Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-07-11
For the Advertiser.
TUT ttfo 1ku TT " e'1e''
To R. B. WATSON, MILTON NonRls and OTHER


To R. B. WArsoN, MILTON Norris and OTHERS,
Committee.
Gentlemen: In consequence ef my absence from
home, did not receive, until day before ycster-
day, your note of the 18th June, inviting me Z" to
attend meeting Of the citizens of Edgcfeld and
Lexington Districts, to be hold at the Ridge, on
the 2Ist inst, to obtain expression of opinion
from the citizens concerning the 'stay Law"
You address me as n member of the Legislature.
As such you have right to my opinions and 1t
is proper that should give them.
NV votes in the Legislature upon the "stay
Law" sneak for themselves, and indicate my posi-
lion. They were cast and recorded for its con-
,iuuance, and have seen nothing since that
would induce me to change the record.
said then, as do now, that I had no partial
ity for Stay Laws or any laws, which interfere
with the contracts already made between private
individuals. I object to them because believe
them to be contrary to good policy, and 10 the
spirit of Republican Government When two per-
sons have entered into contract, with certain
welEcstablished, specific, legal rights md reme-
dies, no Legislature has the right to come in and
interfere hetveen these PARTIES, and modify It's
terms. The only question to be asked is this; Is
the contract legal, valid one? If so, both par
ties must bo held to strict observance thereof
This lay down rs u general proposition which
I believe to be truo,-and which under ordinary
circumstances, it would be safest for the State to
adhere TO. But the last Legislature found the
"stay Law,"as it is called, an established fact
It had been upon the Statute Books since ls6l' n
oeriod of ycars. 1t was enacted at time OF
great anxiety and commotion, during q te!fihc
civil war and whether wise or unwise, consti'u-
tioual or unconstitutional, tho people OF the State
did not stop to inquire. They relied upon the
wisdom and discretion Of their representatives
who had time to deliberate, those in the army and
ont of It. and those in the field. and at home
They had learned to look to it as protection to
their property during thei, absence and the con-
tinuancc of the struggle. The struggle termina-
ted disasrously to them, and they, the people,
still leaned upon this law, under which they hoped
to save something from the general wreck OF
fortunes.
The Legislature found also the country literally
prostrated by defeat and disaster, nothing lett
but the soil of the State, which we oil loved SO
we'll No money, no crcdit, host OF enemies IN
and around her. What was to be done tos save
her from utter, irretrievable rum? confess that
I had never before felt responsibility more grave
ly, and labored. moro anxiously to pursue that
cosrso which would be best for the whole State.
And after deliberate consideration it occurred to
me that, though some objections might be urged
to this law it -wtuld be best to reenact it-and
to protect as far as possible the interest OF both
the debtor and creditor. To give urpeople time,
time to, mako another crop and raise money;
and time to compromise their debts, by paying go
much in tho dollar, by assignment by confession
Of Judgment, and by hundred different ways.
Tilnc was necessary. The sea is not upturned,
nor does it subside in day. Ittakcstime. Sud-
den, harsh and convulsive measures frequently
produce desperation. We feared That to throw
Tue Courts suddenly open, would add to the CO.
amites Of the times, and result in Kilkenny
,at" fight, with the Yankee coming in to seize the
slions share" It will not do in times of great
,iyil ccmmotion, when society isbeing torn upby |
he roots, and new systems growing up, to adhere
90 strictly to mere legal technicalities, old
opinions and the beaten track. If so, the world
viii make no progress. "Times change, and,we
.hango with them" Events control men, and
men can only. ondeayor SO to shape events, that
hey will operuteas little US possible to our disad-
'antngc. ~;
For these reasons, regarditpeculiarly unfor-
una to that the Court of Errors should have seen
tito pronounce judgmcnt2upon the constitu-
Ionality of the "stay law" which, if an evil,
md BECOME necessary evil. Ifthey could not
void the issue, III urged, with the utmost re-
pect, that they might have reserved theisjudg-
lont, at lenst until o crop had been made, and
he country to some extent bettor supplied with
,epns.to pay. 1t was enacted, rs it was said,
eoause theiexigencies and public welfare do
lapdsd some such law. during The war. If that
'asitrue during the,war, twas eminently SO for
,me years after its disastrous examinations its
kissenSs had been tolerated for four 2yeass zhy
ot fors tlmp loaser7 Gho cnutitutiOn coald