Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-17


but say $40. ..... ............. 100000 n
Provisions and forage. .............. $4,000
$50 slaves hired at an average Of $3.50. $500
s2so5OO II
Should the contingency arise, to which -.
have already referred, provided for
in the contract, by which OTHER pro- -
perty is to be transferred to Carkson,
The value of the same is estimated at. 10000
.sl2o.5oo !
This does not include the sacks of which
there is said to be a large quantity on
hand, tools and other personal proper
~ not specified above.
Thus we have grand total Of. :. $3.50, 800
certainly and probably Of $4,000 ore of property,
which State under this contract with Carkson binds
itself to take from Stewart l. Co., aud hand to
Carkson without any particle Of security Added to this
should be more than halfamon of dollars for the salt
water an act of Legislation undertake TO say without
precedent in the annals Of our State! -
L. Another objection would urge to this contract is
that n rudey uterferes with the slave holder in taking
slave of Che possession of him TO whom he had
hired him, to whom, account y hisknowledge OF his
kindly aud business character he was wiling 10 inrut
him. with confidence that while he should benade TO do
proper work. he would, at the same time, be properly
erred for and provided for in sickness and in bealth
and transfers him without hi; consent to stranger to
whom the owner might be Unwilling to hire, and that.
too not only for the balance Of the present year. but
for and halt months of the next yesr, when il is
evident the whole 200 900 bushels for the State the
of rs 600 bushels per month can be manufactured
during the present year.
The time has passed by when slave owners we're in
the habit Of hiring the highest bidder from the block
without regard toehe character disposition of the
hrcr aud surely violence should not be unnecessarily
done to the habits and genius Of people in this
spect.
s. This contract guarantees the part Of the State,
TO do that which unable do aud has been
able do i. expressly guarantees 10 the said Clark
son Transportation the railroads for wood aud sup
plies rcuuired'iof the business of sat.mdkns, &c.-
Now it is well knoSn tina, much .f5mpaint has besh
made en- account Of the nonrcceipt OF salt punctuiy,
according to contracts heretofore made; aud it is also
known from letters received by many county agents,
from Dr. Norman the SateSgent that much embarrasS
ment has been occasioned By the want of sufficient rail-
road transportation 10 carry il off, So deeply las this
committee been impressed with this fact from the esti
mony of Col Owens President of the Virginia and Ten
ncsee Railroad Dr. Moorman and others that il il well
known that report madesby Us 10 this House some
weeks ago to the effect that, unless worSmen and IuE-
bermcn ICre detailed by the Confederate Government
10 In rcase the locomotive power aud provide timber for
bridges &c salt could not be transported for the people,
aud asking the appointment OF committee on the part
of the House to urge this earnestly upon the proper de-
partment of the Confederate Government This report
was adopted by the Hoise, The committee appointed Of
which had the honor be chairman, the Conference
had with the Secretary Of War-who agreed TO detail
the hands required, oil of which reported to this
House. Aud Notwithstanding all this here Is positive
acre nens that the State will guarantee the transpcr
tition of wood Scl heavy aud bulky article which
enters so largely and much OF which Is required, In
the manufacture of salt and that 100, when it was so
difficult and such extraordinary means had 10 be re-
sorted to- fair assurance that transportation
could be po cd or the salt requiring much les; OF
locomotives and OF cars tAan the wood.
| This ntr C. is one of mutual coEe,aLt. The State
would b. lert unable to fulfill this n1er part; and
what obigati would thee be OH The part Ct Garrison
to pcrform his, when the State had withheld the wood
without which the salt could not be madeS-and thus
| the whole supply would bc endangered.
g. The adoption of this contract With ClArkson jGo-
par,s the fulhment of the contracts made by Stuart
/ Co. with the Confederate Government.
II vii be seen that the wells, .pumss, engines, az
are all under the control OF Oirkson tor State pur-
noscs lie NAV OF ml7 not furnish water 10 StuIr X
Co.; and thus they will be unable TO comply with iher
contract. But it may be alleged that, in that eveEt,
GARRISON undertakes to fulfill them Bat suppose the
State fails to furnish transportation for wood, which it
will unduestionaby be unable to do, then Garrison
NAV wellalegc that his failure is in consequence of the
default Of the State, aud thus widespread embarrass
1 ment and injury will result.
This majority contract renders supply altogether ut
certat Some reasons to support this conclusion have
already been advanced. will here add further, what
l. well known that tho manufacture of salt nc SLltyc
ia now carried on on a very large and extended scale,
with various and numerous branches aud ramhcaons,
with many hands and departments, all with their rcspec-
tive parts to play aud all must harmOnize and act In
concert among themselves and with the head managers
| and owners, TO work well; all this Is nor wording
smoothly and successfully. Change the management
| place other men oter them-how know you that the
many white superinteadents and managers will be Goa
tent to be transferred like Russian sers along with the
soil to another proprietor? How know you that the
hired hands -yl continue under heads TO perform
their tasks cheerfuly diligently aud faithfully is not
Lib oocs chan
wheel when all the machineryis working smoothly ana
successfully land will there not be danger OF Jar,
a crash and break down :-gemember the catastrophe
of the effort of Ph to guide the chariot o. the sum-
and let the memories and experience OF the past warn
ms against experiments that can be productive OF no
| GOOD but may be followed by serious disaster
So much, Mr. Speaker, of the contract proposed by
tlemaority That recommended by isis free from all
these objections il nvades no man private property
II wres no ma.s lands slaves from his lawful pos
| session, to bestow them on others.
IL involves the State in liabilities for Others aud
verify believe gives US the certainty OF supply OF salt,
and at less price than the contract OF the majority
L. furnishes the salt at the same price at which 1t was
contracted for by the Governor in October last although
every other article has since advanced from % to oo per
cent in price, and of the price stipulated IN that con-
tract, have never heard any one complain. Much
| complaint was made Of the smallness oil the supply,
I5OoO0 then procured-that We remedy by proposing
! contract for 100000 which will assuredly be sum
! Gent
an individual both freely consenting as between man
and man Amply security is to b. given for its iuihl'
meat, bond in the penalty of 100000, and in addSon
the State will have 5000 bushels OF salt amer inc hr.
monthly instalment which IS not TO be PAID or until
anotbcr rs 900 bushels is delivered and so on, from
month to month, until all is delivered while under the
Carkson contract there is security whatever Tor the
fumeit of their contract the 700 security therein
referred to being to reimburse the State what sue may
he rcmrod to nav for the rent of the land furnaces
to Stuart 4 Co. c..
Again the contract is with Charles Scott Co. Scott
che leading member, of the firm, has been extensively
and favorably long known as a most energetic indus
trous and faithful contractor on various public WORKS on
large scale is man OF the highest character and most
liberal-banded means.
Against some of the other partners some prejudice
has existed and rmor has uttered many charges grow