The Camden confederate. (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, November 20, 1863, Image 1
V. .
eljc Crtinkn Confederate.
VOLUME HI CAMDEN, SO. CA., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1803. NUMBER 4
?^
?l)c Qlouiiini (t ott fitcr iitr
J. T. HKRS1IMAN, Editor.
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Camden, S. C., October 24, 1863.
Yr... ur tit y> - .
Jiutt. rr *r uur/tc .
DkakSir: It is with much diffidence that
I approach the great financial question of the
clay; but at the solicitation of a number of intelligent
gentlemen?bankers, merchants, etc.,
some of whom have considerable local financial
reputation?I have been induced thus to
address to you the following crude scheme for
reducing our currency to a healthy standard,
and kcepinff it .so :
The subject of the currency is now the allabsorbing
question before the country, and well
it. tnnv ho. fbr already it is in confusion, and
without it speedy and effectual remedy, must
very soon reach a condition of utter worthlcssness.
And although I do not think our cause
would be lost even should it reach such a point,
yet it would be a calamity extremely embarrassing
to the Government, and a source of the
deepest mortification to every patriot of our
country. The obvious evil now present, and
the imminent danger near at hand, is the already
too great, and still growing amount of
our currency. That now we have too much
money is but too plain to every one, and
the great problem is, how is it to be reduced
to healthy limits, upon jnst principles, and
without injury to any, and with the least possible
inconvenience and embarrassment to the
Government, and to the business of the country.
Without stopping to discuss the merits
of any of tlio plans now before the public,
looking to this desirable end, 1 will venture to
suggest <1 scheme which will be speedy and effectual,
and will not involve sacrifice or serious
r
inconvenience to any one?a scheme tliat will
restore the confidence of our people in their
Government and cause, and in the patriotism
and integrity of each other, which is now, I
deeply regret to say, rapidly passing away, and
my scheme is this : Let the Treasury Department
at bnce prepare a new issue of ?100,000,000
notes of suitably mixed denominations, on
good paper, payablo to bearer, and upon the
faith and credit of the Government alone; and
let it fix the shortest possible time when this
"11 1 '1 "'t'A nmnln )inf ir>A f\(
issue win ue reauy, ?'?u
such time to the people, and require that on
or before such a day, that all persons, without
exceptions, shall surrender to a treasurer, or
board of sub-treasurers, at such places as shall
be named, say their county court house, every
dollar of which they may be possessed, of all
the present issues of and above $5 ; and lor
such notes so surrendered, each person shall
receive from the board of sub-treasurers onefifth
one-fourth, or one-third, as the case may
be, in this new issue, and the balance in interest-bearing
bonds, at the rate of six per cent;
or failing to make such surrender of such aotcs
as they may have in hand at such time, they
shall be declared to be paid.
After these new notes are ready and placed
in the hands of a principal treasurer to bo ap?
pointed in each State, and after such treasure!
has named a board of sub-treasurers at cacl
county seat, ten days would be ample time foi
all persons to make their deposits of old notei
and receive their proportion of the new ones
and register for bonds which mey be delivered
afterwards. The board of sub-treasurers slioulc
consist of seven respoctablc and patriotic citi
zens, who can be readily found, who woulc
perform their duty promptly and faithfully, and
without cost to the Government, except for stationary.
The Confederate tax collectors can
be made the chairman of the different boards
of sub-treasurers; it would be but a small extra
duty, which they would, no doubt, cheerfully
perform. In the larger cities, boards of subtreasurers
might be appointed in each ward,
and in the army the brigade quartermasters
could easily perform the duty.
The Treasury Department knows . exactly
i the amount of notes now in circulation, and
hence can determine the precise proportion
they bear to tho 100,000,000 of new notes;
but to avoid fractions,T would vary the new
issue from 90,000,000 to 110,000,000. But
whatever be the amount fixed on, it should be
made the maximum, and the issue should ncrei
exceed it. The Government must, for its revenues
and supplies, look exclusively to its tariffs
its income and specific tax, its tax in kind and
the sale of its interest bearing credits, and noi
to issues of currency.
Now, that this scheme is practicable there
cannot be the shadow of a doubt, and that il
will be effectual is self-evident. To show thai
there will be no injustice done in its practical
operations, I will suppose a case. We will
take it for granted that-there arc just 4000,000.000
of treasury notes now in circulation
and that Mr. A. has just 4,000, which lie has
laid aside for the purchase of his next year,>
supplies. He comes up on the day appointee
and delivers up his 4,000 of old issues, and re
ceives 1,000 in the new currency and 3,000 ii
six per cent, bonds. Now, in this case, cai
any man doubt but what A\s 1,000 will thci
purchase as much supplies as what his 4,00(
would at present ? And if so, in place of in
jury, he is positively benefitted, and those h<
buys from would be effected precisely in th<
same way. It is obvious that if the currency
is reduced three-fourths, that prices of all com
modities will fall at least in the same prepor
tion, and the seller can well afford to sell lower
because he obtains a currency worth four time:
j as inucli?dollar for dollar?as that lie befon
j had; and above all to cheapen supplies is to re
I store confidence in the Government and be
j tween individuals, and the "grand confidence,
! is now what is wanted, more than anything
| else. And then, in the ease supposed, tin
| Government makes a permanent ("forced") loai
| of 300,000,000, so that, in one word, all an
! benefitted and none injured. But my ohjee
| was not to descant upon the advantages of thi
| scheme, but simply to lay it before you, am
hear such objections as might be raised u gains
it. Very respectfully, JAS. Y. LYLES.
