Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-12-05
THE PURCHASE OF CORN.


Pursuant to the resolution of 2lst Septem
ber last, passed by the General Assembly, !
appointed Colonel D. Wyatt Aiken Agent o.
the State to make purchases of corn. Hav.
ing satisfied himself fully that the double re.
striction imposed in heresolution rendered
it i'm possible to effect purchases, he declined
the appointment. l concurred fully in his
conclusion, that the double restriction rem
dered the whole scheme nugatory, and | have
not, therefore, appointed another Agent. The
resolution required that three hundred thou.
sand dollars of bonds should purchase and
deliver in the State three hundred thousand
Bushels Of coin. It is reasonably certain
that the bonds could not have been sold for
more than seventy cents to the dollar, and
corn could not be purchased, in any market,
and delivered, at one dollar per bushel. The
correspondence, between Colonel Aiken and
myself is herewith communicated.
The grain crop of the State has been gath
cred, ard you are better prepared now, than
at the extra session, to determine the def
cheney, and what will be needed to supply the
absolute wants of the poor. When you have
fixed the amount, the grave question arises,
how are you to supply the funds to purchase
it? The feverish and unsettled condition Of
public affairs has not tended to appreciate
the credit Of the Southern States and if the
purchase of large amount Of br-adstufs, for
distribution among the poor, is to be effected
by the sale of State bonds, it can only be &C
complished at a ruinous discount. The ques
ton is earnestly commended to your gravest
dcliberation.
The firm of Browne & Schirmer, grain
merchants of Charleston and Columbia, have
made proposition to furnish corn, and have
requested me to lay it before you. They pro
pose that, if the State shall advance to them
twenty-five thousand dollars, which they will
give approved security to refuud, they will
engage to furnish sixty thousand bushels o.
corn per month, to be sold at actual cost
with transportation and two.and-one~ half per
cent. commissions added, to the citizens Of
the State; invoices 10 be submitted TO com
missioners, and the corn to be subject to in
spection by the commissioners or by an agent
If larger amount should be needed monthly
that larger amount will be furnished, upon
condition that the State make pro rata in
crease of the loan. The money loaned is t.
be returned as soon as the contract terminates
1t is proposed by these gentlemen to estab
lish depots for the sale Of the corn in Charles
ton, Columbia and Marion, from which points
it may be readily distributed to every section
of The State. The members of the firm art
enterprispg and trustworthy, and, if such 6
contract is awarded them, they will doubtless
fulfill its stipulations with fidelity. If the ne
cessities OF the State should require the i'm
portation of one million of bushels, to suppl,
the wants of those who must buy and art
able to pay, the saving to the people of the
State, by such an arrangement, would no
fall short of two hundred thousand dollars.
have been informed that proposition o
the same sort will be submitted to you BY a
NJ. Riker, grain merchant of Charleston
who can furnish you with satisfactory tcsti
monials of integrity and business capacity
These plans for supplying with corn th'
whole population, including the Boards o
Commissioners of the Poor, who will be com
PEELED to provide for large number of indi
gent persons, ut profit of only two and-a
half per cent. to the contractor, on cost ant
| EXPENSES, aIC OOulLucuuCo w youi iafO2aoi
consideration.
THE pEcUNlARY DISTRESS OF THE PEOPLE Of
THE STATE.
The short crops of grain and cotton cause
the Indebtedness of the people to press heavi
ly on them. This state of things imposes OF
every generous creditor the duty of maxim,
as liberal compromises with his debtors as b
can admit without pecuniary ruin. If he ha
been fortunate in escaping the general wreck
he should cheerfully lend helping hand t
his less fortunate neighbor who is still strug
Cling in sea of debt. Legislation consisten
with the constitution and the general interes
of the community may be adopted, whic
will greatly relieve the public. reiterat
my recommendation made at the extra SCI
sion, that Imprisonment for debt be abolished
except in cases of fraud, and when debtc
is about removing his person or propert
without The limits of the State, that the il
solvent laws be so extended that debtt
may, BY petition, on giving three months nj
tice to all his creditors, require them to CON
in and prove their demands, and upon b
surrondering his entire effects for their ben
fit, that they be perpetualLy barred from ev
again proceeding against him in the Cour
of this State, and that in all cases where
defendant is sued and makes no defence
the action, no costs shall be taxed against hil
Persons in sui .jsnIs can now compromi
with their debtors, and often find it to The
interest to do so, but such as occupy fid