The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-11-27
Communication

WTTI-ITTTI M LC TIIVJ NTEJVLT u III TTII-T T--
,The merchants circular,-Ws havebeen requestedto
take out Of our paper the circular of our merchants,
owing to the fact that dissatisfaction was produced oy
it in the country Had the editor of the Caddo ia
zette been content with simply publishing the announce
ment of the withdrawal Of the merchants circular as
per request of the merchants, 30 planter would have
taken any exceptions to the article headed "The MGR
chants circular, y but the editor of the Gazette Thought
proper to pat forth to the public through the columns
of his paper, a flaming article, in which he attempts to
vindicate the patriotic merchants circular, and de-
nounces and impeacIes the motive and honesty ot5hese
planters who have said aught against the merchants
circular-"We think that great injustice has been done
our merchants in charging them with an intention to
keep down the price of cotton. They only wished to
make it a substitute for a circulating medium so that
business might not he suspended during the blockade"
If the merchants Of Shreveport only wished to make
cotton q substitute for a circulating medium and did not
wish to take any advantage of the cotton planter, why
did they not propose to advance from Z to 9 cents per
pound on cotton, in place of requiring the planter to
sell his cotton at a reduced price or suffer for the ne
cessary articles of life; it certainly would have been as
safe for the merchant to make advances on cottonin
hand as to purchase it, or if the merchants were as
honest and pure in their intention as the editor OF the
Gazette says they were, why did they not say to the
planters through their circular, that they would either
purchase cotton at 7 to 9 cents per pound or would
advance the planters that amount in such articles as
they were compelled to have, giving the planter an
honest chance to get the full value of his cotton when
the blockade is raised. In place o~fmahing such iust and
honest proposition to the planters, the merchants Of
Shreveport held a meeting and passed resolutions stop
ping the credit Of the planters, adopting a system APP
proXimatIng to cash regulations, and establishing prices
for cotton without the knowledge Or consultation Of the
planters, all upon the ground that they could not pur-
chase new stocks Of goods without the cash in hand or
its equivalent. This is their excuse TO the planters for
their credit, and informing them by publica-
ton in the papers, that if they stood in need Of any
more goods, NC, that they (the planters) must bring
forward their cotton and take the prices which we (the
merchants) have dictated, or YOU, (the planters can
starYe or live the best you may. The editor Of the Ca
zette is opposed to military d~espotism. So am ], and
| can also inform the editor of the Gazette that we (the
cotton planters of this portion of the PARISH are equally
opposed to 4 commercial despotism, especially such a
one as the merchants OF Shreveport iuaugurated. |
will ask the editor of the Caddo Gazette why did the
merchants not also regulate and publish in their circu-
lar the prices which they intended to put upon their
goods IN exchange for cotton? He labors to show that
the merchants were actuated by motives of patriotism
and Misrepresentation, so | shall look to him for a salts
factory explanation. confess that in times of peace
and uninterrupted commerce, merchants are, and
ought to be entitled to all of the advantages of trade,
but | can never believe that in times of war, blockades
and general distress that it is right for one class of
people to take advantage Of the necessities of the other
and extortlon on them, simply because they have it in
their power to do so, and if such conduct is to be ad-
yocated and upheld by the editor Of the Caddo Gazette.
God save this our beloved country, from such motives
of patriotism. lam one that believes that all classes
be willing to bear their proportion of sacriice in
our glorious struggle for constitutional liberty. ! am
willing TO confess that our merchants in Shreyeportare
honest and patriotic, but | can never think but what
they acted unjustly towards the cotton planters, and |
think that the editor OF the Gazette will yet find that
he has undertaken a dirty job when he defends the
circular and impeaches the honesty of the
planters for Directing to it. He has instituted a com
pariSon between the motives of the merchants and
let Us refer to his article and see what he saws.
