Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-06-28
From the Keowee (Pickens) Courier.
Important Meeting in Pickens.

From the Keowee Pickens) Courier.
Important Meeting in Pickens.
PIoKENs COURT HOUSE, June 4, 1865.
A portion Of the people of Pickens Dis.
tricr met in the Court House to-day.
On motion of E. a. Griffin, Esq, Gen.
eral F. N. Garvin was called to the Chair,
and Robert A. Thompson requested to act
as Secretary. a.- s...- >7@7.a. ~
The Chairman explained the object Of
the meeting to be-, the condition of the
country, to wit Its indebtedness, and the
remedy therefor. -..'. .aaT O.. ..-.
On motion of W. J. CAN'T, Esq, it was
Resozued, That Committee of Seven
be appointed to prepare business for the
meeting.
The Chairman appointed Messrs. W. J.
CAN'T, W. E. Holcombe, E. II. Griffin, L.
N. Robins, T. B. Maulden, s. Lovingood,
Samuel Reid. The Committee then retired
for consultation. ...... s...
On motion of Major J. M. Adams, Gen.
eral W. K. Easley, one of our Representa-
tives in the Legislature, who was present,
was requested to address the meeting.
General Easley, in that chaste and i'm
pressive style for which he is distinguished,
addressed the meeting at length. He
adverted feelingly to our condition, and
recounted the proceedings of the Legisla.
ture in enacting the "Stay Law" He
thought indiscriminate sueing and the sale
of property would complete the ruin iuau.
gurated by the war. That the Legislature
should be called together, and provide some
remedy for the threatened evil. He said
that debtors should be lenient, and that
creditors should proceed without delay to
make arrangements, by compromise or 9th.
erwise, for the settlement of their debts,
without resorting to the Courts, with their
expense, for that purpose.
On motion of Colonel Burnett, Rev. s.
s. Gaillard was called upon to address the
meeting, which he did in an appropriate
manner.
DR.. Parker, in few remarks, called the
attention of the meeting to the resources
Of the District, and the propriety of hol-
ding, at future day, District Fair. The
Chair ruled the matter to be out of order
The Committee of Seven, appointed to
prepare business for the meeting, reported
the following preamble and resolutions,
which, after some discussion, were unani.
mously adopted: ' -- i:
Whereas, the melancholy and most I'M
fortunate result of our late belligerenoy has
left the people of our State in condition
Of unprecedented prostratiou and ruin /;
and a0hereas, Southern property, which
formed the basis of Southern credit, has
been rudely and ruthlessly torn from our
possession, and thereby forever rendered
unavailable for the payment of our debts;
and aOhereas, in consequence thereof insol.
vency almost universal, with all its direful
and heart.rending surroundings, pervades
our land; and arhereas, the question Of
Southern Indebtedness is one of vast and
most absorbing interest, fraught with bear
ings and results more momentous than any
which has ever addressed itself to the con.
sideratiou of our people; and uhereas, the
general precipitation of suits at law for the
collection Of debts, as foreshadowed by the
late decision of the Court of Errors, on the
stay law, would unquestionably revolution
ize our population, and sink our people to
depth of misery, desolation and pauperism,
unparalleled in the history of the world;
and uhereas, by reason of the great scar.
city of money and the immense amount
which would be thrown into market, prop
erty sold by Sherifs would change owners
at nominal prices, not reaching in thousands
of cases the debts for which sold, and
thereby blasting the hopes Of both creditor
and debtor; and a0hereas, it is the mani.
fest obligation and policy of our Government
to maintain the general welfare of the
people, and its especial duty at this crisis
to preserve the integrity of Southern citizen
ship. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature should
be convened at the earliest day practicable:
Resolued, That disclaiming every feeling
and principle of dictation, We nevertheless
most earnestly entreat our fellow.citizens
throughout the State to cooperate with us
promptly in our efforts to rescue our people
from the depth Of degradation and utter
ruin so imminent and now impending.
Resozued, That We earnestly recommend
to debtors the importance Of proceeding at
once to make arrangements with creditors
to settle or arrange in some amioable way,
without suit, their indebtedness; and that
We regard it the duty and obligation of
creditors to be as lenient as possible, and,
if, in their power, enable our citizens to
discharge their indebtedness and retain
their position as citizens.
Resolued, That the proceedings Of this
meeting be published in the Keowee
Courier, and that the papers Of the State
be requested to copy. =.
Resolued. That the Secretary be re-
quested to prepare and forward 10 His