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Chapter 16

           ThetruthwasthattheNorthwasholdingtheSouthinavirtualstateofsiege,thoughmanydidnotrealizeit.TheYankeegunboatshadtightenedthemeshattheportsandveryfewshipswerenowabletoslippasttheblockade.

           TheSouthhadalwayslivedbysellingcottonandbuyingthethingsitdidnotproduce,butnowitcouldneithersellnorbuy.GeraldO’Harahadthreeyears’cropsofcottonstoredundertheshedneartheginhouseatTara,butlittlegooditdidhim.InLiverpoolitwouldbringonehundredandfiftythousanddollars,buttherewasnohopeofgettingittoLiverpool.Geraldhadchangedfromawealthymantoamanwhowaswonderinghowhewouldfeedhisfamilyandhisnegroesthroughthewinter.

           ThroughouttheSouth,mostofthecottonplanterswereinthesamefix.Withtheblockadeclosingtighterandtighter,therewasnowaytogettheSouth’smoneycroptoitsmarketinEngland,nowaytobringinthenecessarieswhichcottonmoneyhadbroughtinyearsgoneby.AndtheagriculturalSouth,wagingwarwiththeindustrialNorth,wasneedingsomanythingsnow,thingsithadneverthoughtofbuyingintimesofpeace.

           Itwasasituationmadetoorderforspeculatorsandprofiteers,andmenwerenotlackingtotakeadvantageofit.Asfoodandclothinggrewscarcerandpricesrosehigherandhigher,thepublicoutcryagainstthespeculatorsgrewlouderandmorevenomous.

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