These are times which try mems soul and test he
honesty oil all, lsuppose thath means to say that the
honesty Of those who objected to the merchants circu-
lar have been tested and found wanting. | BEG leave
to differ with the editor ofthe Gazette think that the
souls OF the merchants have been tried and their hon
tested, aud / will leave it for the public to decide
as TO which side is found wanting in honesty and pa
.rIotsm, Again, the editor of the Gazette saws that
There are planters who would not pay their debts if
could receive credits for their cotton at 20 cents
per pound | deny the charge, and call on the editor
)t the Gazette to make his assertion good by proof
do not believe that there is one cotton planter in Cad
10 parish who would not willingly pay his debts with
'otton at 10 cents ID, much less 20 cents ~ h.
am aware that there are many honest planters who are
n debt, and it would take their entire crop to pay their
and would leave them without aIymrans
o purchase such articles Of merchandise as they are
to have if they were to appropriate all OF
heir crop towards the payment Of their outstanding
tebts. Such as these might refuse to receive q credit
N their debts for their entire crop, aud my opinion is
bat the editor OF 4Ae Gazette would be asflr from civ
ng up all he bad to pay his debts, any means to
~ CHASE meat and pay taxes, as any Of those dishonest
.otton planters would be (as he calls tllein.) In con-
fusion, / wish to ask the able defender OF the mer-
hants' circular, why it was that merchants did not
comply with their circular? In that they pledged them
elves to pay the planters from Z to 9 cents for their
,otton IN any thing they had or in debts owing to them.
COW. sir. am able to DrOVa Inv nuulbaps Of rood ut
lesses, that men IN the last ten DAYS have been in
iuced by the merchants circular to load their wagons
With cotton and 60 to Shreveport to sell their cotton
OF SAT-, nails, Ne, &c. For good cotton the very best
quality that Is made, they got from 7 to s cents per
pound, and took salt at SO per sack, nails at Sl2 per
coffee 80 cents per pound; all other articles in
and the very merchants who had pledged
themselves to pay such and such prices for cotton. ac-
ually found that they could even force those who had
Iauled cotton a long distance to let them have their
'otton al from to , cents lower in the pound than
pledged themselves to pay. | am able and ready
o prove this assertion; and this is what the editor Of
he Gazette calls patriotism! l call it e]xtortion and
FeasoH-that Is the name that many give it. 1t looks
cry reasonable TO the editor of the Gazette to say that
he merchants bad requested him to take their circular
lut Of his paper, because it produced dissatisfaction in
he country. The merchants knees a month past that
circular produced dissatisfaction in the country.
did they not then order it out of the papers,
10 sir, my opinion is, andit is the opinion Of ali whom
have heard speak of it, that the merchants find that
can force the planters to sell them their cotton for
less price than they pledged themselves to pay. con-
they got very patriotic, and requested their
taken out of the paper. Isay thisi is my opinion,
know to my certain knowledge that the mer-
'hantsIong since refused to pay as much for cotton as
hey hadaSreed to pay; and this Irepeat, in my opinion,
5 the reason why they got so patriotic towards the
planters, not satisfied with demanding enormous and
prices for their goods, they now see an op-
lortunlty OF getting a considerable amount of cotton
or almost a mere tribe, and yet the editor Of the Cad
10 Gazette makes them equal to monsters in point OF
lenesty and patriotism. l will simply advise the edi-
or OF the Gazette to be very cautious how he harpoons
md aInpoonst the cotton planters. We all know that
are the people who have to bear the brunt of the
and they also know that they will be imposed on
md skinned on all occasions by those who will take adj
vantage of the times and their necessities while our
ports are blOckaded. We know that we (tbe cotton
will have to pay merchants and spectators
my price that they may think proper to demand for
articles as we are compelled to have. Some arti-
advance a per cent. per day and | would not be
at any time to hear that the single article Of
IS put up to the price of $20-and all other arli-
cles in proportion, but if we, the poor cotton planters
to advance on the price of cotton, it would be al
most a criminal offence in the eyes Of the editor of the
Gazette; but he seems to think that it would be very
patriotic and honest for the merchants to extortion on
the planters in the price Of theirEoods, but if a planter
should pXDppse tle.lnqct IiCsotiet,,.;,, L ui l-.|