The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-02-17
LAW AGAINST ExToRTIoN.


The Legislature of South Carolina, at its late
session, passed law to punish extortion, which is
thus explained by q correspondent Of the Charles
ton Courier:
The bill Furnishes the sale of various articles and
nccessaries of life, by dealers, spectators and
manufactures, at exorbtant rates or prices; and
their refusal to sell any of said articles at
able rates or prices by fine, not exceeding one
thousand dollars, ACCOMPLISHMENTS not exceeding
twelve months; and furnishes all other persons, in
like manner, for selling at exorbitant or unreason-
able rates or prices, except importers Of foreign
merchandise, who are exempted from the penalties
of the Act for the sales of such merchandise.
The jures are constituted judges of what are ex-
orbtant rates Or prices and the Court of Appeals
is authorized to review the facts of the case, and
to set aside verdcs and order new trials for want
of conformity thereto. No postponements Of trial
are to be allowed at the first trial. except on the
affidavit of the absence of material and necessary
Witness and formal objections to the pleadings are
to be disregarded, and the cases to be tried and
adiudged according to their merits without regard
to form. One half of the fine is to so to the in
former, who is made a competent witness; and the
other half is to be for the benefit of the Soldiers
Board of Relief in the District where the convic-
ton shall take place. Persons wilfully and malici-
ously giving false nformation the basis of prose-
cutions under the Act, are made subject to the
penalties of the Act Corporations and corpora
tors of incorporated companies, practising extor-
ton, subjected to the penalties of the Act,
and when corporations convicted, in addition to
the fine their charters subjected to forfeiture,
at the discretion of the Court.
Mercantile extortion is indictSble and
punishable misdemeanor. The moral effect of this
legislation will be great; religious, moral and patri.
how larp nd ny
countrys sake; bad men will be scourged into ODE
dience by the lash of the law. We may WELL then
indulge the hope that the reign of extortion will
be over, and its high priests will be no lon
ger permitted to grind the poor, and impoverish
the Government.
INVESTING IN CONFEDERATE BoNDs.-There
seems to be now great rage for investing in Con
federate bonds. Everybody is buying bonds
that is, everybody who has the treasury notes
wherewith to buy-and we hear of single trans
action made day or two SINCE by the house OF
Hinton Dunn, which amounted to $50, 900
How great the contrast Here our people are
seeking Confederate Government paper. In Lin.
colndom, everybody is avoiding government paper
and paying enormous prices for every article
which will enable them to get rid of Yankee
"promises to pay" This is one of the best signs
Of the times -PetersJury Express
RAISE WHEAT AND CoRN-It is to be hoped
that every farmer and planter of the South who
has spark of patriotism will abstain from the
cultivation of cotton and tobacco, and give every
acre of the soil to the production of Corn, Wheat
Peas, Potatoes and every desert pton of food fol-
| man and beast. Even in a mercenary point Of
| view-and it is humiiating that this has become
in these times too common principle of action
these productions will pay better than any others
The man who raises cotton and tobacco now, is
not only aiming blow at the independence Of
his country, but at what perhaps, he values more
! bis own interests. The only enemy We have te
fear is the sacrifice Of the common good te
individual greed One year of self denial
and, in all probability, the South can return to thu
cultivation of its peculiar staples with safety and
proft.-Richnsond Dispatch.
b@~ A correspondent SENDS US the following
Gays the Richmond Enquirer) which he character
ICES :'cure for desertion
Lately young soldier, named R, from
Ashe county, n. G., slipped off from his Regiment
and succeeded in safely making his way home. On
reaching the parental roof, his father told him
he could not stay there; he must return imme
diately to the army Of his country, and stand by
| his noble companions in arms Upon the young
man asking for only few days rest, the father
replied ne. I on must start back in the morning
and will go with you myself to see that YOU are
again at your post-now the only post of honor
The next morning found them both making their
way through the rugged mountains of Western
North Carolina, bound for RichEsond
OH that We had more such parents. More
such citizens. '76