Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-10-09
For tho Advertiser.

editorial in the last issue o your paper in relation
to the pulley pursued by the Merchants o. the
Village for svvcrll months past. make no cx-
cepticns to the very high compliment paid to two
u. them f;,r their Gnr;sfinn i'r;rio;iSm. / haze
no doubt they ne both woll deserving the c"npi-
ment. But you state that you hnvc been in
formed that tie others have acted differently
| from them in taking advantage Of The timcs anu
tEu necessities of their customers, and advanced
their prices.
cuncuic then. Sir, that in the article referred
to, stand hclurc this community as Merchant,
in the midst Of ,lir.c trying times, charged with
a want of Christian Pui,iofism. And being thus
charged and arranged, plead Eot guilty, and ask
the privilege of place in your wide circulating
paper to make Il statement Of Il few fact; in my
defence
do not claim to possess more patriotism than
my neighbours, and canrot judge how far n mans
patriotism. cnn hc estimated by the prices of his
merchandise Bu; believe can claim for my
self, without h;asting, much devotion to the
honour, intcrcat and safety Of South Carolina and
the Southern CuufedQracy as any ether living
man. When Suuth Carolina was called on in
1886 for soldinrs, to fight in the Florida war,
Yas the eecund man who volunteered in the Dis
trict, and tnuk my,stand by tho side Of our gal
liant Capt JONES. l never lost IN hour from
duty during that campaign. did not make any
money out Of that war, but spent over six hun
drcd dollars in cash to buy clothing and other
comforts for our soldiers, and had to borrow
! twenty dollars from Capt. JONES to drfray the
expenses of myself and servant home from Char
lesion. Since that time have met with many
reverscs and losses and have but little left but
character, which have hoped to be able to leave
us legacy TO my children, if nothing more.
At the beginning of the present war, and du-
ring the bomhardment Of Fort Sumter, I was in
Charleston purchasing stock of goods for the
spring md summer trade. And although there
was dark cloud hanging over our country. I
had full confidence in tho strength of our institu-
tions ard the final success and triumph of our
cause, and purchased large stock Of useful sta
pie goods adapted to the wants Of our people.
These goods were purchased at very low prices.
They were marked at as low prices and moderate
profits as 1 have ever sold goods. They have
been sold out TO the people mostly on credit, at
those prices And most of the goods now have
on hand wero purchased then anu previously, and
they continue to be sold at the same unaltered
prices. The only exceptions are, where have in
some few cases made late purchasers 1T the ad-
ranced prices and had II very small lot of the old
stock.
But must acknowledge, Mr.. Editor, that I
have not sold all my goods during the season Mt
the same uniform prices. No merchant could do
this uho wishes to replenish his stock for the ac-
comnlodation Of his customers. Such times as
! these, when prices were advancing every day,
have tried to keep up my stock, and having but
little cash. have been obliged to purchase in small
lots, and as every man of common sense must
know could not sell such goods at old prices. AS an
illustration, will state that 1 purchased in the
spring large lot of Coates Spool Thread at about
60 cts. per dozen, which / sold out mostly on u
credit at cts. spool, or 90 cts. dozen, making
the enormous profit Of one cent spool. rur-
chased u largo stock of Shoes, most Of which have
been sold Mt low prices. l sold out my stock of
Powder Mt 10 and 50 cents when it was selling ut
81 pound in Augusta. sold out my stock Of
Shot ut 10 and IL cents, and when ordered u
new lot, had to pay Si,jO bag, nearly 20 cents 4
pound.
| think, Mr.. Editor if you lad patronized Inc
Il little more literally yourself. you wOull have
hccn convinced that the information yoa received
| in relation to ;he Merchants OF the Village was
untrue. I have sold you some fcw articles, the
| last Of which I remember very well. It was three
dozen g"o,! buttons. which sold you for ten cts.
the same article hcing north in Charleston 1
CTS. Hcr ivzcn hy tic sro:E.
1t is very unpleasant to re 10 he thu ;ccl 10
appear hcfu:c tbs cui,lmGiIirr, where have been
known :" long. in defence rI n,y character, and
wcull M, lave done 80 ut any other time than
the present. but sir ynu must remember that what
YOU non l,u, in print becomes the future history
uf there stirring times, ard as fur n / anl cun-
rcrnc,l myself, wish the record to be true.
I an we'll aware there are many persons in the
world who always know m"fe sbou; other reo-
plr's business than their own, and judge that
| il was from tkut class you received your infor-
nation.
lave deemed it Just to myself to make these
statements in le:erce oi my own reputation, aud
also state ;hat from what know OF the business
of the other Merchants, that rot one Of Item in
this Village IL deserving of the charge.
! Ifany persons suppose that tho merchants "f
this village nrc making fortunes cut Of this war
they are greatly deceived. They a.c suffering
loss b. it most severely. | sold mysolf the past
year, uhowtth thousand dollars worth Of goods
and moro than the half of that amount the present
year mostly on credit, and have not collected
over two hundred dollars since the war COM
m.ncel
will state in conclusion that have already
given up two Of my Clerks, brave, gallant young
men to do battle in defence Of our cause. have
al,o freely given up my Son for the same purpose.
I have my Old Clerk remaining, who has sent siS
Sous to the war, and stands ready with myself to
join them whom it becomes necessary.
And now, Mr.. Editor, as the lawyers say, close
my argument and give my case to the jury.
L. PENN.
SpeciM Di.pa'rh TO he Chorlest"n Courier.
From Ricilmoud.
RlcIMoND, Oct. IA bloody battle took
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