Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-11-17
The STAY Law.

We sec the Governor has vetoed the Stay
Law Bill as it passed tho Legislature md
was presented for his approval. nyYy
We do not remember to have ev' r seen
this bill, consequently know nothing Of its
provisions; we however, have nn United
confidence in the wisdom and prudence Of
the Governor, and are therefore, prepared
to believe that 1t must have contained some
very Objectionable features. We are sorry
to see that the Legislature has thought fit
to take any action in this regard at all
We think it would have been much better
for the people of Texas had the law been
allowed TO expire by limitation as il would
have done at the end of the present session
of the Legislature, had it remained unmo-
Tested. There were but few If amy ren-
sons for the passage of such a law in the
first Instance, and surely none but" those
who are personally interested canuov con-
tend for its con tnuance, on the grounds OF
public utility. With but few exceptions
the people of Texas have escaped the raw
ages of war;-save the loss of a few ne
groes their condition has not been material
ly changed. We think, therefore, that no
just reasons can now be urged for4the con-
tinuancc of such Legislation. Since the
surrender Of our armies and the returnIof
our citizens 10 the peaceful and industrial
pu,suits of life, honest men have had time
enough 10 make arrangements for the pay
ment of their just debis-property Of eve
ry kind meets with ready sale, when offer
ed, and at exo,binnt prices, gratly'to the
discorragemcnt and discomfort of emf
grants now coming into the State, WHO, arc
in want of property of every description
and are ready and willing to pay fab. prices
for all they purchase, thus proving the fal-
lacy of the argument used by some, that the
abrogation of the law would necessarily
reduce the price of property. IL is mainly
the argument Of dishonest persons who
would not, under any circumstances, pay
their just debts so long as il were possible
to avoid them, men who, during the late
war speculated adversely to the interests of
the Government and the soldiers who were
nobly doing their duty in the army" We
have taken some pains to enquire into the
wishes, of the people in regard to this mat
ter, the result of, which is that We arc con-
vinced that for every single insti'nce of
hardship that would result from the expi-
ration or repeal Of the law, that hundreds
would be benefited thereby But aside
| from all these considerations and from the
immoral tendencies of such legislation, we
believe it 10 be unconstitutional as impair
ing the obligation Of contracts, and that it
is otherwise subversive of the best inter-
ests Of the people; therefore we set our
faces against all stay laws, andin doing so,
we believe that great majority Of u e peo-
pie are with us. We do not know what
disposition has been made OF the bill, but
from the great in tercst manifested by many
members, we suppose it will still be law
in some shape or other;-if SO, we think
that at the next election the people, should
take some pains to send men e. Austin who
will study more closely the interests Of
their constituents and the hOnorof the State
= men who viii not waste valuable time in
mock legislation for the temporal welfare
Of ''stump.tailed dorgs and speckled purps."