The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-06
local MATTERS.
Important Meeting OF the Corn ah'
plour and Tobacco Exchanges

" 1r1,.r
committees of the House of Delegates 70 po,
feet farmers and Others from csi,DeI~enssn'
hv commission merchants ana o'heIs Nnl'oi,
to,,t ,rtnatInos of the Corn ana fiohE ana
Tnl,oc,s, Eychances were held yesterday
morning IN the rooms Of their respective
associations, on Shockoe SIP.
CORN AND FLOUR EXCHANGE. IS
a pb;s association was called to order
,,,,nctualy at the hour above named by Mr..
lewis D. Crenshaw. president, who statcc
y. That the meeting had been called at the re-
Quest OF commission merchants and others
10 consider whether any action Is necessary
IN reference to the following bill, which he
read:
..Bc it enacted by the General ASSEMBLY,,
That any banker Or broker, consignce or
commission merchant, who shall wropgfu'y
,l,c. dispose Of, conceal, or otherwise cmbez-
zle any money, bill, note, check, order, draft,
receipt, bill Of lading, or any other property
which he shall have received for another, or
which shall have been entrusted to his care,
keeping, or possession by another, snail be
deemed guilty Of a mlsdemeanor, ana upon
:, conviction thereof shall be punished by con-
tnement In the county or corporation jail
not less than one nor more than twelve
months, aud at the discretion OF the court
may be fined not exceeding one thousand
dollars.
"rhis act shall be in force from its pas
sage"
MIR. Crenshaw said he had no doubt there
were present gentlemen who could more
clearly present important views on this sub
iect, and he thought'tbe bill good one rs
tar as it goes. but it docs not go far enough.
1t docs not afford protection to the commits.
sion merchants. He knew Of many failures
to have taken place in this and other cities
OIL account of the violation Of promises
made By the producer to the commission
merchant.
Mr.. G. A. Cunningham proposed that the
Corn and Flour Exchange request the Gene
raj Assembly to incorporate in the bill the
following amendment:
"Be IL further endcted, That any farmer
or other person who shall obtain an advance
from a commission merchant or other person
Oil the faith Of produce to be sent him for
sale on commission, and shall fail 10 comply
with his contract. shall be deemed guilty of
obtaining money under false pretenccs, and
shalt upon conviction thereof be fined not
more than 81 900 and confined in the peni-
Tertiary not less than one year nor more
than two years, at the discretion of the
court" 30 -.4-
Mr. r. 3. Somerville desired to know
whether immediate action was necessary.
He thought the act as proposed at present
simply INDUSTRIOUS, and be did not believe
that the Legislature would pass the bill. He
thought that committee should he appoint
ed by the Exchange, whose duty it should
be to consider all questions connected with
this subject, and be hoped such u committee
would lie appointed and report Of their
action communicated to the Exchange.
Mr.. Thomas Potts presented the follow
Ing resolution:
"PcSo'red, That committee be appoint
Cd to prepare bill, to be presented 10 the
Legislature for their action, for the protec-
ton Of commission merchants In all cases
where they make advances TO planters or
farmers in money or goods on their crops.
Aud such agreement between merchant and
farmer or planter shall be recorded in the
County Court where such planter or farmer
re+ides. and to be Il lien on said crop, desig-
mated in the record"
Mr. Cunningham thought that this resolu-
ton was all we'll enougiI, but lie wanted the
matter made q felony.
Mr.. D. Il. Williams declared that while
ne did not mean to reflect upon any planter
OF farmer he stood living monument Of
victims Of misplaced confidence. There are
naDy men in the country with whom be
would delight to do business. but lie did not
want any milk-and.water business about this
most important subject on the part Of tho
Exchange. He thought the opportunity a
most favorable one for good and wholesome
legislation, and an opportunity, too, to place
good and wholesome restrictions upon both
farmer and merchant, and thus protect their
mutual interests. He therefore hoped that
the resolution just read would he made much
more stringent, and then be agreed to. Sup
pose, said The speaker, farmer should be
tried for violation Of his contract with the
commission merchant, city man would
never have justice done him before coun.
try jury.
Mr.. Crenshaw remarked that he had once
been 4 commission merchant, and If lie was
in that business now be would not Object to
the passage Of q law to punish him if he
failed to comply with his contract with the
farmer and pay over the proceeds of any
business transaction provided lie had not
hrcn continually halasScd and hampcred by
the planter. He wanted the matter referred
to IA special committee, and that committee
to lie authorized to employ legal advice, and
let them prepare bill that will hold good
Mr.. Cunningham Qntcrrup,ing): And
want that committee to prepare general
warehouse lay also.
As substitute for all other propositions
Mr. u. L. Williams presented the following
resolution; which was agreed to: .
Rcsotrcd, That committee of five mem
hers OF the Corn and Flour Exchange
DO appointed on the part Of this body
to confer with like committee of the To-
bacco Exchange to take into consideration
the bill (No. 116) now before the committee
Of the Legislature to protect farmers and
nj
lOa O'clock tomorrow morning what ac-
lion Gf any)is necessary on the part OF their
respective bodies, and that the president Of
this Exchange act as chairman Of the same.n
y The president, Mr.. Crenshaw, appointed
the following as the committee: Messrs.
Thomas Potts, II. b. Somervlle, D. T. Will
liams, W. It. Staples, Edwin Workman.
Mr.. G. a. Cunningham presented the fol-
lowing; which was agreed to:
Resolred, That committee of five be
appointed by the President of the Corn and
Flour Exchange to act independently or in
conjunction with committees from the Cham
g Der Of Commerce and Tobacco Exchange to
draft general warehouse law for the State,
aud report to an adjourned meeting of this
Association at the earliest possible moment !:
and said draft, as approved or amended
thereby, shall be pressed upon the Legisla-
ture for its enactment"
The Chair appointed the following gentle
men Oh the committee alluded to in the
above resolution: MesSrs. G.. A. Cunning
ham, Thomas J. Spencer. W. Is. Tompkins,
james II. Blair, and i. A. Sublett. -
MeSSrs. Williams and Spencer were ap-
pointed committee to convey the above
resolution to the Tobacco Exchange and re-
quest their concurrence. 81