An Episode in the Virginia Convention.
Shortly after the
Convention assembled yesterday,
Mr. Chambliss laid before that body a copy of the following resolutions, adopted by a portion of his constituents in
Sussex and
Greenville counties:
- 1st.
That we cordially approve the views of Gov. Letcher in his communication to the Convention on the 16th inst. and join in his appeal to that body to arrest the extortion practiced by merchants and speculators on the citizens and soldiers.
- 2d.
That we hold the act sequestrating the property of alien enemies to be wise and just, and justice demands the confiscation of the property of domestic enemies.
- 3d.
That merchants and speculators who monopolize such articles of prime necessity as salt, leather, shoe-thread, &c., and sell them, at such exorbitant prices as to be beyond the means of the soldier, the mechanic, or anybody but the very rich, do thereby distress and cripple the resources of the country and render efficient aid to our alien enemies.
- 4th.
That we hold all such monopolizers and speculators to be domestic enemies, not entitled to the protection of the laws; but should be punished either capitally or by confiscation and expulsion from the State.
- 5th.
That it is an insult and indignity to the people of Virginia to allow at Union man and an extortionate monopolizer to hold a seat in the Convention for altering the organic law of the State.
- 6th.
That should no relief be afforded by those who have the power, the people would do right to supply themselves with necessaries from the abundant stores of the domestic enemies in their midst.
- 7th.
That these resolutions be published in the Petersburg Express, and a copy of them be sent to our Delegate in the Convention with a request that he lay them before that body.
These resolutions were referred to a select committee appointed some days ago, generally called the ‘"Salt Committee,"’ and there it was supposed the subject would drop.
At a subsequent stage of the proceedings, however,
Mr. Branch, of
Petersburg, rose to a privileged question, and revealed the fact that he was the person alluded to in the fifth resolution of the Greensville meeting, which he considered a most unjustifiable attack upon his honor and his patriotism.
To prove to the
Convention that the house of
Thomas Branch & Sons, of which he was the senior partner, had not engaged in the extortionate practices alluded to,
Mr. B. proceeded to state that he purchased a cargo of salt, consisting of 6,000 sacks, previous to the blockade, at $2 per sack, and only advanced on the price as the market advanced, selling some of it as high as $14.50. He admitted that he made money on the salt, as any other gentleman merchant ought to; but not as an extortioner, the very name of which he abominated.
Mr. Branch made a very minute statement of the details, closing with a suggestion that the
Convention, instead of passing a law to regulate the price of salt, had better pass one to prohibit the killing of hogs before the 10th of January, ‘"by which means"’ the farmers would give weight to their pork, which the
Government wanted, and thereby increase the profit on their sales to the same extent.
