Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-04-18

taxing 'as people ,7 pay the tory-seven thousand
dollar, interest due, together with one hundred
and SIXTY thousand dollars more that ieII due 90
March ast The report Of The committee was
rejected b. tie guan NOUS vote Of the democrats,
and tsw scattering votes Of The Wigs. NHe-
teen Wigs voted Tor 'axing the people 70 pay The
intercs, on bond, for which the Planters Bank
The mos, sis "lhieyug shop of Tie State, IS la.
bic THIS Bank, according to its own statement,
has upwards Of eight millions OF assets, and not
outstanding this, Messrs Evans and Bllups
voted for aSiag the people to pay the interest for
which tho Planters Bank is alone liable Com
menl on this conduct is unnecessaV-we leave
tina, with the people. The gentleman may he
very "auul dodgers" bit they shant dodge" so
as to Cypress The people by taxation without their
knowing 1t. NoN PoPrL,
The subJoined communication Of Gen Gen.
| Spelght was published in The last Argus, and IS in
reply 10 certain lnterrogatorles quito him by
winter in that paper
CmcKAsAw, March Is, 1910.
.ur Drake have seen in your paper of tbs
L OH instant, several inteuogatories proponnded
to the Delegation from this County The first is
in the following words allow did you vote on
the Valuation Bl'
voted for the above measure, for the follow
ing among many other reasons ! do not be-
eve that any man ought to own his nelghbors
property, contrary to his wishes, without paying
at least two-lhirds the cash value for it. 1t is
said by the rise, or at least those who think them
selves such, that tins law is unconstitutional be-
cause It mpairs the obligation of contracts. |
do not propose IN this place to enter into an ex-
animation of the law OF contracts, but wall reserve
It for another occasion. Judge Story, who per
hops has gone quite as far as any other person
living to bow down the people at the feet Of ars-
tocracy, has drawn very broad and clear dstInc-
ton between n 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 Interiered with, the remedy, is Mt all
times under the supervision and control of the
legislature. Now what is contract 1t is de-
fined to be mutual agreement between two or
more partesi able and capable IN law to contract.
As for instance, II A. sells piece Of property
to u. for which he agrees to give $500 this is
II contract. The remedy to enforce this contract
is the right Of A. TO gointo Court and compel b.
to pay him his money. But if after judgement
ohtotpod R III a. Al,
Engagement Of the contract for the Legislature,
even subsequent 10 the making the contract, TO
step in and say to A, you shall not take the prop.
city of Is, for less than two,thrds the cash value
thereof 1t seems to me that all laws should be
founded on justice aud mercy If 20 into
a store and buy of merchant goods to the a.
mount of 500 and fail to pay at the stipulated
time, ask in Gods name! if there be any Justice
in permitting him, to take from me property
to the amount Of 500 to pay the debt when in all
probability he made 80 per cent on the goods he
sold INC, although 1t is the doctrine of the day,
that all is far in war;
II seems to me that such law as the one now
under consideration IS loudly called for by the
the emergency of the times. Our State is IN
debt,--a great many Of the Banks are compelled
to wind up,--we have no money, aud to leave the
people TO the mercy Of the modern Shgocks
would be to spread ruin over this fair land. Al
ready IN the southern part of this state are com.
panIes formed with specie to buy Up the property
of our citizens. Specie Is to be demanded. and
without the Valuation law, land and negroes would
be sacrificed at perhaps one tenth of then value.
Much more might be said on ibis subject, but
will desist
The second question ls--"How did YOU vote
on the question to RAISE money to meet the Plan.
lers' Bank Bonds PIT will be seen by ref
erence to the report Of the Committee on that
subject, that two plans we're proposed first. to
TAX Inc people and secondly, TO divert portion
OF the bonds OF the Union Bank 10 be appropriated
tor that purpose; ! voted against both plans: and
SO shall continue TO do to the day of my DEATH
he same question vii at some future day arise
IN relation to the Union Bank bonds, and If am
men III me situation | am now, shall pursue the
same course, Il every man, woman and child in
'he State goes against me. deny the ripht of
The Legislature TO pledge the faith of the State
or at least II one pledges it, a subsequent one can
unpedge II 1t may use the expression; and
whenever this people shall become so serve aud
degraded as to consent 10 be taxed to support a
oand OF gamblers, robbers and bankrupls, then
may they look out for some one else to place the
yoke OF bondage on their nccks, other than my.
self
The fees of ofFicers-l voted to reduce ,he
ees OF sheutt', Clerks, and some other officers,
because hnk they are too high see no
1000 reason why their labor should not keep pace
VIM the common laborer who labcrs for his bread.
he price Of all labor, and property has fallen;
when the present fees were fixed, cotton was
worth from Is TO 30 cents per pound-now, is
telling Tor five and SIX cents.
The unon Bank Directory voted FOR none
u the old directory because thought they had
n'smanaged the affairs OF the Bank. have no
objection to Gov. RunneIs and The late directory ,
IS gentlemen and men of honor, but believe
hen conduct has shown them utterly incapable of f,