Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-12
RICHMOND WING.
FRIDAY MoRNING...........JAN. p, 1850.
PrOsperity North. Adversely SOuth.

prosperity North, Adversely Soutn.
The North is prosperous, more prosperous, it
is said, than it ever was before. Petroleum,
war contracts, the market afforded during the
war for its manufactures, and the products Of
the soil, all conSpired to increase its wealth
Its canals, railroads. and all other works OF in
ternal improvement are in perfect order. The
domestic establishments, the cquipageS, the
dress and appointments of the people are all
On i scale of elegance hitherto unknown. The
hotels, restaurants, saloons, theatres, as in
deed all places Of accommodation and amuSe-
ment, are luxurious and attractive 10 an eN-
tent that is surprising. Many Of both sexes
are tempted from the palmer pleasures Of
home to the countless places Of amusement
some innocent, some guilty-with which the
Northern cities are filed. The report Of the
Board of Police for New York city shows that
the saloons alone Of that city muster nearly
two regiments Of handsome waiter girls, NUM-
boring twelve hundred equipped with all the
meretrcious charms and Establishments that
women Of that class know so well how to make
effective. The total number of these saloons
is 223 the number OF yiSiterS per day is set
down at %, $50, and the receipts per week At
S3l ,562. This is but one item of luxury and
extravaganza in one Of the Northern Cities
The police report informs Us that the number
Of these - daughters Of perditiOn is rapidly in
creasing :" that their dupes and victims are
counted by thousands, aud are men who move
in g the best, most cultivated and highest cir
Giles Of society" These twelve hundred
daughters of perdition" are women who have
not quite lost all shame. The numerous denS
Of iniquity, where all shame and modesty are
thrown aside, ambitiously attempt TO supply
their place by all the glittering ATTRACTIONS Of
luxury and magnifcence.
This luxury and extravaganza prevail
throughout the whole North. How different
the picture presented by the South
The South is badly OF, worse OFT by far than
it ever was, or we trust than it ever will be
again. 1t lost all it owned but its lands and
houseS-aud many persons lost these. Its cur
rency and securities, in which all its people
were interested, persisted in an hour. Its
horses, cattle and poultry even were destroyed.
us "NtN tu lpNhlAAlSN ~ NFNbuAllN
deSOlated as if an army OF locuSts had deyourcd
them. It's negroes, to the value of two thou
sand millions OF dollars, were set free. Its
railroads and other public works were broken
up. The elegant equpages that were seen be- |
fore the war arc no longer seen. The few that /.
remain belong to strangers who have come
among us, or to fancy men to whom tine turn
out is q sort OF sign or advertisement. There
is no display of dress and no attempt to follow
the fashions. Dwelling houses look old and di- |
hpidatcd. The furniture iSdefaced and broken
Tue places Of amusement are for the most part
closed, and the hotels are PLAN, modest and UNI
pretending. There are fortunately no magniii-
cent saloons, no pretty waiter girls to allure I
young men TO their ruin. There are drinking
shops, and an abundance OF thcm-but they do |
not resort to such aUXiliaries to make them at /
tractve. There is no extravaganza, no attempt |
at display. The people are poor and have the /
good sense to practice rigid economy. Poor /
as they are, there are those who would make .
them poorer. There are men who desire 10
take from them the little they have len-their
lands and houses, the horses and farming utcn-
sils they have been able to get together, and
divide them among the freedmen. There are
men, and thousands Of them, who coyet these
lands for themselves, and who would rejoice il
the Government would pursue policy SO
rigorous and oppressive as to force the land-
owners to sell their lands SO that they might
purchase them for little or nothing.
Our vices are not the vices generated by an
inflated prosperity. They are those developed
by deprivation and poverty, We are now learn
ing those lessons taught IN abe severe school of
affection, and it viii, perhaps, be all the better
for US, in the end, that We have had so rough
beginning. Economy, frugality, industry,
punctuality and morality are at present forced |
upon us by the necessities Of our situation
We hope that they will become the habits and !
the governing principles Of our lives, that /
should we once more be blessed with pros |
perity-and these are the means by which it is |
attained-we will know how to enjoy, without |
abusing it.