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

DELEGATES, IL SUPP0RB OF TIE REPORT OF
THE MINORITY OF THE SALT. COMMITTEE,
| SUBMITTED BY HIM, AND IN REPLY ~ Tue
SPEECH OF THE CHAIRMAN, MR.. BARBOUR:
WHO SUBMITTED THE MAJORITY REPORT.
Mr.. SPRAEEk- aid. him IN his effort to induce
this House TO ratify the contract submitted by him as
the chairman Of the committee my friend from CupePer
has vauntingly alluded to the large majority of that
Joint committee concurring with him, and the meager
minority agreeing with him-by way of essening any
prejudice against the contract have hadthe emerleY,
as the organ of this majority TO recommend Tor your
adoption let appeal 10 the House TO consider now
deep and decided must have been our convictions oil the
Injustice and mpocy Of she measures proposed 10 cause
us to be guilty Of the hardhood OF enOounering such
odds headed by distinguished leader as the member
from Culpeper He has further undertaken to destroy
all our hopes by predicting, in advance greater pro-
portionate majority on the final vote of the House, than
that he has already e joyed in the committee. Mr..
Speaker this may all be so, cannot tel-he future
Is not open 10 u.s. but still undismayed my heart quais
not my confidence in the justice and Judgment Of this
House faers hotyou are the judges OF the merits OF
the two competing propositions, and when you shah
have examined the principles involved and the conse-
offences resulting have no fear but that you VIII at
least acouit us of all cupabiy in daring to differ from
the majority of the committee, and Fsha be very much
disappointed if you do not make yourselves aocomphces
In oar guilt by san0ionng, by your votes, the report
We have submitted:
Mr. Speaker the work assigned to this committee has
been no holidaytask-or weeks have we been most la
boriously eDgged-deepy have webeen impressed with
the Importance nay the necessity Of providing an nde
Quate supply of salt-in order to the comfort the
b, al h, the life of our people.
Aud as 10 the measures TO be adopted for the accom-
ointment OF that aim those should command our pref
which promise mos positive certainly Of that re-
suit and while chedpnesS of price is certainly desirable,
1t is subordinate to certainty and as compared with 1t,
neutrality-suspicious. for salt must have-mOney and
nought else can compensate for the want of it. Whilst
theu primarily should regard certainly Of supply
and whilst we should permit cheaphess Of price TO e1er,
Tits proper influence on our counsels if compatible with
these we surely should not be insensible TO the vital
questions tf thu rights of private property, and the Sc
curity Of their enjoyment to which we have been de-
voted in our heart Of hearts from the time of Magma
Charia to the present period And can assure this
House that if they will calmly and deliberately examine
these rival propositions they will find that the plan Of
the minority whileqt tramples upon private rights,
dsurbs no relations between employer and employees,
and Saves wrests violently no property from
one transfer it TO another at the Same time gives US
Ear greater eetay OF an adequate supply and at alcss
price than that0f the majority.
The member from Culpeper, looking opy at the money
price per bushel 81 so and 81 SO in the respective.
contracts triumphanty cxclaims So cents per bushel
this is theprof the House is asked to give to Scott
Co., rather than impress their property, and then by
multiplying this by The quantity proposed to be
tracted for figures up 1881 900 as the sum to be realized
Scott Co under this minority contracta result he
looks upon with holy horror, as an atrocty that is not
| TO be tolerated for a moIRent.
This il large sum, an enormous o1e # true, to be
kreceyed as the profits OF any one contract Without
ihe.preseut crticsug its accuracy but for the sake
O the argument admitting to be true, let us look
n little iu.o tie probable profits that would enure TO
| Clark, on SEQ in case the contract recommended 10y
hi is ratified and then perhaps it may well be asked
why such indignation the idea OF large sum6e
ing reaped by Scott Co, when he looks with quiet
composure and appreciation upon muchlarger sum GO
| in, into the pockets of Carkson.
