Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1841-06-19
INTERESTING LETTER.

The following letter from Cor. HEMINGWAY,
late member Of the Legislature from Carroll
County, TO Gen. Spelght Of this county, has been
placed IN our hands with the permission to pub
llsb, # we thought proper. As it discusses, with
much ability, subject OF vital Importance to the
people Of the State, we have concluded 10 lay it
before our readers.
MoNrRAvELLo, Carroll Co. Nj, }
May goth, 1871.
GEN. JESSE SPEIGHT
Dea, Su;-Your very acceptable favor orlhe o.
ult. has been received, and take great pleasure in
responding hearty accordance 10 the principles
therein contained should certainly be recreant
to lormer principles, and an lnfdc in the great
cause OF constitutional Ihery were 10 acknowledge
the right claimed by many, oi taxing the people of
our Stale 10 pay the Union Bank Bonds or perhaps
more properly, State Bonds sold on her account.
have OUT et'le opportunity OF ascertainnr pub-
nc sentiment, ana will not therefore hazard an
opinion as 10 The pubic ieeIng IN this section in
reAtoh To TINS subject. am prepared however TO
speak freely for myself do not believe that the
State OF Mississippi, or her cillzens, are either h.
galy, or morally bound beyond The resources tbe
Bank, 10 pay those Bonds. In fact. most Of tho
Bond men do not regard 1t as legal Obligation -
But say they, The SlaIe received the money md
assumed control OF ii, and is therefore moraIly
bound to pay The Bonds. This position is certo,nly
incorrect, N point of lact. The State did moi r..
ceive the money into her Treasury, neither was il
received by individuals, clothed with proper author
n.y. II was received by tht Commissioners ol'ibe
omon BANK. The Bank ilse Il could no, give Them
] mr.. tN..F Atgtl.. 4.
proper authority; she was sprung INTO eXisenbe in
VOCATION OF HE Constitution of the State and was
men Schhg under the supplemental act TO her char
e'' WINCH mas never received the sanction of the
people, ana was attempting topIedge their faith,
without the private security contemplated nv the or
g'naI charter, aud therefore in violation Of tbs,r
viii But Tins is not all, SO prurent was their do.
sire to effect thu sale they even disrecardod n. ~
functions Of this lIegltimsle bantIn,, and sold The
Bonds under par value
| The TACT that the sale was IN yolstion nr tho C,n.
sltulinn Of The State, and IN fraud Of the rch ol her
c"izens and consequently vold, placed it teynnd The
power OF The Legislature 10 ratly it, and make il
on'1lng On the good people Of tn State. Indeed.
hao they (the LessIalnrr) attempted to have done
80 ms would have been travelling beyond their
prescribed limits. The State nor the people or ,bs
otale, did not authorize the sale oflhose Bonds.-
nf''hef dld they, or their proper agents. receive The
money or take the control ofn They are there.
'ore neither legally or morally bound To Ietund il.
10 my mind, II Is distinction without differ
ence to say, that State IS morally, aud not esally
bound, 10 pay debt Of this kind Some of our moi.
ll'cians seem to have peculiar, aud rather vague
nonon Oh Inc principles OF morality. They hold 10
doctrines winch recognize discrepancy between
law and morals. have hean tan,bf ~ ra,.,.I
them as wholly consistent the former heinz the
rule prescribed for our actions, and the latter onr
actions which conform 10 this rule.
The term morality comes from mores or manners.
Manhefs are the free actions Of man. considered az
suscepuuis % direction ana rule. Thus have learn
ed authors termed morality. The IeIat ton Of hu
inan actions 10 Tie law by which thew are direct
ed;'-snd styled those lues by which we are 10
square our actions, mora philosophy A distinguish.
ed writer 30 eSpOondlhg Tins Term says:-"Law be
ing fF RUE Of human actions in cnmparotiye