Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-12-22
THE STAY LAW.
To the Legl.l.tuEe OF virginia at

To the LeglsIattiEe OF Virginia at
wheeling. .-
Editors Tntslligeneer: p.
As II is proposed by the paper shaTers,
money lenders, merchants aud lawyers who
have reaped great harvest, aud made for.
tunes during the present war, to move
heaven and earth to prevent the re.enact.
mentof the law staying the collection Of
debts, the people at large would be glad TO
be heard upon this subject, and would there
fore beg leave to submit a few propositions
aud facts to.the consideration Of their rep.
TesentatiVes in the said Legislature, which
they know and believe to be true and defy
controversy. a.uas r-isdt4
Z lst That there is but one class of per-
sons opposed TO the re-euactment of the
Stay Law, andithat class consists, almost
exclusively, of paper shavers, money len
ders, merchants aud lawyers, and this class
have as a general thing made their debts
perfectly secure by obtaining Judgment
liens upon the property of their debtors, as
the records of our courts will amply
prove. 3 I'D, ls llts a.izai
Cd. That these mens' hearts are yearn--
ing for an opportunity 20 force their debit
oris property 70 sale knowing thAtthey will
getitat mere nominal prices, aud thus large
iy augment their fortunes without regard
to the suffering they may intiiet upon 9TH
era. 1.zsis-s 81 .i5-.s1l s-a5a
F. Sd. Thutitis well known to the people
that the very men who are most rampant
against the re-enactment of the Stay Law,
are those who have made large amount
ief money, and:msde large fortunes, and
70 augment their already abundant means
to be ready for the "glerious opportuui-
ty," as they call il, of making fortunes,
when the peoples property will be forced
to sale. 8 .@4gilsss
4th, That debtors have paid their credi-
tors more money within the last twelve
months in Western Virgins, than ever be-
fore has been paid in twice the time, and
many who we're heretofore entirely unable
to pay anything, have paid of their entire
indebteduess-of these facts debtors cbal-
.leDge both contradiction and investigation.
The declarations Of creditors to the con.
trary notwithstanding,
9th. That If the Stay Law Is re-euaeted
for another twelve months, but few debts
will remain unpaid at the sud of that time,
except in places remote from the avenues
of public business.
9Th. That while the foregoing facts are
substantially true Is not claimed that the
people have plenty of means, but because of
the general distribution of money among
the masses in carrying on the war, each one
can and does spare q portion to the pay
meut or part payment of the debts, but that
If pressed for all their debts they could pay
none and be compelled to let their property
be sacriiced-that every one Is now com I
PEELED to reserve q portion of his earnings
Jor the present susteuanee Of himself and
family aud those dependant upon him, be-
cause Of the rigid cash system that now
fortunately for the people prevails every
where sua.ii.,.lg le E,sI7s.t lsel)7ls eiF
7th, That the people know Esome men
who hold the last payment on valuable
farms, which if forced 10 sale they will prob.
ably get for the unpaid tribe; and leave the
helpless victim 70 console himselfby attrib-
ntipg the loss OF all his former payments to
the fortunes OF war. s.si rS
Sth, That in the mountain counties land
would not sell for one-fourth its value, and
indeed in most cases would not sell for any
thing, nor would household furniture, for
most of the people liye,is terror and know
not what day they may have to fee from
their homes and leave their household
goods and other property behind to be de-
stoyed by the rebels. = .4luie -is4
9th. Itis ever to the interest of creditors
that their debtors property should not now
beiforcedto sale, because in many instances
creditors would not get twenty y-fiVe per
entirely, because of the ruiuonslY low
prices, ct Which property would sell. And
this argument will apply equally as strong
tly sg6inst the eale of the property Of absent
secessiouists, as their Union creditors in
most cases would get ybpt.a small portion
of their debts and hose the unpaid portion
altogether X q OH = q - ~ q =
10Ih. That the rebel Jenkipp, in his re-
cent raid through many of these, coun-
ttiss, robbed hundreds of our citizens OF all
their valuable horses and mules, being,
with many, the, only. valuable and saleable
personal property they had to convert into
money or means to pay, their debts, and
who are now even deprived of the means
itheif farming or making money by team.
ling. And let the Legislature remember
| that many of our Union peoples farms
1 have been laid Waste by the destruction OF
/ their fenefng by our own Union troops,
which it will require hundreds OF dollars
Il to repair; and but one alternative is lett
fthese peopte+ei ithet to tepairs at hSAyy
expau Sc, or lleaFe their farms uncuItiTated.
| Shalt these people. who have been plum
dered of their property and whose ferns
have been laid waste, be driven into ides-
peration and even disloyalty, for the graf
! ifcation Of hungry and sonlless creditors.
WHO'LL let loose upon the people, are more
i 10 be feared than bands of guerrillas, for
these could not carry away the peoples
farms, houses and furniture. Let not the
] spirit of our people be forever crashed by
i rebel raids aud robbeFies OF, the one hand,
and Union and sscksh creditors on the
Eotherp u n q X.g 4 no n
v l1tth.S The propositlod o. the Governor
] Ia unfair, as Il preshGss that the 1ebple
! hnyb lpaid nothing and WiA pay nothing on
] thair debit. nnless eomPelled sy law, when