Item description: Letter from George A. McManners to William A. Graham. McManners urged Governor Graham to take up the question of whiskey taxation at the convention to prevent corn speculation and to protect his political standing with the people of the state.
Item citation: from the William A. Graham Papers #285, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Item transcription:
South Lowell NC. 8th- Dec 1861
Gov. Graham,
My Dear Sir. There is much anxiety in This Country in regard to what action the Convention will take in refferance to the Whiskey question Many rumour are afloat. In regard to Taxing the Stills __ but Nothing Satisfactory as, the Consumer will in the End have the Tax to pay Up To This Time the distillers have laughed at Evey proposition brot. up on the question as they have Seen Nothing to affect their Interest. Will you believe Me If I tell you there are eleven Still Houses within Eliven Miles of this place, already Nearly Evey Bushel of Corn is Bot. up that can be speared by the Corn Sellers. They have run it up to Near $4. per bushel and will go higher as the demand increases, Numbers of our Working Men have Gone to the army they have Many of them left Corn Enough to do their families the Coming Year, they will return home twelve Months from this time and no provisions Whatever Made for the Next Year If there Should be a Short crop Next year the Consequence will be that the poor people must Suffer The only place to put the “breaks on” the Whole Business is to put the price of whiskey down to 30 cents per Gallon this will do the __ and the people will stand by you In fact, We have Just herd them There was a Move in that direction and It is fully Endorsed by Evey Man I have Seen who Spoke of it and Such is the interest filt on the Subject. that all Speak of it I believe Evey Man Woman & Child would sign a petition to that effect. Except the distillers. The Stay Law. is another subject. the people are deeply interested in, and I can assure you the Great Mass of the people will endorse any action on the post. of the Convention to fix that act of the Legislature on a basis that cannot be overturned by the Supreme Court The Number of Warrants and Writs issued and served from the time the Supreme Court Set aside the Stay Law Until the Last action on the subject by the last ___ Shows the direction things will take if that Law is __ by that Body again “The Hand Writing is on the Wall” and I do really fear the consequences as I do not. believe the people under the Circumstances would Submit to See Their property Sacrificed, I do believe It would Cause another Revolution at home Newspaper Scribblers and interested Men May Say What they pleas but I tell you Sir in that direction it will be dangerous to travel Evey Eye is looking to the Convention for Relief and the Man Who, Stands back_ and does not Stand up to their Great Interests at this time will have committed a political offence for which he never will be forgiven.
Yours very Resp[fully]
George A. McManners