Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-04-14
curnr March Is. 1910.

pounded to the Delegation from this County.
The first is in the following words: allow did
YOU vote on the Valuation Bill?
voted for tho above measure, for the fol-
lowing among many other reasons ! do not
believe that any man ought to own his neigh
boris property, contraryto his wishes. without
paying at least two-thirds the cash value for
lit. It is said by the aotse or at least those who
thinkl themselves such, that this law is
unconstitutional because it impairs the obliga-
ton of contracts. do not propose IN this
place to enter into an examination of the law
on contracts, but will reserve it for another
occasion. Judge Story, who perhaps has gone
quite as far as any other person living to bow
down the people at the feet of the arristocraey,
has drawn very broad and clear distinction
between contract and the remedy by which
the same is to be enforced. He says, that,
while the original contract cannot be altered
or in any manner interfered with, the remedy,
is at all times under the supervision and control
of TIE Legislature Now what is contracts
1t is defined to be mutual agreement between
two or more parties, ableand capable in law to
contract. AS for instance, if A. sells piece
of property to B. for which he agrees to give
$500; this is a contract. The remedy to en-.
force this contract is the right of A. to go into
Court and compel B. to pay him his money.
But if after judgment is obtained, B. cannot
pay the cash, is it any infringement of the con-
tract for the Legislature, even subsequent to
the making the contract, to step in and say to
A, you shall not take the property of B, for less
, than two-thirds the cash value thereof 1t
seems to me that all laws should be founded on
Justice and mercy: If / go into store and buy
of merchant goods to the amount of $l00
and fail to pay at the stipulated time, ask in
Gods name! if there be any justice in permit
ting him. to take from me plopertyto The amount
of $500 topay the debt, when in all probabili-
ty he made so per cent on the goods he sold
me, although it is the doctrine of the day, that
"all is fair in war;"
u 1t seems to me that such law as the one
now under consideration is loudly called for, by
q the emergency of the times. Our State is in
y debt,-a great many of the Banks are COM
;. PEELED to wind up,-we have no money, and tc
= leave the people to the mercy of the naoderr
Shylocks, would be to spread ruin over this
fair land Already in the southern part of thi:
3" buy up the property of our citizens. Specie
d is to be demanded, and without the Valuation
:. law, land and negroes would be sacrificed a
l.. perhaps one tenth Of their value. Much NOR
h might be said on this subject, but 1 viii desist
The second question is-"How did you vot,
on the question to raise money to meet tn,
Planters Bank Bonds % 1t will be seen b,
: reference to the report of the Committee Oh
that subject, that two plans were proposed
!. first, to tax the people, and secondly, to diver
j | portion of the bonds of the Union Bank f
be appropriated for that purpose: | vote
" against both plans; and so shall continue to d
II to the day of my death. The same question
n will at some future day arise in relation to tn
Is Union Bank bonds, and if am then in the sit
e uation | am now, [ shall pursue the samt
If course, if every man, woman and child in tn
q State goes against me. deny the right 9
the Legislature to pledge the faith of the State
or at least if one pledges it. subsequent "a.
II can unpledge it Of may use the expression)
4 and whenever this people shall become so ser
! vile and degraded as to consent to be taxed t
support band of gamblers, robbers and bank
rupts, then may they lookout for some one els'
to place the yoke of bondage on their necks
e other than myself.
2, The fees of officers.--I voted to reduce thu
}. fees of Sheris, Clerks, and some other officers
IS because I think they are too high. Isee nj
good reason why their labor should not kee!
), pace with the common laborer, who labors fo
his bread. The price of all labor, and proper
ty has fallen; when the present fees were fix
ed, cotton was worth from Is to 20 cents pc
! pound-now, it is selling for five and six cents
i The Union Bank Directory voted fo
v none of the old directory, because fthough
! they had mismanaged the affairs of the Bank
| have no objection to Gov. Runnels and the
late directory as gentlemen and men OF honor
S but believe their conduct has shown then
utterly incapable of managing such ali insti
6 JutiOA DIS lIIG Oduhs uC fOlO tIAcl
q gave was not my own but that of the people 0
% Lowndes County.
- Ivoted to repeal the Brandon Bank charter
as did euery member Of the House Of Represen
tatiUes, and would give the same vote in re
> gard to any other Bank in the State if though
!, the interest of the people demanded it: hav,
'e no constitutional scruples on this subject.
have thus in very brief manner answered thu
nterogatories of your correspondent. hav,
n been thus brief because am opposed to Ion.
N communications and ] intend at some con
D. venient time to address the people on thos
i. qrestions. ]. SPEIGHT.
10 % Democrat win publish this. s.
J. We received the above communication from
4. GeII Speight more than week ago. L
laying it before our readers, comment is scarce
Or ly necessary. for the monstrons doctrines
contains, in many respects, win be sufficient t
. arouse their attention to the dangerous ten
20 denotes of locofocoism. But there is one poin
'p we cannot forego; and with all due respec
FOR Gen'l. Speight as man, we certainly con
denim in the most unqualified manner, wit
feelings Of deep disgust. his political principle
rs IN this particular: It is-That the State LIE
ar gislature has the right to annul CONTRACTING
D.