The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-09-12

TO tno MEMBERS OK t&e Ne&fsl44S1res
!. Mxssns. 3pTSoas: fhe ref,,ark is often
heard ssSe have lost all, save hoAor. ~ II
ths ~ tf4Ss Is it not Of the last importsncs
n5s t 1oa6our honor toof
4 6 it not unworthy Of the people ofSouth
Caroline not dishonorsblc-xo &C.
e0mn1ieh, ~ indiscretion, what cannot be
done iega1ly2 sxs may be justifiable to copy
radical iacfirs in fighting them; but we
must be sadly demoralized. to employ such
tactics in the adjustment Of our own AZ
fairs. Nearly all the measures proposed to
your body have this taint Of indiscretion.
1t is well known that the length Of the inn
parlance, and the want Of treqneney Of our
courts, have long been . subject OF COM
plaint; ind the exasnpfe Of ether States
have been held up for imitation. Yet it is
proposed to make the sittings OF our courts
more infrequent, aud tho imparlances
longer. 1t is well-known that making the
defendant pay the costs OF suit, is the
clearest act of Justice known to the human
conscience; and that making the plaintiff
pay the costs would practically shut the
courts to the poor creditor. Yet, it is pro-
posed to inaugurate the unheard-of II
scheme Of making one party pay Sor the
default Of another. 1t is well known that
our exemption Act Of 1851 was yealed
because the poor Of the State demanded
its repeal-because it deprived them Of
this, to pass like exemption law. It is
well known that, without our bail process,
and the ca. Sd., that fcw, besides land
owners, could be made liable for their
! debts; that these remedies cause imprison-
mont for debt only in the case of dishonest
debtors, and that without these processes
no contract can be enforced in our courts
! against tho mass OF the new class to be
admitted in our courts, I. e. freedmen.
Yet it is proposed to abolish these indis-
against vagrants, nonresident and non
real estate owning defendants.
| Again, the monstrOus proposition is an
nounccd, that all powers forbidden to the
States are reserved to the General Govern
ment. Also, that Section 2, Article NIII,
of the Constitution lately ratified, author
ICES Congress to leGislate upon contracts
i'll which slaves form the consideration. II
| 80, then Congress can pass er post JdctO
laws, and one appropriate to tho above.
Section would be to cause each white man.
who had lasheG slave since tho Goth of
! December, 1850, to be lashcd, upon convic-
ton, to the same extent by said slave or
| his heirs.
Now, what is the meaning Of all this cx-
traordinary legislation, as proposed? Why,
!
which cannot be done legally and, hence,
! honestly.
For the honor of yourselves. for the
honor of yonr State, for the honor of your
heroic dead, pause before you adopt such
measures. DO your duty and leave the
consequences to God. Look not at the
present, but 1T all time. Listen to an old
mans secret, viz: all debtors arc not poor
or honest. nor arc all creditors rich or
greedy. 1t is slander upon the State to
say that creditors will sell their debtors
out of house and home-unlcss, perhaps,
they be goaded to such action by the CON
tinued attempts to defeat their rights.
The credit of the State has already been
shocked by the late steystaw and tho agi-
tation of kindred measures. II the
! schemes before You are carried out, let me
! tell YOU what You all yourselves do know:
/ l. The credit Of the state is irrevOcably
| damned for generation.
2. The United States Court, with its bal
process and ca. Sd., still moves.
3. The Freedmen's bureau will not s,,r.
, render the civil rights of It's wards tc
courts with closed doors, and which re.
quirc an admittance fee to DC prepaid BY
the appiicantsfor justice.
i. You will teach the radical l&s.1
I.ates .' Son2res5.SSi z iSetnod OF dealing with
- sSs@sefcme Court, and with former slave
owners. never dreamed of in their philoso
! ply.
i ). All i, lost, even HONOR.