PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 329 



examine every barrel of flour yourself, and test it by mixing and 

 baking, or you are ver}^ likely — almost sure — to be cheated. One 

 gentleman wanted to buy a large parcel of good flour and applied 

 to a dealer in wheat to tell of a miller who could supply him. 

 The wheat dealer named a miller who, he said, had lately bought 

 a parcel of ' prime wheat.' On application to that miller, the 

 latter stated that the 'prime wheat' proved unsound; that the 

 flour made from it was still on hand, and must be kept until he 

 could lind a customer for it. The parties were too well acquainted 

 not to know that unsound flour, if sold as sound, would be returned. 

 A practical miller stated that in grinding a lot of wheat, which he 

 supposed was turned in as sound, he found it bad, and that the 

 flour was kept on hand a while and then sold to a baker. Of such 

 flour was much of the bread made which was furnished for the 

 soldiers and sailors during the late rebellion. Another old flour 

 merchant, who well knew John Brown and the high character of 

 his inspectorship, insists that just such another man, if he can be 

 found, should be appointed inspector of flour in New York, with 

 full power to raise the standard as Brown did, and correct the 

 rascally, infamous proceedings of the millers and dealers in unsound 

 flour. The transactions at the Corn Exchange are as bad and as 

 fraudulent as those at the Stock Exchange in Wall street, or even 

 as the 'ring' at the City Hall. That no remedy short of a rigid 

 law, strictly enforced by a firm, intelligent and truthful inspector, 

 can reach and correct the villainy of the Stock Exchange, and 

 the manufacturers and dealers iu bad flour. That bad flour must 

 be branded bad, and go, if it goes at all, under that brand and 

 character. The committee are prepared to name witnesses to 

 prove this statement of facts before the board of health, a com- 

 mittee of the Legislatnre of New York, a committee of the Con- 

 gress of the United States, or any other l)ody of men empowered 

 to investigate the subject. The Constitution of the United States, 

 in its restrictions upon the powers of the several States, has the 

 following provision : 



"No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any 

 imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what maybe abso- 

 lutely necessary for executing its inspection laws; and the net pro- 

 duct of all duties and imposts, laid by any State on imports or 

 exports, shall be for the use of the treasury of the United States; 

 and such laws shall be subject to the revision and the control of 

 the Congress." — Art. 1, sec. 10. 



