Proceedings of the Vampire Club.
We have been favored by our reporter with the proceedings of an organization established in this city for some time past, the objects of which are set forth in the transcript we publish, and which came into his possession in a manner unknown to the editor.
Copy.
At an adjourned meeting of the
Vampire Club, held at their hall, in this city, on the 17th of October,
Mr. Harpy was called to the chair, who stated that the object of the meeting was to receive the reports of the committees appointed at the last meeting:
Mr. Cereal, the chairman of the
Committee on Flour, reported that through the ignorance, inadvertence, or indifference of these charged by the
Government with the duty of obtaining flour for the army, the fact had been fortunately overlooked that
new country flour could have been furnished at $1.40 per barrel less than
old city flour — that a most advantageous contract had been made with the
Government, by which the contractors had ‘"everything to gain and nothing to lose"’--a sliding scale
upwards, but not
downwards, being agreed on, so that if wheat should advance, the price of flour is to go up in a corresponding ratio, but no reduction is to be made in the price of flour if wheat declines.
On motion, the report was received by a unanimous vote, it being entirely satisfactory to the club, and to the parties interested.
The Committee on Salt, reported through their chairman,
Mr. Extortion, who said he was gratified to be able to state that in his department everything was working well.--He, and a number of others in this
free land, members of the club, had in store, and held at $25 a sack, large quantities of salt, which had only cost them $1.50 and $2.00. He did not suppose that any committee could report an advance of more than a thousand per cent, on any article of prime necessity, but the committee over which he had the honor to preside, had ventured to go beyond anything ever heard of in the history of swindling.
He hoped that no objection would be made to the reception of the report of his committee, as he was sure the principal object of their organization, viz: to speculate upon the misfortunes of a
bleeding country, was carried out as faithfully by the dealers in salt as by any other class in the community.
The Leather and Shoe Committee reported, that in spite of the immense stock in the city, by means of a systematic combination, the impression had been produced in the community that there was a great scarcity; in proof of which, shoes, boots, and harness, &c., had advanced in some instances three or four hundred per cent. A vote of thanks was given to the chairman,
Mr. B. Rogne, when the club were apprised of the fact that be had on several occasions made the soldiers who are called to endure the winter's cold in our defence, pay a higher price than his regular customers; because he knew the soldiers were compelled to have them.
The report was received with acclamation.
The report of
Mr. Shoddy, from the
Committee on ‘"Blankets and Clothing,"’ set forth
that these articles which the soldiers must have, to enable them to sustain the hardships to which they are exposed, had advanced very satisfactorily — the monthly pay of a private not being sufficient to buy him a comfortable coat.
Report approved and received.
Reports were received from several other committees, and from axillary societies in the different cities and villages of the
Confederacy, which gave a gratifying exhibition of their earnestness and zeal in carrying out the objects of the parent society.
On motion, resolved, that a committee be appointed by the chair to report at the next meeting a constitution and by-laws for a society to be called the ‘"Yankee Society,"’ in imitation of the, ‘"Society of the Cincinnati,"’ the object of which shall be to transmit to posterity the names of all the members, both active and honorary, of the
Vampire Club.
(Signed,) Harpy,
Chairman.
