The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1866-11-30

pointed in such manner as the General As
sembly, in its wisdom, may direct.
TIE PURCHASE OF CORN.
Pursuant to the resolution of 2lst Scptcm-
bcr last passed by the General Assembly, l
appointed Colonel D. Wyatt Aiken Agent of
the State to make purchases of corn. 1lav-
ing satisfied himself fully that the double re-
striction imposed in the resolution rendered
it impossible to effect purchases, he declined
; the appointment. l concurred fully i'll his
conclusion, that the double restriction ren-
dered the whole scheme nugatory. and have
not, therefore, appointed another, Agent
| The resolution required that three hundred
thousand dollars of bonds should purchase
and deliver in the State three hundred thou
sand bushels Of corn, II is reasonably GER
| tain that the bonds could not have been sold
for more than seventy cents ~ the dollar, and
corn could not he purchased. in any market,
and delivered, at one dollar per hushcl.-
The correspondence between Colonel and
myself is herewith communicated.
The grain crop Of the State has been gath
cred, and you arc better prepared now, than
| at the extra session, to determine the dch-
| ciencv, and what will be needed to supply
the absolute wants of the poor. When You
have fixed the amount, the grave question
arises how arc you to supply the funds to
purchase it? The fcvcrsh and unsettled con-
dition of public affairs has not tended to ap-
prccate the credit of the Southern States;
| and if the purchase Of a large amount OF
brcadstuffs for distribution among the poor,
is to be effected by the sale Of State bounds,
it can only be accomplished at a ruinous dis
count. The question is earnestly commended
to your gravest deliberaton.
Tho 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
propose that. if the State shall advance to
| them twenty-five thousand dollars, which
they will give approved security TO refund.
thay will engage to furnish sixty thousand
bushels of corn per month, to be sold at ac-
tual cost, with transportation and two-and-
| one-half per cent commissions added, to
the citizens of the State; invoices 10 be sub
mitted to commissioners, and the corn to he
subject to inspection by the commissioners
or by an agent. If n larger amount should
| be needed monthly, that larger amonnt will
be furnished, upon condition that the State
| make pro rata increase Of the loan. The
money loaned is to be returned ms soon as the
/ contract terminates. 1t is proposed by these
gentlemen to establish dcpots for the sale OF
the corn in Charleston, Columbia and Marion,
from which points it may be readily distrib-
nted to every section Of the State. The
members Of the firm are cntcrprising and
trustworthy, and, if such a contract is awar-
dcd them, they will doubtless fulfill its stipu-
lutions with fidelity. If the necessities ofthe
State should require the importation Of one
million of bushels, to supply the wonts Of
those who must buy and are able to pay, the
saving to the people of the State, by such an
! arran gcmcnt woltla not fall short OF TWO
| hundred thousand dollars.
] have been informed that n proposition of
the same sort will be submitted to You by a.
NJ. Rikcr, q grain merchant OF Charleston,
who can furnish you with satisfactory tcsti-
monia!s of integrity and business capacity.
These plans for supplying with corn the whole
population, including the Boards Of Commits
s!oners of the Poor, .who will be compelled to
nrovide for Il large number Of indigcnt per-
sons. at a profit of only two-and-a7halt per
cent. TO the contractor, on cost and expenses,
arc commended to your favorable consiIcra-
y
ton. - -.-..
TIE pEcyEIART !ntsTnEss OF TUE PEOPLE
| AT LARGE.
The short crcrs -ofg grain and cotton causes
the Indebtedness of the people to press lTeav-
ily on them. This state of things imposes on
every generous creditor the ,eaAty Of making
rs liberal compromises with his debtors as
he can admit without pccunlary ruin Ii hc
has been fortunate in escaping the general
wreck, he shold chccrfully lend helping
hand TO his less fortunate neighbor who is still
struggling in sea of debt. Legislation con-
sistcnt with the constitution and the general
interest of the community may be adopted,
which will greatly relieve tile public re-
itcratc nv Recommendation made at the extra
session, that Imprisonment for debt ;bc G,ol-
ishcd, except in cases Of fraud, and when
a debtor is about Teinoving his person or
property without tic limits Of the State, that
the insolvcnt laws be so extended. that a dcbt-
or may. b. petition, on giving three month
nctcc to all his creditors, require them to
come in and prove their demands, and upon
his surrendcring his entire effects for their
benefit, they be perpetually barred from ever
again proceeding against him in tho Courts
of this State; and that i'll all cascs where
| ,GCf eNullt Is SCeQ anu uluhcS io uS'SiSS l"
the action, no costs shall ibe taxed against
him. - q. - .....'
Persons suijuris can now compromise will!
their debtors. and often find it TO their inter-
est to do so, but such as occupy fdne'sly
position arc restrained by the stringency oi
legal rules; and not being authorized to COM
pound with dcbtoEs, they frequently lose the
entire debt 1t is sound policy to modify
those rules, so as to allow them to compound
the demands they hold against debtors. ta-
ing care to guard against fraud OF ill faith OF
their part.
Invite your attention to the prorricty oi
passing homcsc cad Inv, and of extending
The value of articles exempt from levy anI
sale, for the head Of each family. Mos
of the States have made much more frh
cral and humane provisions than Soutl
Carolina for guarding the families Of nn
fortunate and iHprcvident debtors ngnins
being cast out upon the world, liousclcss nalt
brendlcss. The decisions of soR,c Of th'
State Courts have affirmed the constitutional
power of their Legislatures to enact NV: