The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-11
TIE CHAMRER OF COMMERCE..


Proceedings Of the Anniversary Meeting
Ths elghty.ninth anniversary meeting OF
the Charleston Chamber of Commerce was
held yesterday afternoon, President $. I.
Upper presiding.
The reports OF committees being called for,
Colonel z. Davis submitted the report of the
committee appointed to confer with the City
Council on the subject OF the liceose law
which report has already been printed In IHE
News.
The report was received as information, ana
a motion was made that the committee be dis
charged.
Colonel 3. S. Duryea objected to this, and
suggested that the subject be referred back
to the committee with Instructions to report
at the next meeting what further action was
necessary to carry out the views and main
tain the position of the Chamber.
Colonel Davis said that the committee felt
bound not to raise the question of The consti'
nationality of the license law, and TO harmon
lie, II possible, the existing differences anu
secure an equality of taxation.
Colonel Duryea said that threats would nave
been In bad taste, but as the Council had
declined to do anything, it was only proper
that the Chamber should go on and bring the
differences of opinion to an Issue. He there
fore moved that the committee be instructed
to repors the best mode OF enforcing the
views of the Chamber.
A motion to lay on the table was made and
lost.
Colonel Davis said his committee had done
ali they could under the resolution appointing
them, and the committee were not unanl'
mons either as to the censlitutlonallty of the
law or as to the notifications which should De
made. His committee therefore Would oe
bad body to carry the matter furtner, ana ne,
for one, would decline to serve.
Colonel P. c. Gailard said he thought the
committee had done what was proper, and
ought certainly to be discharged.
Captain F. W. Dawson reminded the Cham
ber that, II the matter were referred back to
the committee, one Of two courses would
probably be taken: the committee would re-
port that nothing further could be done, or
would advise that the cOnstitutionallty OF the
law be tested In the courts. In the first case,
the Chamber would stand where 1t stood now;
and in the second case, 1t would be necessary
to employ counsel at heavy expense TO the
Chamber. He did not think the Chamber had
any money to spare for such purpose; nor
did he believe 1t to be proper for the Chamber
to do more than make dlgniaed and impartial
recommendations relative to such matters OF
general commercial Importance as might come
before them. he would remind the Chamber
that the citizens were not a unit in sustaining
its action. Many persons regarded the action
of the Chamber as movement In the inter-
ests of q class. This was an erroneous Idea,
az the recommendations of the committee
showed, but 1t existed, nevertheless, aud 1t
were idle ts deny it. In his opinion, the
action of the Chamber was emiuently discreet,
and the committee had discharged difficult
duty in way which must reflect credit upon
them and upon the body of which they were
the representatives.
Mr.. Wm. Thayer sald he had been 10 favor
of more stringent action from the beginning,
but az the Chamber had adopted resolutions
looking to compromise, he thought the mat
ter had better stop here. At the same time
he thought that the Chamber might properly
place on record Its opinion that the license
law was unconstitutional.
Mr.. G. r. Walker thought that the commit
tee could take middle course and declare
the law invalid, so as to give to individuals
the moral support OF the Chamber.
Mr.. John Hanckel hoped that nothing more
would be done. Some private citizens did
intep to contest The validity of the license
law, and action by the Chamber would be
very likely to diminish the force OF their
effort. He moved to lay the whole matter on
the table, which wss done.
The committee on elections reported that
the following gentlemen were elected to serve
for the ensuing year, and their report was
adopted: Samuel Y. Tupper, president; E
Horny Frost, first vice-president; F. ]. Pelzer,
second vice-president; P. J. Barbot, secretary
and treasurer. Committee on Appeals-Geo.
A. Trenholm, Theodore Huchet, Henry Gour-
din, William N. Lawton, William Ravenel,
william O. Bee. Committee on Charlty-W.
A. Courtenay, Theodore D. Wagner, A. F.
Ravenel, J. h. Wilson, Theodore D. Jervey.
General W. G. DeSaussure, from the COM
mittee on bar and harbor improvements, sub.
mitted the following report:
To the Charleston Chamber of Commerce:
The committee to which was referred the
letter of Captain 8. Adkins, dated l7th De-
cember, 1879, addressed to the president Of
the Chamber OF Commerce, and suggesting
certain plans for the Improvement OF The bar
at the mouth of Charleston harbor, report:
That this knowledge which Captain Adkins
has of the bar of Charleston. his long expe-
rience In piloting, aRd his intelligence, all en-
title any suggestions which he might make 10
come, with great qualification, these sugges-
tions, since IL is from such that practical good
Ia to result. And If the committee differ in
opinion from the suggestion, such difference
ia necessarily made with great dIf1dence.
The mode suggested by Captain Adkins is,
the dredging away Of the northern end OF
Pumpkin Hill Shoal. Whether this would
give q permanent channel 1t ig not necessary
for the committee to consider, since 1t would
Involve an outlay which, the committee could
scarcely recommend. should be asked OF the
Government of the United States, in view of
the work which Is now being done under Its
direction.
For many years the recommendations made
by the engineer officers OF the United States
have been for operations 10 the beach on Sulli-
vans Island Chsnuei, and the appropriations
made have been for that purpose. 10 an In
report made to the Chamber of Com
merce In 1852 by Professor Bache and others,
the reasons are given at some length tor their
hoiy ot y,oro ntioa1 hon a6t tu0uld onurp