Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-02-24

ltOMA O -. sBOOOkA e
Chairu3
February II, 1865.
TIE FOUR HUNDRED MILL fES
DEFICIENCY. Nc
The astounding intelligence which lacll-
ed us sometime ago of the above de 1ien-
cy, struck us dumb with amazemef and
we may add, terror. We could ndiswe
would not, believe that SO gigantic aIfrand
as this could possibly have been perlkitted,
without the knowledge and criminaI Solln-
sion of men high in the confidence Sc the
government. We had thought at fir that
there might have been some typoaaDhi-
cal error, and rcfrained from rlakiTIs any
special remarks; but alas, the tale rs find
is but too true, lamentably true. to- Idle
it on the poor printer. There is Nd 9eny-
ing the fact. and the people of 80.
federate States may as well pfepasS 81 fsenz.
selves TO meet it with the best fortitude
they can command. -Four hundred mil.
lious of their money is gone, and nobody
knows where.
The atrocity and bare-faced rascaity of
this swindle isstill more CALLING and aithou-
sand fold more aggraVating to our people
when they are made to feel, that tho crime
has been committed in such way, and
by parties which it would be. unsafe to
bring TO justice. Such is the terror in
spired by the perpetrators Of this infamous
business, that our Representatives in Con-
gress are afraid to entertain "biLL to pun
ash frauds against the government" Such
bill as this was introduced the other day
in Congress, but was peremptorily reject
ed. What does this mean2 What will
the people think OF this action of their rep
resentayives coming almost in iuxtaposi-
ton with the overwhelming intelligence
that their treasury has been defrauded of
four hundred millions of dollarsi 1t isa
prominent trait in mans fallen nature to
suspect the honesty of transactions which
take from him his property, without pro-
per consideration, and certainly suspects
the purity Of the judge who refuses to per-
NIT either explanation or redress in the
premises. This is the precise situation of
our people at this time. They are told in
genteel, tiaikeu terms that there is deli
cheney III The treasury, when it is meant
that stnpendous fraud has been commit
ted upon them, which it will take the last
cAic&en in the Contederacy TO make good,
and Congl ess very complacently informs
them by the rejection of this bill, that there
Is no remedy. 1t is to be hoped, for the
honor of human nature, and Confederate
human nature particularly, that the mem
bers of the present Congress arc MT free
agents. That either their ssnsef have
taken their departure with the foAr hun
dred millions of dollars, or that tIiey arc
about to adjourn to Castle Thunderito leg
iSlate under bars, bayonets, and seAtineis.
A petty thief is pretty generally known
by the nature and character of his depre-
datiOns. He will steal your pocket hand
kerchlet, or some such small article, USE
fAl to the person, but relatively of small
value. We can also recognize the bold
and professional fancy tnancier, who,
with white delicate hands, and gentleman
ly bearing, tilches the Golfers of plethoric
corporations, by a few wellexecuted dash
es OF the pen, Of thousands at blow. The
miserable petty thief would dissolve into
his original constituents at the bare thought
of entering into the magnificent specIla-
lions OF his moro lofty confrere. Theen-
terprising burglar who enters our dolnicil
at midnight, prepared to stake his life
against our property, can be readily dis
tlnguiShed by his professional adroitness or
address in overcoming the obstacles which
come between him and the object of his
pursuit. But this transaction is so piyan-
tic, so unparalleled in the annals of any
government that ever existed on Gods
earth, that men are made to hold their
breath and gasp out, "who is this magn-
tlcent burglar that has broken into The
treasury department and has stolen four
hundred millions of dollars of money 3"-
Why, sometime ago, after being engaged
Ill bloody and expensive war, with large
armies paid and fed and clothed in the
field, for the period of nearly tour years,
we were told that the whole debt Of tho
Confederacy Amounted only to one thou.
sand and fourteen millions of dollars. Yin
other words, an amount nearly equal to
one half of the whole debt of the Confed-
crate States has been distracted, pelhbIaa,yf
Knows how, by some parties necessarily
high in authority, and Congress says tf,ey
must not be punished. Perhaps it is fSr.
tunate for the people that Congress Has
pursued this course, as it will enable th0nl
to locate the transaction in the proEer
place, or at any rate, in lis near vicinity
But what we regard as the worst aspect
of the whole matter is, the feeling of Ge-
preston which it has produced upon Our
people, coming like bird of ill-omen On
the heel of our recent disasters Alas!.
alas for our poor bleeding country, infliis'
hour of darkness and dismay. We could.
have borne up manfully under reYerses
and losses, but it is hard to stand up wHdln
confidence is shaken and destroyed Al
quarters, which should always appear like
the honor Of Caesars wife. This appalling
blunder which assumes all the repulsiks
proportions ola crime, because it has struck
a heavy blow at the liberties of the conn.
try-has done more to injure the CAUSE
than all the victories which the enemy has
gained over us. .- II
We warn Congress that the people de-
y,nond op6 ayCnot q in n,o r. %, ~