The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-07-26
MEETING OF MERCHANTS AND FAC.
TORS RIA

At meeting of the Merchants and Factors
of Charleston, held at the Reading Room, on
Wednesday, the l7th July, Geo. Y. Davis, esq.
was called to the Chair, and John B. DeSaus-
sure, esq. was requested to act as Secretary.
The meeting being organized the following
report was received from the Committee ap-
pointed at a previous meeting Of the Merchants,
viz:
The Committee to whom was efered the
subject of re-weighing Cotton, have considered
it, and herewith hand their Report:
1t has been the universal custom in our mar
ket to weigh Cotton upon its receipt and if
put in store and sold at any subsequent period,
however remote, it was expected to be re ceived
at the original weights and this frequently to the
manifest injury of the purchaser, without any
means of redress. As many causes may oper-
ate in the mean time, toreduce the weight, such
as evaporation, or if weighed when damp, as is
very likely to be the case, and put in dry
store, It will naturally fall off in weight, and il
is also exposed to waste and pifering. All
these risks seem fairly chargeable to the own
ers of the Cotton, as much 30 as any other incis y
dental expenses incurred in holding it, and on !
the other hand, a purchaser seems justly sptt
tied to all he pays for. Several plans have been
proposed, to obviate this difficulty, One Is to
have all Cotton weighed when sold, or deliver.
ed but this would probably be attended with
considerable inconvenience to Factors, which
your Committee would wish to avoid as fara
practicable in any recommendation, and they
suggest the adoption of custom by which pur
chasers may require from Factors, that any
Cotton shall ba re-weighed, at the expense OF
the Factor, wherever circumstances may lead
to the belief that such Cotton will fall short in
weight, and it shall be charged at the re-weight,
This seems equal to justice between buyer and
seller, and your Committee are led to believe
that it will not be opposed by our Factors.
In connection with this subject, your Com.
mittee would recommend to planters, the expes
diency of having their cotton put up in strong :
md good hagging, thereby rendering it much
less liable to waste, particularly after handling
and exposure.
Another matter has been brought to the no.
tice of your Committee, connected with the
shipping of Cotton, which they deem it not in
appropriate to refer to; 1t is the custom OF al
lowing members to carry bags while mending
the cotton, and thereby affording facilities for
taking much more cotton than would otherwise
be wasted, while the convenience for selling,
adds much to the inducement for pilfering; and
to put an efectual stop to this evil, your Com
mittce recommend to shippers to prohibit their
members from carrying amy bags while mending
their cotton. ..nG
In further consideration of this subject, as it
is generally impracticable to ship cotton on the
day it is bought, and unreasonable that any ad-
ditional expense should be thereby incurred,it
is suggested that storage should in no case CON-
mence until the day succeeding that of pur-
chase.
Signed A, r. TAFT,
JAMES MACBETH,
THEO. HUCHET, Com.
JAMES 8. GIBBES,
&c. SEIXAS,