The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-05-19

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Our laws, as we observed, though based
upon the Hebrew Law, are much modified.
The Israelites, by the command Of God were
instructed and commanded TO observe the
jubilee every seven years. This was an OBJ
servance commanded by God, but rs all 9th
ers. has noreference to the present age Our
laws have no reference to these observances of
the Jewish Law. Rather might we say, our
laws emanate from the law God gave unto
Moses in the 18th chap. "a cviticus. 49,. nou
shalt not -defraud thy neighbor, neither rob
him; the wages of him that is hired shall
not abide with thee all night until morning =
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,"
or, in other words, do unto thy neighbor
as thou wouldst have thy neighbor do unto
you" In fact, the law which God gave un-
to the Hebrews, and the expressed command
throughout the Bible is ato act justly ~
execute judgment and justice" Does this
Homestead Law in its provisions in this
State fulfil this Law, The New Testament
says the whole hw is comprised in this /:
"Love thy neighbor as thyself." When a
law is enacted depriving one for the benefit
of another that law is unjust.
The Spartan says, But we we'll under
stand this clamor against the Homestead
Law, and the source from which It proceeds.
We understand the Ledger when It speaks
of the merchants difficulty in crediting his
goods and groceries" Now we can assure
the Spartan, if he supposes our interest to
be in any way dependent on, or identified
with the Mercantile Community, he is most
egregiously mistaken. Our support is deri.
we'd from the proceeds of our paper; it is
true we have several subscribers who are
merchandise has the Spartan, It is also
true we have been literally patronized by
some of our advertising mercantile friends,
but otherwise we have no connexion with,
or interest in any mercantile firm. We will
not be so ungenerous as to suppose the Spar
tan intends this remark as an insinuation
that our opposition proceeds from a desire
to "curry favor"-to increase the popular
ity Of our paper! Surely he does not. Such
base design has never entered our mind
Forty-nine fiftieths Of our subscribers are
farmers, and had we designed such thing,
we should have advocated the Law which is
said was enacted for their benefit. We
should have taken the popular side. We
can assure Mr.. Tucker We were actuated by
what we conceived TO be sense of right
We would scorn to be the tool Of any party
or clique. There is too much independence
in the Lancaster Ledger for designing men
or parties to work on. No! Proffered assis
tance from designing men, ,ciH never, or can
never induce us to swerve from our path of
duty. This Homestead Law in its practical
operations, we believe will be productive of
no good, but Of harm, yes, of injury to the
friendiess widow and destitute orphan
We have in several numbers of the Ledger
SO expressed ourself, and do not wish to in.
trude on our readers by q REPETITION. We
will however give few general reasons why
we have come to this conclusion, and in or
der to be as brief as possible, can best nc
complish our purpose, by giving supposed
plain case rs an illustration:
Mr. B. has q wife and two small children.
He has home-yes, house and fifty acres
of land worth five hundred dollars. Well,
he comes to Lancaster, C. H., aad goes to
one Of our merchants to purchase a few ne
cessaries for his family-he has no money
but says he, II will pay you when can"
Unkind you would say; hard-hearted, you
would exclaim II the merchant refused to let
Mr.. b. have only twenty dollars worth of
provisions, when his family were in actual
want. Must this merchant give up his goods
when he knows not II he will be paid But
we will follow Mr.. B.-he goes home, curses
the Homestead Law, but that does NO good
" My wife," he says, @the merchants won't
credit me, they say they can't do it, for I
legitimately own nothing" The wife Is sur.
prised, and the children are crying for some
thing to eat Says the husband, "ifI could
get some money--if could borrow $500
even, can get into business which would
enable me to support my family, but this n
impossible, for no man will 60 my security
when own nothing"
In conclusion. Callous to all good, pure
and benevolent feelings, must he be, who
desires to see the widow oppressed, or the Or
phan begging bread;' yet We cannot see
that this Law will tend to ameliorate their
condition, except In few isolated cases Il
may, when perhaps many family whose
fathers heart bounded with joy at The pros
pect Of going forth to fulfil the injunction Of
God "to till the soil, !" has been crushed and
Paralysed from experiencing the truth that
his credit Is lost, and his labor cannot be
Pro6tably used without capital.
We have said enough.