. lot tturn fnra IN thg
with Carks,n which he hasso earnestly recommended,
and 5, c what Wl belts fruits.
After al the l00derts of salt lands with thGGurnacd
kettles wood provisions. horse, mules, wagons a.,
&C. o1aiued by Scott Co., at grea; and trouble,
are taken away from them and turned over TO Cakon,
he binds himself to furnish for the Stale at tbs sa
works 100 bushels of sal By the 10Th day Of March
ls6i co.. 900 bushels Of which is to b. delivered in
monthly in,talments of 10000 bushc 5 pee mouth 10y
the 9TH November 1858 aud the balance between
last mentioned period and the l5th March, 1864 any
excess of salt made by tue said Clarkson, during the
wear over and above the 100000 to be used or sold by
liln.,' az he NAV desire" Now what viii be the pro
habe excess 100000 thu; TO be sold by CAraSOn,
Sch price as he may choOse-be remembered that
p,h contracts Concur in Bushels TO be furnished
montblr till 18th November, 1868, it may well be con
Gu led then that the capacity fr production Is uiy up
| 10 5000 bIshels per montl-thus for IL mOhlls, the
neriod they are TO remain with Carkson would amount
TO 100000 . 200 900 bushels more than the amjuut
arkson is required furnish the State, and under 4bat
contract this 300 900 bushels is TO be tho so aud cH-
elusive property of Cirksol, to sell or dispose OF as
he may desire 1t has been admitted that salt has been
and can DO readily disposed Of at the works Tor prices
ranging from Ten to tCe,y dollars per busel-Lcre then
would be the snug Little Of ffOm tc0 10 four mi5oiS
of dollars according as the price M Sht range between
the minimum and maximum sales above stated realized
by Clkson, under the contract so warmly recommend
ed by the meaber. from Cupeper, from the pROpetyot
stewart & Co. Impressed by the State and put.into the
hands of GARRISON and worked by him for bis own pr
yato gain aud enoumcut dt the OF tie ate had
beeu satisfied. And yet this immense profit TO be thus
realized by Carkson excites no unpleasant sensation in
| the breas. of the member from Culpepor. H4 wrath
is expire sed in thunder tones at the prospect of Stuart
* Co reapng SJSl 600 from working their owa proper
ty-but when millions are to go utO the pockets oil!
Clarkson from his operating with the property OF SUI
art CO. violently wrested front them, he has no word
of censure Of condemnation, lis all pleasing, sunny
Lscenc,
The gen leman from Culpepar sid, in the colrs1 OF
his eloquent address that while A5tly endeavoung
to devise and perfect the best for the supply
kof salt Mr. GARRISON was introduced to him. and
with great energy of tone he exclaimed that be con-
gratted himself that Mr. Carkson was thus introduced
nm that this proposed salt contract was the result oil
that conjunction He took occasion at the same time
to pass high cncomium upon the military moral aud
business character of Col GARRISON, that he 'was al
Albemsle man. none the worse for thasf a. Now,
Mr. Speaker have design and no motive 10 detract
in the slightest degree from the rtial or civic merits
of Col Cark-Jn | never saw him in my life. lwould
not pluck leaf from the military aures that decorate
Ibis brow, and trust he will wear his civic hon
ors wOrhily and allow ms TO concur with him in the
opinion that the counties of Jefferson, Of Monroe OF
Nelson and Others are good counties to be born in
good counties to live H. and to adj the expression of
the hope that whenever thus vtO the born
cmigraes to other parts, he may, whenever occasion
requires find eloquent euogst as my friend from
Cupeper and be richly worthy of praise as he be
lieyes Col. GARRISON TO be. -
will say further, Mr.. Speaker that when the peeu'
mary results of this contract be realized Oh Crkson
NAV still more emphaticaIy congratulate hisaNey upon
the suspicious day and hour when Mr. Barbour ras in.
trodeeed 10 kHa-and thus we will have ~sI pleased,
f happy and nest Harmonious party.
IL 70 ll. nnnh.