
waste and extravAgance, and inevitably u vice
and deprayity. Far better would IL have been had
we adopted. at tho beginning Of this war, hard
money currency. A judicious system of loans and
taxation, combined with our great staples Of cot
ton, tobac 90, and naval stores, of which the Gov
ernmcnt should have possessed ITSELF would have
furnished Us such resources as would have Hber
ally supplied our wants and planted our public
credit upon basis which would have given Us tht
confidence OF the world. 1t Is useless, however
to speculate as TO the past The practical qnes
deeply interested in this question, and, Oher Gov
ern0r, feel it 10 be my duty, although with hesi
tati0n and difhdence, 10 express my views upo'
this interesting md important question:.
First. Provide by law for the issue OF one thou
sand millions OF dollars, at four per centum pc
annum on that part which takes up the currency
and six per centum On the residue, with c0npon
attached; interest payable In specie Or bank cur
rency.
second. Declare that the Confederate note cur
rcncy shall to circulate such, and shall bt
funded In the bonds authorized t. be issued
Third Make the banks Of established credit th'
than par all bonds which may be In excess Of III,
currency to be funded " Issue their osgu notes n
currency, ami to transfer, when and where need
ed, the funds Of the Government.
Fourth. To tax freely, taxes payable in specie
or In the notes Of BANKS acting a. Governmen
agents, or coupons Of public debt.
| Fifth. Let the Goyernnaent now take tnto IL
possession the cotton, tobacco. and naval stores
the county as auxiliary 90 loans and taxes.
| There can be but little objection TO this. II 1
well known that a large portion II these article
Is in the hands Of spccula oss, who have growl
rich In the midst of sencra suffering and distress
This scheme would, am persuaded, act like
chasm In the Immediate renovation Of the puhii
credit, In the reduction Of tbe interest the pabi
viii fina satisfaciion ~ an evldence Of regard
he resources Of che couaxy. Besides, those wh
win own Il will have acquired the abiiisy 70 do
by enoraaous prolit, and, at most, IL can only b
.searded g ! spee hl TAR upon the nch, which ha
nssnerous precsdenss, and which they can well al
ford 10 pay.