Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-07-13

JUDaE ALERICH' LETTER.
EAKN wkLL, Z. IL, lGlh June g

MI DEAR S:u.- our kind noto Of ,h.
1l,h informing III" that ''at a meeting tt
the citizens Of tn" Ridge you were appoin
tel to reqlc4t me To- address mass meet
in. OF tEe citizens Of Edge field and Lev
inStuu, Il, ErIhcl Church Oh the 2lst Of
june, upon the absorbing question of til"
.,v, tho Indebtedness OF thn people. and
ll,s best means Of staviug ia" widespread
,uin that awaits us rs l'r"rl".' has been
rsyeivrJ. By the same mail | also r"ceiv
cd a Iik. Invitation fium Mrs"rs. Nurris,
Watson and Bontwright.
While lhank you ali very sincerely
for tho Kindness cf your invitation, ! can
not accept it, The Judges Of South Car
oina do not usually participate in public
meetings Of the people. As a general
rule il ia y COOL one vet there are occa
aioas when Judges like all olie, citizens,
Lio;iII embrace the opportunity to express
their opinions freely aE,i le:,l their inl'u-
euce to ad'anc" l,au ut;,'llar mca'nIes OF
great public int"re@t. Eut this Is not sucl,
an occasion "ihe a,bte,lns.s q, Tee pco-
pie,' isa question that will roLm before
the Jujge officially a;,l o: course, no
judy. can Lave al "ini":l uuti! he ca e is
do nos think can ln mistaken IN the
object Of y"nr meeting; it is TO avoid the
payment OF debts. 1t is du. 10 myself
frankly 10 state, lhat / Ito not sympalhize
with any movement whi:h h,,. t,r lis oh
j.ct the avu.Jiu" of fir and honest c,,.
tracts. Nor can IN any Way cn,nlpnanc.
any meeting which may enc,.nrac,. the
peol lc to resist the Laws Of ,ha lanl. No
lhan Ill the state feels nioie ircpIv the
tcnibie condition in which our people have
lcrn left 10y the -. llt5 OF the war, than
my ysclf.-lu aa,li'"n 70 th" m"lIlniul Losses
OF relativ' friends, in battle, To the
ta:!mc tp c.;ah>! the g'"al principles for
which we fought, and t" the m"r'iice:on
Of defeat, We have lost, IN this State, At
once ana without preparation, over 's',
hundyta mX;mS "I property, which is The
abstraction Of Just so nlur!, ranilnl Anl Ia.
Tor from the payments Of debts, which, in
good faith, were incurred on the strength
Of that property and labor. The property
is gone, the labor is very uncertain, the
debts remain. r,rhaps 10 r"r!a in tEe
history OF the wo'l,l, have ever been 50 sud
denly and completely ruined as this South
paired Ly enc,Sv, cun,tan"y :md virtue.
Lot u: preserve uul honor. aud AT .y:.,t iry
To paw our dclts. +" Uo"'%'.
This "A common caamilv in which all
participate, both debtor an'i uclltor, the
loss is mutual and is Il, hard to boar b, tic
one class as by the other; common .ustce,
it would seem, ought 20 dictate to all the
the propriety OF mating al earnest effort
TO meet their engagements. A contract ia
a sacred obligation, equally binding in tie
court Of conscience anl in the court Of
law. Our duty is plain, il is .torteaI"nce
We should all act towards each other rs
neighbors and not burden those who are
indebted to us with the costs Of suit,
know this is net always practical, because
i'll all compilnities ihsro are some hard
men WHO will have their own, without re
gard to the l"ss and distress which it oc.
casions TO their debtor; but the honor Of
humanity, do not think this is Il large
':ass, and if the rule Of forbcarance bc
adopted, il will rrbulte and shame those
who set at naught the better feelings or cur
nature.
il may be supposed, that because I dis
Sent from the majority Of the Court Of Err
f"rs on the Cou>titutionally Of the STAY
Law, that will sympathise with those who
t'vor resistance to tho laws of the land
This is a great mistake. Although dc
not agree with the Court land subsequent
reflection strengthens me i'll my convic
tion,) yet there is no citizen who will coun
sol more earnestly acqliGsencc in the decis
ion, and support more firmly the laws 0
the land and the constituted authorities O
the State, than myself. AS stand alone
III tile Court, It, Is very probable l au
wrong, although caDnot see the error Q
MY judgment. My earnest counsel to you
and to all the good men OF the Slute is, obe,
the laws Of the land, pay as lar as you cal
end when your means arc exhausted, 20,
will lave done all in your power, aud ca,
commence life again with clear couscienc
and brave heart.
/ am informed that his ExcelIcncy Go,
Orr, will probably Call the Legislature to
gether, III extra session, at An early day, t
project such legislation rs is required
the changed condition of society. If hi
be so 1 have no doubt, that the wise and ps
Clotic men who compose :hat body, wi
devise some relief, which while it will af
ford time to the suffering people, and pre
vent the sacrifice of their property at for
ced sales, will not be liable to constitution;
objections.
Trusting that you will receive my coun
sel kindly and i'll the friendly spirit j
which it is which it is written, am,
Very Respectfully, your ob't serv't
A. P. ALDR1cu.