Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-08-22
public Msefingsin Pioken,s District.

From the last keoweeA Co!!TtSr, VIC extrac
the aunesed Resolutions, passed alta meeting
Of the citizens of Pickeps District, at thei
Court House, on saleday in August, Gen. F
N. Garvin IN the Chair, and DR.. J. R. Parke
acting as Secretary.
Vhereds, We have read with the deepes
ioteres. the proceedings Of large assemblies
Of the people of Edg7.feld, Lexington, anc
various other Districts, on the. ;deplorable
condition of the country inscousequence O
its indebtedness And lrteieaS, we heartily
and most cordially sympathize with said meet
;,ps in their honorable efforts to save oul
paople from the abyss of distress and wretch.
eaness into which they are destined to be
cast blythe general precipitation of suits at
lew eAnd achereas, we not only recognize as
a duty, but regard it as high privilege te
stand forth shoulder to shoulder With ous
feliow-eitizens IN their humane and patriotic
exertions to redeem and save our people from
the terrible calamities which are inevitable
unless timely relief1s guaranteed by legislation
LIST. Therefore be- eif Resolced, Asthe sense
of this meeting, that the Legislature, when
convened in extra session, should, if compatl
ble with its authority, grant the reliet which
The condition Of the people requires.
ID. Rssoired, That if necessary, we most
respectfully yet most earnestly, entreat the
members of the Legislature to call conVen-
tion of the people as promptly as possible, so
that in its plenary powers it may provide au
annronr;ate remedy. A Convention having
DESTROYED the basis on which eur credit main
" rested, BY the emancipation OF our slaves
and thereby producing general insolvency, II
is 1rouestionably within the scope OF its.au-
thority and manifestly its duty, to relieve our
citizens from the awful consequences OF 1T
own legislation.
81. Resosced, That. creditors had at leas'
an equal agency with debtors In the inaugu-
ration of war, and should nov bear equally
the onus Of subjugation.
4th Resolved, AS the sense of this meeting,
tbSt all debts existing at the time OF the sur
render of the Confederate armies, Should be
sealed. or assumed by the State in the pro.
portion of the losses and present property OF
the debtors, according to the proceedings OF
the late Convention, and by the enactments
of the Legislature.
5 h. Resoieed, That the Constitution and
the Laws were made for the people, and for
the purpose Of securing their true interests,
and that if, in the course of events, they be-
come destructive of these ends, they should
he SO altered or IN ;diied as to secure the pur
poses for which they were originally made
The same power which adopted the CcnStiiu-
tion ha, the unauestionablc right TO alter 1t,
or even to abolish it, if the interests OF the
people require such action.
6;h. Resolccd, That we have noticed with
astoms.tn.nt. and with the most profound re-
grct, the apathy aud indifference of our dis,
tinguished men, and others, who form and
control public opinion, on the asonizlns sub
jsct of our Indebtedness, end the appalling
results which will certainly follow in the wake
of the general sncing Of our people.
7.h. Nesoirstl, Tuet we have Il iight TO Look
to our men of place and position. whose in
aueuce on our action has produced the wretch
ed and most deporab!e condition in which
We fl id ourselves placed, for help to save us
in this cur time OF dire calamity and greatest
need. -.
stb. Resolred, That, in the opinion of thi;'
meeting, distinction between the .oo!tJd
ton" of contracts, and the "remcdy given
by the Legislature to enforce that ooilgst'on,
exists in the nature of things !; and that though
the Iaris!ature may have uopower to Impair
the former, 1t undoubtedly has full and ample
power 70 change or modify the latter as Its
wisdom may direct, or the necessities OF the
n.ople reouirc. And that unGer this view, It
will be the duly Of the Legislature so to alter
the laws of the State which furnish the rem
eSv upon broken contracts, as very much TO
soften the hardships which msy fall to the
lot OF honest debtors.
9th. Resolrsd, That one Of the frat duties
of legislation, while it provides amply ior the
sacred obligation Of contracts, and the RENE
dies ,o enforce them, certainly is. TO relieve
the unfortunate and mcritor:oas debtor from
a slavery oc mind and body, which cuts him
off from fair enjoyment of the common ben
etits OF society, and robs his family OF the
fruits of his labor, and the benefits OF his pa
,ernal super:ntcndence. That e government
which did not possess this form of legislation,
wonId be little worthy of the exalted tunc-
t;ons of guarding the happiness aud support
ing the rights Of free people. 1t might
gnard against political expressions ohiy to
render private expressions more garHs. -,
10th. Rcsolred. That lprisonment ior dsH'
exceps in cases Of gr and ,palpable fraud,
IA = re,ict of barbar :, which admits OF no
d.feuca. and shouit ~ longer be allowed to
d:sprace the statute books Of free country.
That when the debtors have no property, OF
have Welded up the whole to their creditors,
n ,lI1v the latter 10. i,nprison them, IS re-
fiuemsnt in cruelty, and an indulgence of prl-
va,s nass,ons, which could hardly find apollo:
rv in an enlightened des?otism, and are ut
=. ..rlv at war with all the rights and duties OF
tree governments. Such system OF legisla-
tom l. as unjust as it is unfeeiing, and is in
compatible with the first p7ecePts OF christi
lith. Resolcea, That the object of laws re-
lstine TO nsoirent Debtors is. on the ono hama,
to sscuce to creditors on appropriation oi the
nr perty of their debtors, pro fanto, to the
dis .haree o: their debts, whenever the iatser
sra ,nable to discharge the whole amount !:
and on The other hand, to relieve unfortunate
and NEST debtors from perpetual b,ndase
+ t.eir creditors, either in the shape OF un-
!; rel; m pfiso to coeTce payment OF
1,..,r J.bts. OF of an alb olute right to apPro-
nr,ste and monopolize all their future ears
,n,, That ,ue latter course obviously de-
s,sov. all enc ,uragoment to industry and en-
Ia prise ON the part of the unfortunate deb
to-. b. t.king from him all the Just re"afiS
Of aus LABOR, aad leaving hin miserable PIT
IA ..e. depe .deut upoa the bou :ty or iorosar,
anc, o. his creditors. 1t makes poverty and
~, ,t.,rtar,s, in Themselves su!ii :len'ly heav,
hur:1eps. the subject or ths occasion OF pen
a!ti s and prnis,.tn: nts. .. -.
ie;h. Rssolred, That the necessities of the
ne pole, arising from the peculiar aad AROMA
f. - situation Of the country, rrqaire that
Ii, .rnl omestead law be passed. That th,s
-, - .ef;naT is iinfuffped and believes that such
!. 81 even waen they. come in conflict with
c,otr,c:s OF a prior, date, RIO not conflict with
tine Coas,itu:iDn.of the United Ststcs.
su =, D,ic} 'rh,, MR. Senator and Re