Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-02
FEBRUARY e, 1858.

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hence The custom in s State, which hss always been
to Use an instrument Of thu s;z. Of thai provided for
in the amendment Aud ths necessity OF this depart
ure from the s;rict letter of the law was never aues
toned in this State until Il few dsgrunted mlers
;ourd that they could hsrass the inspectors in no other
manner.
lu Vermont Georgia, Illinois, Connecticut, Ohi, +,
Delaware, Florida, Nsw Jersey and Mississippi The
laws place no restriction upon the nspectors-allow.
ing them to use as large Guger ard tryer as The
proper dschsrse OF their duties require. We defy
the enemies OF the inspection laws of this State, vino
seeking by suit restrict the inspectors TO al
atgur not mora than hall an inch in diameter TO show
one solitary State or territory where SO small an in
strument ia used. They know that it is impossible to
nspect properly with an instrument small enough TO
enter an orlhce made by hst inch augar, and they
know that to require such an absurdity would be to
nu!iify laws which they have vsin!y soush; to re-
| peal.
The assertion, that the custom OF retaining the
draft -four exists nowhere but in Virginia, ia un-
true. Iu every State from which we have been able
to obtain information this custom exists and it has
never been questioned, We believe, by but two or
three mers out Of the thirty or forty thousand
in the United States. We believe that il exists in
every State where there are inspection laws, wheh
or the inspectors paid ak cents per barrel or one
cent per barrel.
We know tina: it exists in Nsw York, Pennsylva
MIA, Maryland South Carolina, Louisiana, Kentucky,
Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina Connect.
cut, Ohio Delaware, New Jsrsey, California, and
Mississippi. We know Of no State where il does no,
exist
! From various States and territories there we're no
laws to bs found in the Library hence We have been
! able 10 get no report to them None of the acts
prescribe the number of insertions OF the tryer or in.
strument Of inspection.
The statement which have made as to the
draft -four, show that from all the States from which
information has been obtained tho draft -four il re.
tanned, not by the express letter of the law but by
custom. And this custom We believe, ha, never
been called in question in the United States except
by small milling firm, in this city, who are suing
to get back "t4eu dratt .aonr."
Although, as distinguished members Of the presen,
Legislature can prove the custom has been again and
again recognized by the Legislatures of this State in
fixing the fees of the inspectors, yet it was never
deemed necessary TO enact law legalizing its reten
ton. No ons ever dreamed that the enemies
OF the inspection system would be driven 10
such exirenities as to be forced to deny Gust, m
co-eItensve with the Union. The millers themselves
moved the reduction Of the old fee for inspection, in
this city, to one cent per barrel, upon the avowed
grounds that that sum, rjM The draft -four, was suf
cient compensation. And now we have an isolated
instance Of attempt to deprive the inspector Of hi
draft -four, although it is notorious that the sctus
expenses Of the inspectors would equal il not exceed
the legal fee Of cent psr BARREL and that if the
customary draft -four was taken away, the inspector
would not Grpad from his office, as inspector
breadstuffs
The information to which We have referred proves
that State in the Union ever prescribed by law
smaller fryer than fDe.cghths of an inch, except
Virginia. South Carolina, Kentucky aud Tennessee
and that in those States the inspectors have never pre-
tended to conform to the law, because it was imposs
BILE inspec: with fryer instrument. Of inspection
less than ive.eighths of an inch in diameter Ken
lucky for instance, says the fryer shall be half al
inch in diameter" but the inspectors have always
used fryer ons inch in diameter. In Tennessee the
law says, half an inch .ryer," but necessity anc
custom say "ve eights of inch" and that ia the
sze Of the instrument And the great and controlling
necessity which governs in other States has controlled
the inspection Of -four 10 this State for more thsn fifty
years. And when inspector takes the oath o
office and swears TO do his duty faithfully" and
finds it impossible to do so and conform strictly to
tho provisions of law ignoran;y framed he is right
10 pursue custom which he follow, or fail 10 do
his duty as public officer.
As G!o and unlounied "a have been all the ohjec
tions to the proposed amendments which We have
beard the preposerous remains to be considered
1t is that the process of inspection which has OK.
isted in Virginia for than half century, many
say century aud more, materially damages the -four
which is shipped to South America. "The air gets
in and spoils the -four" i, the charge although no
body has been found of sufficient courage to assert
such an sbsurdity, except as "hear.say." AS all the
Virginia -four which is shipped to South America is
! inspected, and has, from the commencement Of the
South American trade in -four, been inspected with
a tryer fve.eghths Of an inch in diameter, how does
happen that -four thus nured, gets to that market
in better condition than the flour Of any other State.
How does it happen that -four thus "ruined' by the
"air getting in" hos acquired higher reputation
than any other -four, and has driven all other flour
from the South American msrke,7 We might res,
content with this simple exposure Of this transparent
nonsense, but we wish 70 hang aud quarter it BY
positive evidence.
member Of the oldest and largest milling house
in this city, Indeed, perhaps. of the most distinguish
ed firm Of miIlers in the WORLDLY appeared, We learn,
before the COMMITTEES on Agriculture of the House
| of Delegates, few days SINCE and crushed out "
the charge in question. We refer to the great house
of Warwick & Barksdale. This firm have been longer
engaged in the South American trade than any mil.
lers in this country, and do the largest business.
member of that firm, when summoned by the com
mittee to testify said that the process Of inspection
did not injure the -four sent to South America, and
expressed himself PERFECTLY satisfied with III. present
system of inspection which is with 6ve.eighths OF
an inch tryer; and. we suppose, that no man in his
senses will deny that upon the subject Of the expor
tstion of -four TO South America, Warwick s Barks.
dale are the very best authority. There is
pointed evidence to disprove this charge. Wesppenh
the letter of all experienced and accomplished gen.
tlemsn, who was sent, by milling firm of this city,
few years ago, to investigate the causes Of the occa
sional injury of Hnur shipped from this market 10
South America, and his interesting letter conrms all
that waa said by the member of the distinguished
milling firm to which we have referred. The writer
is gentleman Of very high standing in this com
| munity:
RICHMOND 18th JANUARY, 1853.
Dear SIR In reply your several inquirie beg leave to
say tha. the spring OF 1885, and while in the employment
of Messrs H. T & E. s. Talaierro (who then engag
ed in the manufacture of Flour the Manchester Mll
now owned and worked by Messrs. Dunlop, Moncure L.
Co.. was by them and by Messrs. d IN Co to
South America as supercargo OF the barque Virgnisn
with full cargo of their "rslafero Bro" brand OF
-four inspected and branded "Richmond superfne" took
out special written instructions enquire the
of the cakns Of four of previous shipment to Rio
10 make myself acquainted with the bnkcrs and princ
pal dealers in -four, and to obtain from them and oher-
all and information in my power in regard to that
trade, in all the South American markets
We touched ut Bahia, and after di.posnz Of part o
the cargo there proceeded to Rio My stay in each city
amounted to eighteen days. and my time was entirely de
I voted to the objects OF the voyage.
As stated before the committee was not specially in
struced make any inquiries regard TO the value than
placed upon, effects produced by the Richmond nsFee
tiou and heard no remarks from any that point
nor did see or hear os any damage resulng 10 hour