Staunton Spectator

"If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap you carnal things?" I Corinthians, ix, xi,

MR. SPECTATOR: With your permission I would read a homily to my fellow-citizens upon the present times, and call their attention to the beautiful philosophy embodied in the words of Holy Writ just quoted.

It may not be amiss to say that I have been a deeply interested observer of passing events, with reference to their influence in developing the character of those who constitute our society, in order to ascertain, if possible, the designs and ends to be wrought out, positively and permissively, by the All-Wise Disposer of events.

Now, so far as my observation goes, one of the most singular phenomena, so far developed, exhibits itself in the feverish excitement, and vagueness of thought and feeling, that prevail with reference to extortion and speculation which have been practiced to such an extent that the strong arm of military power is outstretched to prevent the army from starving and to save the country from ruin. Few subjects are more prominent before the public mind than these--speculation and extortion--and divines and legislators have reasoned, spoken and written until they are as familiar as household words. The reading public have perused, with some care, sermons, essays and speeches, yet the more discerning of the signs of the times arise from their perusal with the intuitive conviction that if the principles advocated be carried out, dealers in articles of prime necessity may have free course, and ruin the country at their leisure. For example, reference may be made to the theory and principles so ably elucidated by "W.H.R." in recent numbers of the "Central Presbyterian," and by "Alamby," with less research, but more to the point and with more unction of spirit. Moreover there are those who are fully persuaded that the suggestions gravely made in some sermons, and in many parliamentary speeches to correct these evils and even some of the measures resorted to by government agents, contain the germs of an oppression as vile and unreasonable as that we are endeavoring to flee from, through a Red sea of blood and tears. This melancholy failure of gifted writers and even of Legislators, to point out and provide a remedy for the evils complained of consistent with reason, personal liberty and the emergencies of the country, I am satisfied arises from a misapprehension of the fact that we are living in a time of war which imperils everything worth living for in this world. They have enjoyed the blessings of a profound peace so long that their feelings and modes of thought and expression in writing and speaking of the laws of trade are biassed more or less. With the lips they assume that war exists, yet with the heart they reason and legislate as if there was no war, and thus vainly adopt principles of a state of peace, to the emergencies of a fearful and unprecedented war. Could our writers, Legislators, preachers and persons out of the army generally, be aroused in heart and soul to realize, as many of the Ladies in this Confederacy, clad in mourning do, that we are in a state of war, the philosophy of my text, would put into operation a system of dealing in articles of prime necessity, that would go very far towards meeting the evils and emergencies of the times. It would teach our countrymen to reason thus, "This is a time of war, all that is worth living for, or possessing is now involved in fearful risk. Our sons, brothers and neighbors have devoted their health, their blood, and even life itself, to the noble duty of securing us life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, when they make such sacrifices, and we enjoy the benefits, they have secured to us by loss of life, health or limb, is it a great thing that we should incur the loss of a little flour, beef or bacon for the time being? Would IT BE A GREAT THING for us to raise everything we possibly can for a few years on our farms, with the expectation of GETTING NOTHING for our labor but liberty, independence, and LEAVE to keep our land when the war is over? Were our people imbued with the spirit of this philosophy of the New Testament, no further clue would be needed to lead us out of our difficulties. Then let all who love their country employ example, tongue, pen, and pencil to diffuse its spirit and its touchings, and all will yet be well.

CENSOR MORUM.

We are pleased to see that the Enquirer has materially modified its tone, and to a considerable degree, its position, in regard to pacific manifestation in the North West, and the policy of employing diplomatic and moral means, to further the development of that spirit, and to detach that section from the Yankee States, proper. It admits that the material interests of the North West will sooner or later control the conduct and decide the attitude of that people--that their interests are in conflict with those of the North East and incline them to an alliance with the Confederate States. Such an alliance of the proper time, and of a proper character, the Enquirer will be ready to approve, &c., &c. All this is very different from, and much better than, the fierce and scornful language heretofore held by the Enquirer towards the people of the North West.