WiNNsnoiio, S. C., Nov. 13, 18 03.
Dear Sir : 1 have read with great care tin
letter you addressed to me. You propose t\v<
measures of vital importance?to fund tin
treasury notes now In circulation and to issu
a select currency in limited amount. Tlies
are exactly the measures we ought to adopt.?
We mrst fund the currency before we can d<
anything beneficial. This is the first grea
step. Without it nothing is of any avail.?
You propose to accomplish this by a foicc*
loan. Your proposition is certainly eflicacion?
- ?* i l rpi I-. ? i *i.
! II J (.'grill. J. IIU VIUY IJ iiu? Li??II II ?vu ?u til
constitutional i?ower? 1 have all alone takei
| it for granted we have not. If we have no
the constitutional power we must fall npoi
, some other plan. I invite your attention t
this question of constitutional law. Wit]
great respect, <fec., WM. W. BOYCE.
j Mr. James V. Lyles.
The Prince of Wales is tolerably com for tn
r blc for a young man just commencing th
l world. One million dollars of the accumulfl
r tion of his Cornwall estate has been paid fo
5 an estate in Norfolk; two millions remain as
, balance with his banker, and he has besides a
I income of 8125,000 a year from his lande
1 property, with 8500,000 voted him by Parlis
- mcnt while his mother lives, and 8250,000 pi
1 money for his bride.
Inciter from the l*re*idciit.
Atlanta, Ca., Oct. 27, lSG.'i. m
Lieut, (feu. Polk, Atlanta, (fa:
i Gexbual: After an examination into tlio ci
cause and circumstances attending your being 01
relieved from command with the army cominandcd
by General Bragg, i have airived at tl
the conclusion that there is nothing to justify a at
, Court Martial or Court of Inquiry, and 1 there- ai
fore dismiss the application. w
Your appointment to a new field of duty, T
alike important and difficult, is the best evi t ti
deuce of iiiv appreciation of your past servioe? sj
and expectation of your future erueer. w
1 am very truly and r-spe filly yours.
.11 1 F. DAVIS. o!
It is now pretty well underwood that the fcartel
has been dropped ami no more prison, rs c"
are to be exchanged durino the w r. The "
> fact is suggestive. Our soldiers will retuein- j a
I bcr that capture means imprisonment till the ' ^
close of the war?perhaps for lile. They will j S}
remember also that Yankee prisoners have to
be fed, and that every one sent to Ki-hniond i ^
? shortens their rations and increases tin' price of j
!> food purchased by their wives and children. 1 ^
1 We are bound by every obligation of humani. t ,
I ... ... . . : it ... i .i. / I
' iv m neat our prisoners w on, aim me 'huci ii
incut will continue to ftfed tlicm with tlie best
, it can afford, even when the price of provisions
* becomes so enormous that the wives an?l cliil>
dren of the soldiers will have to be supported
1 by public charity. But what soldier will like
- to sec iiis own flesh and blood turned into
i paupers, for the sake of pampering Yankees?
i The more Yankees sent to Richmond, the sooni
cr will our women and children be compelled
) to beg their daily bread. We do not blame
- the Yankee Government for its course; everv3
thing is fair in war; but we repeat the fact
3 that no more prisoners are to be exchanged is
i very suggestive, especially to Southern soldiers,
- who do not like long years of confinement, and
who have families not accustomed to the pangs
, of hunger or hardships and ignominy of the
s poor house.?Richmond Whit/.
The difference in the. style of fighting between
the armies of Lee and Bragg is said to
, be remarkably distinct, the Western army, w ith
' few exceptions, seldom charge continuously
The Virginia armv rarely do otherwise. The
one are content, to stand up and exchange shots
at long range; the other close up and dash for(
ward. On the one hand experience has shown
that the enemy stand fire as well as ourselves; j
I on the other, the Yankee pluck always fails on
^ the advance of cold steel.
Some twenty-three negroes found in arms
on the river plantation of 1'resident Davis, at ;
Hurricane*thirty miles below Vieksburg, arriv- j
cd In Mcredian, Tuesday morning. Ten of
them arc the property of the President and .
