The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-09-28

drones, as to utility, OF society, from the
fact that they becomes as mechanic
without tools, utterly useless, having no.
thing to work with, and being ground
down by ponderous judgments hanging
over them, with no hope Of their removal,
very naturally conclude that they have
nothing to work for. This is no fancy
picture, but one drawn exclusively from
nature: and as the artist. in his studio, has
his subject before him, just 80 these cha
| racters loom up in bold relief before my
imagination, and could, at this moment.
wero 1t necessary, write tho names of
many such.
l am ready to admit that the word repu-
diation, under all ordinary circumstances,
CRATES harshly on my ear; but these are
not ordinary circumstances, but, on the
contrary, the most extraordinary that over
bcfel a people, and, venture to assert,
such as never entered the minds of our
the United States, wherein is prohibited
the passage Of any law, by any State, i'm
pairing the obligation Of contracts. The
payment Of all old and outstanding con-
tracts is a nice thing to talk about and a
hne theme for expatiation; but its accom-
is entirely different matter. In the first
place, what have we to pay with? And, in
the second place, what DO we expect to
have for years to come, under the present
imperfect system Of agriculture? Our pro-
perty, the bonus upon which all contracts
were made, has been wrested from us by
the strong arm Of military power, and rati-
fed and sealed by the highest civil au-
thority Of the State-a convention of the
people.
Hence it is evident that we have been
brought to our present condition by Cir
cumstances entirely beyond our control,
and should not be held responsible, an fuU
for contracts made on the strength of pro-
perty thus destroyed. But, however much
we may deplore the fact, unless something
is done, and that speedily, our country is
ruined beyond redemption
1t Is idle to talk about recuperatiou, and
the building up and restoring Of II po-
verty-stricken land to it's former tntus.
The slaves of the South were the pillars
upon which our prosperity rested and they
having been knocked from under the
building, the whole fabric must come down
with one tremendous crash, and all that
we can expect to gather from the ruins is a
meagre support for ourselves and families.
Look at the present devast ated state of our
country-the hundreds and thousands OF
acres OF good, rich and tillable land lying
Idle and going to waste for the want OF
cultlvation. And still the cry of the farmer
ls, Il must reduce my operations, curtail
my expenses, and live more within my
means, TOR free negro labor ,rW nni 1,nY"
How are our towns, villages and cities,
laid waste by ruthless enemy. to be re-
built ana restored TO their former beauty
and grandeur, but in and through, the
efforts of the farmer?
could say much more, Mcssrs. Editors,
but have already trespasscd too far on Your
patience. Facts are stubborn things, 3"
and clearly from that, the present indeht-
euneSS OF the country cannot be ti,Yu
hqutd1ted, unless the principle in mathis
matics be established, that one and one
make two. But let lis hope that some
thing will turn up, and that some mod,
may l6 adopted i'll the end by which both
parties--creditor and dcbtor-nav be en-
abled, under al tho circumstances. to re-
celvc equity and JUSTICE.