The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1865-09-13
COMMUNICATES. !
Concluded from last iS$uc.

I proDcse now 10 throw out few SUGGESTIONS
in relation to the different phases the question of
reputation assumed at the aforesaid meeting,
for The consideration Of the people, until the
time for the election of members 10 the LegSla.
tuye arrives. l. Shall all debts be repudiatcd :?
/ say no and for the following reasons First,
because that part the constitution Of the United
States which, says that no state shall pass any ex-
port facto law, or any law mpairing the obliga-
ton Of contracts, for ids it. Why undertake 10
do that which the Government Of the United
Safes, which controls us, declares we shall not
do? Would it not be worse than idle to attempt
it? ,SecoNdly because it would not be honest
to do it if we could. 1t would damn our charac-
ter as people forever in the eyes of the world.
Oar credit would be forever gone. That
confidence in each other which is the
main stay of society would lie forever
banished 1t would create i'll feeling and
strife in crcry nciglfborhood and in almost every
family, whereas if the opposite course is pursued,
that is require cry man to pay his honest debts,
but wait with him and let him pay lit e along
,as he CAM and, if necessary, pass stay law, and
keep it in force as long as the good Of the people
require it; do this, / say, and harmony and good
feeling will prevail and the country become MUCH
more prosperous, than to lock up the lands in the
hands of the present owners. If | have loaned
and have his note for it, and the collection of that
note wouh break him up and the non-collcction
of it would break me up, which should be done
Let him give me back my money Or property as
the case may be and suffer; or allow him to keep
it and safer? There can be no two opinions on
this question by diSintercsted minds. Thirdly,
because it ould bankrupt all the estates of de-
ceased persons which have been sold, and thou
sands of minor children who have no father or
mother to take care Of them, and who are too
young to take care OF themselves, and must there
fore, be sent to the poor house or turned oat on
the cold charities of the world to starre, while
their rich guardians sse living in ease and cle-
gance upon property which their money bought.
Is there q man in Ncwberry District wko is so
bound up in sclishness as to have heart to DO
this ~ If so lie would be fit companion for Ia
dy Macbeth, and could join her in Sentiment in
saying Il have given suck and know how tender
It's to love the babe that nlilks me; would while
it was smiling in my face, have plUckd my nip
pies from his boncless gums, and dashed the
brains out, if By so doing could gain his estate"
Foiifb because it will enable persons to keep
property which they still oyc for, and not be re-
quifed to pay for it, which is contrary to all
the principles of honor and honesty. Tie other
proposition is MOTTO rcpudiate the debts but to
is, in effect, rcpudiation so far as lands are con-
Cerned, aud they are the principal part of our
property now Fl this is done will it benefit the
debtor while the rest Of his property is liable to
levy and sale No; for the obvious reason that
when the sheriff sells all his other properly his
provisions, horses mules, cows, hogs, and plan
tation teoiS he cannot cultivate his land. But
have heard it said, in answer to this that he can
sell some Of his lands and buy more provisions,
horses, sc. This also will be liable to levy and
sale and rs often as he Sold partzof his lands and
purchased other property, wish the proceeds, the
sheriff would sell him out until his debts we're ali
Paid or his land all gone. How Acn could this
exemption ofland from sale benefit the debtor
without you exempt other property with it? 1t
will not~only not benefit the creditor, but it. will
cripple the energies Of the country, by keeping
the lands in the hands of individuals who cannot
cultivate them. fthe law is passed exempting
lands from liability for debts, it must either at
sale of them even by The owner. IF YOU allow
the owner to sell them he will not do SO. for the
obvious reason that the proceeds would be liable
7for:his debts and could he reached by ca. sa, SO
that in either case the owner either could not or
would not sell his,lands land they would belocked
up in the hands of ihe-prescnt owners, whether
they can cultivate them to advantage or not, and
every man who docs not own lands now: will have
TO leave the state and seek q home in another,
state, or become thetenant Of these large land
owfrerS, with the negroes :. Are you, fellow sciti-
zcns, prepared to drive from your borders;,ll the
young men Of the country who have no lands,
but are full of energy and enterprise, or compel
them to become tenants with your formcr slaves?
If not, stay your hands in this matter. Many Of
the Young men who for the last four years have
fought the battlesSf the south and sacrificed
their all upon the affairs Of the country have not
a foot of land. viii you pass laws to prevent
these brave men from having part of the very
soil they fought for? If so, ask where Is your
patriotism 2: Isit swallowed uP in your sclf6h-
ness? In tie name OF common sense are we not
,di*graced enough already without hedp:ng this
additional dissracesson our heads? It would be
much more equitable to repudiate. all debts and
to divide out the property equally than 10 exempt
the lands from debts in the hands ,ofIhe present
owners for many of them are rich in lands, part
ly made by speculation during the war or the
= ,0-.' -Ss*s..sS a CITIZEN :
~ ~. ->.,,-1--%, - - %,-sS4z1-,.--> = -, s :
S The Constitution Of Virginia, under the re-
stored Government, differs frem sthea Virginia.
Constitution. of 1851 much less thanks geperally
supposed. The changes, beweTeEimpo mportalt, are,
not numerous. III the code Of Virginia, IS
sued in the year 1850, and literally dis
tributcd throughout the State TO JUS
ticne clerke and others and now accessible to-