The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-16
CONFEDERATE MONEY.
Its Issuance During the War-Rc~
suits OF it's Depre citation.

KITS Issuance During the War-Kc-
suits OF its Depre citation.
The Confederate government did not
lack for money. In 1861 it issued 800,
900, 600, and until the last year of the
war continued to send out bills of every
convenient denomination, from 81 600 to
| twenty-five cents. There were green five
cent postage stamps with profile of JEFF
ferson Davis on them, and these were
sometimes used in making change, "
but the man'who did it was always pitied as
! a penurious fellow. The different States
of the Confcderacy had their mony, paid
it to State troops, and felt like common
! wealths.
Confederate money is handsome, or
course the paper is inferior, but some OF
the designs are we'll executed. 1t has q
blue buck, on which are intricate curves
and circles and curls, and its value de-
noted by a single word in letters an inch
and half tall There is no uniformity
in the designs. On some bills
there will be imaginary heads and
! sketches-a woman, pile OF arms, Il
rush to battle. On others appear like
nesses of Confederate heroes and Con-
federate state houses; as Jefferson Davis
on the tifties and Alexander II. Steph-
! ems on the twentics, the Nashville,
Tenn, State house on the twentics and
the Richmond, Va, State house on the
| fves. The face of Confederate money
is colored pink around the llkenesses.
| The first bills were simple notes, pay
able in six months The second and all
subsequent issues were made payable at
different times latter a ratification OF
treaty of peace between the Confederate
States of America and the United
States"
Confederate money was not long in
going below par. During the war 1t
was not the extortion OF merchants
which ran up prices to fabulous figures,
but it was the depreciation of the cur
rencv. In some sections calico sold for
$40 yard, good shoes at $50 and 500
a pair. Fifteen dollars would purchase a
spool of thread or paper of pins. Medi-
cines and all luXuries were as hard to
get as husbands and natural protectors
they were not in the market for that sort
of paper. A silver dollar was
worth at least thirty Confederate dol
lars. The Confederacy understood
that it had to protect its currency
as we'll as its rights, and an act was
passed making it treason for moneys
to he exchanged at different values. 1T
took hatful of the paper to buy loaf
of Bread" said an old war horse to an
Enquirer writer; 'but bread bought
with it tasted mighty sweet" ."Great
gollypo saidcanother, ri was In mortal,
dread the whole paper supply OF the
country would give out (thcy issued SO
much of the stuff, and that we would
have to no@ithout periodicals and news.
II in hn
never had confidence in Confederate
money, and they never kept it as long as
week. They were always on the buy.
They bought every thing (but negroes),
and we're glad to buy at high prices-at
any price. Results commended their
wisdom. When the war ended they
were the proprietors, while others owned
nothing save piles of blue back bills and
negro tracks at,the backyard gate.
Money accumulated so rapidly on some
men that they kept it III large boxes, in
barrels and in bureau-drawers. The
writer means Confederate money;
silver and gold we've unknown quantities.
This was the sort of stuff they had to
live on an take comfort in when days
were dark and dreary-valueless notes,
as miserable an eye-sore as can be i'm
agined.
In 1866 a law was passed by most of
the Southern States for the relief of
trustees, administrators and executors
who might have in their possession Con-
federate money realized from sales. By
depositing the money in the office Of the
ordinary or probate judge of the county,
and swearing that it was the amount re-
ceived for trust property, the guardian
oIr i,,sr rpl Oh q l
liability Like two edged sword; this
law cut both ways. 1t was blessing to
MANY honest men, and it led into tempta-
ton others who were not strong to re-
sist. The wards lands and houses went
into the possession of the fond guardian
who paid for it with lie, and a number
of worthless blue back bills stuck in a
pigeon hole in the ordnary's Office. An
Enquirep writer was recently shown in
Georgia large amounts of Confederate
money thus deposited one lot of $50
bills there were four hundred OF them)
seemed so bright and crisp that eyes
sparkled at the sight.
There has never been craze among
the curiosity collectors for Confederate
money. ~ old bookstores and small
shops it is bought and sold once in
long while The 1000 bill is scarce,
and readily finds buyers at two or three
dollars each, the $500 bill can be bought
for twenty or thirty cents, the other de-
nominations can be had for a song.
Soon after the war men and women
began to know for certainty that their
money was valuable only as paper. The
ingenious housewives began to use it as
money never before was used. Many
families was compelled to move from
fine homes to poor ones. They would
have little furniture to take with them,
but always box of Confederate money
and some bonds. They would find their
new home in a deplorable condition, and
once they would begin to improve its
appearance by papering it with old
journals and periodicals, and putting
above and below border made of Con
federate money. Screens were made of
bonds with money borders-is fact, every
thing susceptible of ornamentation re-
ceived its supply of paste and pink treas
ury.notes.-C Cincinnati Enquirer.
20