The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-17
The Stay Law.

communication, without endorsing
the writer's position. He has right
to be heard. both, socially md politi-
cally:
AiEsel;s. EDiroEs: We freanently y
see In the different newspapers of the
State, articles in which arc expressed
hope for the.people, such as ''There
is life in the old land yet, )" "The un-
bounded resources of the State, "
''Thc prosperity of the country to be
revived by cmbarkinG in nanufactnr-
ing establishments Ac. This, no
doubt, is proper and true, and TO
many a source of much encourage
ment. but there is one dark cloud
overshadowing q large majority OF
the citizens of South Carolina, that
forebodcs gloomy and dismal pros
poets. I allude to that unfortunate
class who are involved i'll debt. The
setting aside the stay law us nncou
stitutional by the Court OF Errors of
South Carolina vii undoubtedly in
auguratr reign of terror moro dis.
astrous to the people than has been
the long, cruel and desolatins war
through which we have passed. When
the people Of South Carolina entered
into the w:,r. they were Il unit, and
they laid all they possessed a. :, com
mon Offering upon tho altar OF oar
country. They stakc.l :eil upon the
throw of ~ single die. and lost. Our
1nn'i" have not l'cen contiscated.
Very nany of our people are in debt,
and thcSr. generally. ut The most on.
terprlsing and better classes; mon
of sympathy and fine feeling; mrn
who would not scruple to ohligc 4
neighbor by standing his security.
and who would not hesitate to be-
come responsible for the payment Of
debt contracted bv his poor neigh
hor for the common ncrcssarics OF
Ute: men whose want Of seltishness
was probably the only cause for tr,ir
being fo"ud in this dilemma.
Many OF nur best soldiers. who
have eivcn up their livc.; IN the
bloody strife for their country, have
left their widows and orphans, wh.
never knew want. with nothing bus
their homesteads Must there, CAN
there be law to guarantee their homes
to them rs other States have done. or
To stay the rapacious creditor from
turning them out, homeless and ren
nliess, npon til" cold charities OF an
unsympathizing world? Are the tc,v
ShNlocks, scattered here and there. to
be permitted to become the lords of
the land, while the great mass OF ihe
people arc made paupcrs?
Nes>rS. Editors. this is not an over
drawn statement of the case. It i,
really the condition of tl!c country.
50 f;r rs my knowledge extends. /
am personally acquainted with many
good and respectable citizens. whnh..-
fore the w:,r were worth in negro and
other property from fifty t. one Inn
drel thousand dollars. aul whose
credit was never refused hv thos,,
who had To sell or To- lend. Now. r..
ducrd t" poverty, they happen tu
owe Il few thoSand dollars. and are
!nvolreu us security for others their
lands and stock will not pay halt they
owe. The opening of the Ia,w 10
creditors viii cans" them TO sue a,:;u
early day. Ii one sues, ano.llcr will
think himself compelled to do :!.e
, same. or lose his money Admins
traitor ANA guardians will be forced
to sue, aud thus the reign Of terror
will De !nrly begun. The hungry
lawyer viii build mp their broken
fortune e "t the wrecks os what
oUirr !o,: tud between them and
th rtr.)lt"t,, the homes OF the poor
ticr, will be wrcstrd from hem.
jcll'' II ior half their Value. and
tnclt crushed uui hear; -hrokr;! in
mate left 10 wander in ,ulal;d
wrrt"hr'nc>s and misery
Now. M.~>rS. Editors. wnu,l ituo.
b'. better for both debtor and creditor.
ami for the prosperity o: the STATE.
for this question To be settled in nr!,
a way that All parties may live? 50
that the debtor may still have a N.lI
Ipr the exercise ni his industry. ana
that lls happiness. his prosperity,
his usefulness to society NAV not
ali be destroyed? so that there
would nof exist Sc great and unjust
an inequality between him and the
man he happens to owe: The State
of Mississippi has hnmesteadl:,w.
What prevents South Carolina from
having one: Is it a principle, or is
It .he interest OF the E,wvcrs who
rule the legislature?
Is not the imminent peril to which
such a large numbcr of the citizens Of
the State are exposed sufficient