Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-13

down with blind dolstry, and be crushed by this J
cruel Juggernaut and make no efforts to secure an
honorable peacei Must we, like the Canaanites,
still drive our children through the fires to this |
insatiate MolochH Must we forget all the teachings
OF our holy religion and follow only the example of
the untutored barbarian and savage, and thirst for
blood like the fsmished tiger? Must we still cele-
bIate the dread carnival" of slaughter until our
country is made desert, and our wives, mothers
sisters and children are left amidst the ruins Of
homes as victims to the hendsh lusts and passions
Of the barbarous negro and an Infatuated soldiery?
Oh! when will our rulers heed again the voice of
religion and reason; seek the beautiful paths of
peace and cease to tread the "wine press" of
human wrath?
Mr.. Speaker, are the resources of our country.
sufficient to continue this war for many years ?
We have remarkably rich and productive land,
. and formerly it tcemed with an overlooking album
dance Of the necessaries comforts and luxuries of
life. But care and labor are necessary to insure
production. A large proportion of the Skill energy
and efficient industry of our people has been turned
for Il rec years into. the channels of war. One
fourth of our working slaves have escaped, or have
been taken away by the enemy, and the rest have
become so demoraiIzed from the want of proper
superintendent and discipline, and the prospect of
speedy freedom that their labor is not worth half
the value OF former years. A. large refugee popu-
lation has crowded into our contracted territory,
who add but little to production, and still justice,
be cared for and fed. The supplements Of agricul-
ture have been lessened in quantity. and impaired
in value so that the efficiency Of labor is much
diminished The blockade cuts of nearly all foreign
supplies that could relieve the substantial wants of
the country. The articles that pass through the
lines are principally used for the purposes Of war,
or serve to crafty the extravagant and luxurious
tastes of the rich or feed the hungry and craving
appetite OF the speculator and extortioner. Our
various lines of, domestic trade are so completely
monopolized by military operations that the neces
sites OF one section cannot be supplied by the
surplus productions Of another section. A hrge
amount OF our richest and most productive territory
is now in the possession Of the ecemy, or so cut off
by hostile lines that it furnish brt little sSsis-
lance to the people who are defending the head and
heart of our ConfeOeracy The ineficiency and
carelessness which always attend large government
operations and the imperfect means of collection
and transportation have greatly injured and wasted
our public stores.
Without foreign commerce and domestic tradS with
half Of our land and labor gone with the efficiency
OF labor greatly diminished with largely nceased
consuming population, with the drouths, thsfresh-
cts the raids and war depredations of mere than
three years, is it surprising that the country is
suffering from numerous wants, and looking to the
future with fearful apprehensions This picture is
gloomy one, but still it is truthful. Politicians
may indulge IN theories and ancies, but the action
of statesmen should be influenced by facts If the
picture is dark before u.s. we should eldeayor
to brighteu it. War has csst these gloomy shadows
over the land, and peace aBne can bring the SUM-
light Of prosperity to suffering country
Mr.. Speaker, there is another consideration
connected with this question of fighting oat" the
war, which is worthy Of serious attention The
intelligence and virtue Of the country is daily
decreasing with fearful rapidity. Our colleges and
school houses are nearly all deserted The teachers
and pupils have quit the beautiful fields OF science
nd and foil he,
OF was, or arc sleeping the quietude of the grave
What are the hopes Of the country if these healthful
fountains OF learning and virtue are lOag to be
scaled? Even the church shows striking Signs of
decay. The happy throng, that once went up to
the affairs OF the sanctuary seen no more but
vacant seats, sad faces, fearful eyes, and the hab
mentS oil w!dowh0od and orphanage tell many a
tale OF sorrow and death, Gentle and beautiful
woman, helpless and innocent CHILDHOOD and de-
crepid age still enter the courts Of the Lords house
with thanksgiving and praise; but the manly hus.
band, brother ana have gathered at the shrines
Of human passion and vengeance; aad there with
out the hallowing influences of home, they are
surrounded by all the vices incident to military
life. This war has greatly impaired the power and
majesty Of lao. The tribunals of Justice can
no longer afford complete protection to civil rights,
and wrong doors too often escape just punishment
Might makes right" is rapidly becoming the
supreme law of the land. spirit of lawlessness
glon through the whole country. The greed of
gain is making many of our people intensely sell
hSh-bluntlng the finer senSibilitieS of nature
-saPping the foundations of moral honesty,
and IS rapidly filling our nation with swarmS of
swindlers and extortioners If this war continues
much longer all the boosted intelligence and virtue
of the once free and enlightened American people
will be gone and with them will go our liberty and
all of those proud national characteristics which
once made us the greatest happieSt and most pros
porous nation Of the earth.
Mr.. Speaker, there is another obstacle in the
way Of our fighting out this war speedily and sue.
cessfully, to which | will briefly allude Money
has been justly termed one of the snews of war,
and the want of it necessarily induces weakness.
The unusually large expenditures Of the war have
forced the government to resort to the use of an
inflated paper currency. Reason and experience
both teach US that paper currency is vaueleSs
unless it is founded upon strong specie basis, or
articles of universal commercial value, upon the
substantial wealth Of a country of high and IN
doubted credit. The gold and silver capital Of our
country at the commencement of the war was CON.
paratvely small, not one-fourth enough 70 carry
on the ordinary business of exchange. The inse-
eurity felt in these times of revolution has with
drawn large amount Of even this small capital
from Circulation, and driven It to hiding places
which can never be reached by the government, so
that it can be of little service in sustaining the
national credit.
We had several large staple productions which
are of almost universal commercial value, bu. the
want Of wise foresight prevented our rulers from
throwing these products into the markets of the
world putting them into places of security abroad
as a foundation OF national credit. In - ks9tAaa-
tien Of great leaders secession was peaceable,
to be effected without money and without blood.
If war did come, it wos to be fought out be-
fore breakfast, AMI a fifteen million loan was
sufficient to pay the expenses of the affair. Their
0padt o he md
their financial theories unwlse. Tens of thousands
of bales of cotton have been unnecessarily burned
or permitted to rot and be wasted from negligence
and>exposure; and thus in some degree has been
FILTERED away one great element of our wealth
and power. Cotton might have been made pow
erful king, and invaluable ally had large quhnt
ties been placed IN Europe in sight of the
Do IA nd Rnrin D,,tn -