It is urged by a portion of the Southern press, that it is folly for the North West to talk of a reconstruction of the Union, and because they do desire such a step, we should denounce their efforts for peace. How absurd! How can any settlement of existing difficulties be effected until hostilities cease? If, then, they can cause them to cease, have they not taken the first step towards ending the quarrel which has desolated so many happy homes, and converted so many smiling fields into grave yards? Reconstruction of the Old Union, of course, is impossible. They do us no harm in advocating it, and we should leave them to use their own means to end the war. If they select the sword and bayonet as the only means, we will meet them as we have met them. If they select a truce and negotiation, we accept the proposition; and the argument they may use to obtain the truce is clearly a matter of little consequence to us. Indeed, we regard the talk of reconstruction as a mere "side issue," known by its advocates to be an impossibility. But a reunion of the North West and the Southern States is a question on which we will have some day to pass, for infallibly they will soon or late solicit such an association. There is no need now to discuss the question. We will only say that we do not advocate this change--do not regard it a "consummation devoutly to be wished." Too great an expansion of territory is the bane of Republics. A diversity of interests arises and difficulties in legislation ensue, producing a train of trickery and corruption too plainly exhibited in the downfall of the United States.

The extreme desire on the part of the Yankees to be united with the South speaks plainly their appreciation of the latter, and her importance in increasing their wealth, respectability and happiness. Who believes that the Yankee nation would be expending its money so freely, and pouring out its blood so profusely, if only a principle were the stake? If they cannot whip us into their Government, they will beg to be admitted into ours. They are now trying the first means of reconstruction, war--let us not interfere with those who are preparing the war for the second--peace. When re-union is asked, then we may express our views of its advantages or disadvantages, and our views for or against it; but, until then, let us trust to the God of Battles, who has crowned our cause with so many brilliant victories, and leave the little leaven put into the mass by Mr. Vallandingham and others, to produce its own effects, augmented by every influence we can bring to bear.--Rich. Whig.

On Thursday last, the city of Richmond was excited by strange and outrageous proceedings which occurred in the streets of that city. A band of robbers, composed of both sexes, supposed to number 100 or 150, attempted, in broad day-light, to rob the stores of that city. This proceeding was so strange and so unexpected that the citizens seem, for some time, to have been paralyzed, and whilst they were looking on in bewildered wonder and astonishment, these robbers were breaking open the stores and robbing them of their contents. We have been informed by gentlemen who were present, that, before the civil or military authorities had gotten ready to do anything, Hon. John B. Baldwin, of this place, backed by a number of gentlemen who promised to support him, went into the midst of them and had a number of the leaders arrested. This was on Main Street. He afterwards found a large crowd of the same class proceeding in the same way on Franklin Street. With equal promptness and boldness he went into their midst whilst they were threatening and endeavoring to strike him down. Here, he was called upon by the citizens to address the rioters, which he did with such a happy blending of firmness with moral suasion, that they became quiet and were persuaded that they had better disperse and retire to their homes. After the sea of tumult had been calmed, and when "Scarcely a breath disturbed the sleeping billow," the military and civil authorities appeared, and, in a tone of command, cried: "Peace, be still." After this, vast crowds, composed chiefly or orderly citizens, were addressed by Col. Munford, Mayor Mayo, Gov. Letcher, and President Davis. These robbers were not in need of food, as they pretended, for they stole everything the could lay their hands upon. And the investigations in the police court established the fact that some of them possessed considerable property--the husband of one woman, owing seven thousand dollars worth of real estate near the city. It was not a "bread riot"--it did not proceed from want, but crime. The charitable institutions in that city have money in hand which has never been called for by the needy, for whom it is designed. It is quite probable that it was instigated by the enemies of the South, with the view of encouraging the North to prosecute the war by making the impression that the South is approaching a starving condition. This seems the more probable from the fact that similar proceedings have recently taken place in Atlanta, Ga., Mobile, Ala., Saulsbury, N.C., and Petersburg, Va., in neither of which places is there any suffering for the want of food. The fact that the scarcity of food is made the pretext for adopting proceedings which are calculated to encourage the enemy, should induce every farmer to raise as much as possible; for every grain of corn planted is a nail driven into the coffin of the enemy's hopes.

In speaking of this band of audacious robbers the Richmond Examiner says:

A handful of prostitutes, professional thieves, Irish and Yankee hags, gallows-birds from all lands but our own, congregated in Richmond, with a woman huckster at their head, who buys veal at the toll gate for a hundred and sells the same for two hundred and fifty in the morning market, undertook the other day to put into private practice the principles of the Commissary Department. Swearing that they would have goods "at government prices" they broke open half a dozen shoe stores, hat stores, and tobacco houses, and robbed them of everything but bread, which was just the thing they wanted least."

A charitable institution, under the delusion that they wanted something to eat, made a distribution of rice and flour to all who would ask it, whereupon, the Examiner says, miscreants were seen to dash the rice and flour into the muddy streets, where the traces still remain, with the remark that "if that was what they were going to give they might go to h--l."

Whilst as a nation, struggling heroically and successfully against one of the most powerful and malicious nations on the earth, we are exciting the admiration of foreign nations, many of our people, and, we fear, a majority, present a spectacle as disgraceful as it is remarkable. We had supposed, at the beginning of this gigantic struggle for freedom and independence, that all would feel like a band of brothers--that the whole people constituted but one family--that as all were equally interested in the success of the struggle, so all would be equally willing to perform their share of patriotic duty--either to aid in driving the ruthless invaders from our soil, or do all that was within their power to relieve the necessities, or palliate the sufferings of those at home.

We still think that this was the general, if not universal feeling at the beginning of the war; but alas! it is too evident that such is not the case now. Our people seem to have forgotten Liberty--to have ignored Humanity--to have discarded Charity, ay, to have wandered from the sacred altar of Christianity to offer their oblations upon the polluted altar of Mammon. Instead of doing all they can to assist each other, and all they can to repel the invaders of our soil, they are preying upon each other like the fishes of the sea--they have become cannibals, and prey upon their own kindred and friends. They seem to have become as deaf as adders to the voice of distress--they heed not the wail of the widow, nor the cries of the orphan. Their ears seem to be stuffed with shinplasters and their hearts turned to stone. They forget patriotism, and, instead of supporting, engage in discrediting the currency of the country, and then imperil their souls in their efforts to clutch a handful of the very money which they have depreciated. The aphorism that "one half of the world does not know how the other half lives," was never more forcibly illustrated than at the present time. Those who live by sales, either of produce or merchandize, do not know the trials, at the present time, of those who have everything to buy. Those who sell can accommodate themselves to the changed circumstances. They can increase the price of what they have to sell, but those who have nothing to sell cannot do so, and every increase of price serves the more to oppress them. The farmer who has his produce to sell, can increase his prices pari passu with [t]he merchant who sells to him, and vice versa. But whilst the farmer is increasing his prices to become even with the merchant, and the merchant increasing his to keep a little ahead of the farmer, those who have nothing to sell become oppressed with this system of piling "Pelion upon Ossa." The farmer and merchant may become wealthy; but it will be at the expense of that unfortunate class who have everything to buy and nothing to sell. They are between the upper and nether millstones, and many become ground to poverty, and some even to destitution. Those who are making money and amassing fortunes should remember this class. It too frequently happens that the more rapidly people make money, the less disposed they become to consider the condition, and to relieve the wants of those who do not make it. They fix their intent gaze upon the "filthy lucre, devises plans to obtain it, and lose sight of those who need the necessaries of life." We should remind them that "he that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord," and, with Dean Swift, would ask "if they desire better security."

Lincoln must certainly understand and appreciate by this time the issue which he has succeeded in making with and among his own people. His wonderful and sagacious organ, the Herald, evidently sees it, and perhaps understands it in all its dread bearings. It would seem to be plain to the commonest understanding. It is reduced simply to this--Success or Revolution. The Federal Government has gone so far that it MUST succeed in conquering the South, or must abide the dread alternative of armed revolt at home. Hence its tremendous efforts at preparation for attack on us, and its scarcely less concealed exertions to repress, check and overawe the element of opposition in its own midst.

Success, and that speedily, is the agonizing cry of all Abolitiondom--success, or else conscription fails--success, or the financial bubble bursts--success, or the three hundred thousand go home in May--success, or the demoralized ranks will grow skeletons by disease and desertion--success, or no new armies can be levied--success, or the copperheads will strike--success, or the usurper comes to the bar of infuriated public opinion, perchance to the block--success against the unoffending, brave, free Confederates, or else anarchy, revolution, bloodshed--a reign of terror in the North.

It is plain enough that these people have the strongest motives for desiring success, the fiercest promptings to achieve it. But we have still stronger incentives to urge us to prevent their success. Everything we have and are and expect to be is at stake. National independence, personal liberty, property, honor, fame, home, wives, children--all depend on the hazard of this fearful struggle. Let these thoughts inspire every Southern soldier to deeds of greater daring than he has yet essayed--let each swear by his own soul that he will never yield to such fate as the Yankees promise. And let all the people with unfaltering confidence support and stand by the Army and the Government. A very few weeks MAY suffice to change the whole aspect of affairs. At the worst, the war can but be prolonged; but if, by the exercise of all our powers, we can prevent abolition success, or, still better, soundly beat them, and take the offensive in Virginia and Tennessee, then the peace party in the North will grow to be a giant, fearful to Lincoln and his minions.--Augusta (Ga.) Constitutionalist.