Not so, however, thinks John M. Vernon, of New-Orleans, who, stimulated by the purest secession sentiments, and urged by the most legitimate secession and ‘State rights’ logic, has developed a new principle of exclusiveness by devising a new system of decimal currency, which he thus recommends to the rebel Congress: 

’We are a separate and distinct people, influenced by different interests and sentiments from the vandals who would subjugate us.  Our manners and customs are different; our tastes and talents are different; our geographical position is different; and in conformity with natural laws, nature and instinct, our currency,—­weights and measures, should be different.

’The basis of integral limit of value proposed for our currency, is the star, which is to be divided into one hundred equal parts, each part to be called a centime, namely:  10 centimes—­1 tropic; 10 tropics—­1 star; 10 stars—­1 sol.

’These denominations for our currency have been selected for three reasons:  first, they are appropriate to ourselves as a people; second, they are emblems of cheerfulness, honor, honesty of purpose, solidity, and stability; and third, the words used are simple, easily remembered, and are common to several languages.  I will, in addition, observe that similar characteristics distinguish the proposed tables of weights and measures.’

‘Stars’—­’centimes’—­’tropics,’ and ‘sols.’  Why these words should be more significant of cheerfulness, honor, honesty, and solidity, than dollars and dimes, cents and mills, is not, as yet, apparent.  As set forth in this recommendation, it would really appear that the root of all evil would have its evil properties extracted by giving the radical a different name.  To be sure, the wages of sin thus far in the world’s history, have generally been found equivalent to death, whether they are termed guineas, francs, thalers, cobangs, pesos, sequins, ducats, or dollars.  But in Dixie—­happy Dixie!—­they only need another name, and lo! a miracle is to be wrought at once.

There is something in this whole proposition which accurately embodies the whole Southern policy.  While the rest of the world is working to assimilate into civilization, they are laboring to get away and apart—­to be different from everybody else—­to remain provincial and ‘peculiar.’  It is the working of the same spirit which inspires the desire to substitute ‘State rights’ or individual will, or, in plain terms, lawlessness and barbarism for enlightenment and common rights.  It is a craving for darkness instead of light, for antiquated feudal falsehood instead of republican truth; and it will meet with the destiny which awaits every struggle against the great and holy cause of humanity.

KYNG COTEN.

A ‘DARK’ CONCEIT.

(Being an ensample of a longe poeme.)