Q m m w | six
belonged to his brother. They were cap- j .A
tilled by a squadron of Wirt Adams' cavalry, j i
under command of Lieut. Harvey. The negroes
fired on our troops when they approached,
but fortunately inflicted no injury. What
disposition will be made of them is not yet
, known.
1 ? ? -t j I
. Residence foii (jkxeuar. Lee.?A resolu. 1 (
c tion lias been adopted by the City Council of c
? Hiclimond, appropriating $00,000 for the purt
chase of a house, to be tendered free of rent ' c,
n to General Robert E. Lee, as a family residonce.
0 A Committee of three was appointed to select j
^ a suitable building.
ToDlltDI f lJlAT TV T11 L' ( Vl A I 1 ' 1.V1IAV hV I
X rjnuiDMw J l IV/ i lit i Iiti wnu jiuvivn v/r
Pennsylvania.?A despatch from Philadclf.
pbia gives an account of a terrible riot among *
c the workmen in the coal regions mound Man- *
i- c'nclbtfnlc. Four men, one a prominent citi- 1
r zen of Philadelphia, had been killed, and the j
a Governor had called 011 the military to put
n down the "rebellion." The riot grew out of (
J an attempt to enforce the draft among the j
1- Irish colliers. At the last accounts some eight
n or ten persons had been killed, and the rioters j;
bad cat the telegraph wires. y
Fall of i'kicks.?A correspondent at Willi
ngton, under date of the 11th inst., writes :
"JJloekado goods are tumbling down with a
ash. The last auction sale I attendod was
:i the 10th inst., when prices fell more than
iventy-fivo per cent, helow those realized at
io preceding ones. I am not at all surprised
L this seemingly extraordinary change. There
re here now no less than fifteen entire cargoes
archouscd, waiting a change in the market,
lie result may, in a great measure, ho attribu d
to the large stocks already in the hands of
>e Kilators, hut much is also due to the success
liich has attended home inrnufaetures.
"A merchant tailor, whom I met at the sale,
hservod that it was astonishing to witness the
rent extent to which home made cloth had
jiuo into use in so short a time, and that aliosI
nine out of every ten men he met wore
homespun suit. So he said it was getting to
e the ease with shirts and domestics. He
lid ho intended to he very cautions in bi9 purhnsc*,
a*, a panic was brewing and he was not
oing to 1> caught ..mrig the victims."
flcorge I). Prentice, of the Louisville Jour"/.
draws the follow ing picture of "society" in
lie Federal i 'apital :
"Vagabonds and swindler?, tlic scum and offi-ourings
.-I ail countries, are ready to fleece
iiy one according- to iiis means, either of ft
1 i I lion in government speculations, or a dollar
t dropping the pigeon. Reeling rowdies, in
nd out of shoulder straps, crowd the streets,
lock up .the carriage ways, and pollute the air
i-ith blasphemy. Women of the town?the
features and victims of debauchery, in volup,nous
carriages and crowned with jewek like a
Jleopatra or Aspasia?Hount in open day,
hameless and unrebuked. The days are open
>old, Cod-defying profligacy. The nights riot
>us, swindling and plundering. The rush lor
contracts and tlic like are followed in the evening
by the brilliant glitter of the gambling
lull, or tlic shameless profusion and ruin of tlio
irothel. This at the national capital, *to vitiite
corrupt and destroy the very fountain of
he nation. It has become an Augean stable
hat wants cleaning badly. It is a pity that a
unifying army of some kind could not sweep
t clean of its eoriuption, even if it had to be
unified by fire."
A remarkable invention is now engrossing
he attention of artists. The method followed
it a . \f WTill _ ?_ A
>y me mveiuor, ai. \* incmc, is mis: A. number
of simultaneous photographs of ft person
ire taken, and the outlines thus obtained arc
nlargcd or reduced at will by the photograph.
A'ith those data Millonic produces a statue,
he exact likeness of the original, in any size,
md in so short a time, as is hardly to be crcdied.
Any person wanting his statuo to bo
mule, is photographed in various directions,
,nd two days later lie may call for his statuette
n clay.
From llrnggVt Amy.
Atlanta, November 13.?Nothing from the
ront.
A party of Georgia State troops and Indians
idled, on the line between Georgia and North
Carolina, the notorious Bryson and thirty-four
>f his gang.
A special despatch to the Register, dated
Jwoctwatcr, 12th, says the Federals removed
ill their supplies to Knoiville for safety, and
ive on short ration.
The deserters recaptured were eiccntcd
iere yesterday.
A special despatch to the Intelligencer says
wo Yankee officers, who deserted, report that
irant expects soon to assault. Lookout Monnain.
His army is on half rations.
Fiftein negroes belonging to Mr. B. F.
\danis, who has a plantation in Lee county,
Ja., died a few days ago, from eating too hearilv
of the Chinese sugar cane syrup.
Senator Simms, of Kentucky, has donated
C>,000 to the wounded, of Bragg's army in the
lospitals at Atlanta.