The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-09-03
THE STEALING OF COTTON
AN IMPORTANT MEETING AT BLACK
VILE.
The Planters and N c Q n q n 8 take
steps 20 Prevent the Sale OF stolen
Cotton.
Irnom oua OWN oonnrspoNDENr.

BIAoKvuLE, September "A meeting OF the
| merchants of Blackville and the planters OF
the vicinity was held on Tuesday night, at the
Market Hall. The 1utenGant OF the town, III.
F. Mclony, ESQ.,. was called to the chair, and
Captain W. D. Mcmillan requested to act as
secretary. E. M. Carroll, Esq, on behalf OF
the planters, presented the following memo
rial:
Whereas, 1t is evidently beyond dispute that
| CO.. ton and other proddce brought INTO mar
| ket for s.le at late hour OF the night, by
irresp nsible persons, is dishonesty obtained;
and. whereas. parties purchasing the same
| under such circumstances should be held re-
sponsib!e by the community; therefore. we the
ciizens and planters OF this vicinity do hereby
request that the merchants OF Blackville do
organize among themselves some plan by
which the farmers NAV be protected, and this
great evil OF illicit traffic abaled.
The following note was received from DR.. W.
8. Reynolds, read before the meeting. and on
motion ordered to be printed with the proceed
ings:
FAIP MOUNT PLANTATION, August 81, 1863.
Messrs. ". H. Neues and W. ID. McMuldn:
GENTIEMEN-Your note, inviting me to the
meeting at BlQckville this evening, has boon
duly received, aud, as circumstances are such
that shall not be ablc to attend, adopt this
method of expressing to you my conviction OF
the great importance OF the meeting, aud the
have originated 1t. The stealing of cotton by
negroes, and selling 1t to dishonest white men,
has become 80 great an evil that no honest
man can regard it but with feelings OF lndiRna-
ton. I regard it as O disgrace to any COM
munity that considers itself a decent one,
that any white man should be tolerated
in it who would be go mean and mer-
| cenary as to instigate negroes to plum
der the fields OF their nelghbors, and re-
| ceive from them the articles they have stolen.
Yet unfortunately there are some few who will
do that aud regard it as a duty which the
| honest merchants owe to themselves to show
| 10 the world that they Will do everything IN
their power to put down&he yile practlce-one
| that IS corruptlng and encouraging to thieves,
discouraglng to honest laborers, and engen-
| ders feelings OF bitterness on the part OF the
planters towards those whom they would
! otherwise regard with kindness. Your meet
ing is most laudable and important one, and
| is calculated to do great good both to the
whites and the coo,ed people, and sincerely
hope 1t will organize the means that will be
etfectual. With respect, yours truly,
". S. REYNOLDS.
The following resolution was then offered by
Mr.. j. A. B1rckmyer, unanimously carried,
and subscribed to by the merchants of the
place:
We, the merchants OF Blackvlle in order TO
guard as far as possible against the great evil
OF purchasing cotton aBd other produce that
may be illegally gotten possession OF. do heraby
agree and bind ourselves not to purchase cot
ton and other produce between the hours OF
eight O'Clock at night and daylight 70 the
morning; and We furthermore pledge ourselves
to use every effort to discover and expose any
persons who may engage in such illicit trafhc.
On motion, 1t was ordered that the proceed
mel and Journal. NJ. T. MoLoNY. Chairman.
W. D. MCMILLAN, Secretary.
Considering the above determined and man.
" course OF the merchants of this place praise
worthy, and as an important step towards the
correction Of most nefarious practice, scnd
you copy Of the proceedings. May we not
trust that this initiatory step may be tho mall
guration OF movement which will spread
throughout the State. and be the means of ac-
comprising incalculable good. AS an instance
in proof of the extent to which this evil is car
ricd, I will say that one OF the planters present
stated that, to the best of his belief and infor-
nation gained from q close examination, he
had already lost by stealage from his folds,
this year, at least one bale Of cotton.
Eleven bales of cotton were sent down this
morning, consigned to Mcssrs. Pelz,r, Rod
gers & Co. and Messrs. Frost e. Ad9er. Wea-
ther decidedly winterish, calling thick clothing
into requsition. MEDICUs.