The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-02-28
)! J n ) Il! I 81 u! j;

~ ~ 6Ibf ol<o q This
that his msnscIes NJ 3cken from
his limbs; and the poor debtor, that
his possessions, which remorseless cred.
itors had wrested from him. were re.
stored to him, and that he and bis fam.
lily could again worship their God
around their ancient affairs, aud fresides.
This law of Moses sxhibits him in strik.
ing contest with The ideas Of Jewish
character which We have derived from;
the Shylock Of Shakespeare; but all bis.
tory, as well as our own, experience,
proves that all jews are not Shylocks,
and that many Christians are. Both
have forgotten the statutes Of the great
leader of Israel departed from the faith,
and no longer heed the sound of T" the
trumpet of the jubilee" This wonder>
ful institution was adapted to. the cir
cumstances aud situation. Of the people
for whom il was appointed, 1t was
intended to prevent the rich. and pow.
erful from opposing the poor; TO relieve
Them from the perpetual slavery Of debt !;
to attach the people to their lands and
inheritances land 10 cultivate in their
hearts a love Of home. ard county
Was this institution Of Moses, or the
laws of Solon which followed it, or were
derived from 1t. unwise, immoral, or
dishonesti What say our morality
loving, constitutional abiding legisla-
torsi What saith the Court of Errors
Perhaps am impertineut in my in.
quiries as to their opinions in relation
to laws in which they are not versed,
laws which were promulgated in the
thunders of Sinai.
. Moses and Solon adapted their laws
to the necessities Of their people. to the
exigeucy Of the times. Who is worthy
the name Of law giver that does not re
gard the condition and wants. Of those
for whom bis laws are made : In this
consists the utility Of all laws, and here,
in lies the wisdom Of law-givers and
statesmen. Take things as they are,
and upon this foundation build your
system Of government and laws, is the
language of true craftsmanship. Who
does less is fool, more, a charlatan.-
Have we no Moses now TO save the peo
pie from the "fiery serpents " sent to
destroy them, and to lead them out of
the wilderness Z No Solon, to
Seize the helm. the reeling vessel guide ?"
There is a power that could have
saved them from the dangers which
now yawn before them as bottomless
gulf, If it had been welded in proper
manper' and at a proper time, and, per
haps, it is not yet too late. II is that
power which lies behind Legislatures
and Courts, the power, the majority of
the people, whose :" invincibIe locks"
when. spoken, make Kings and po
tremble. n they had
spoken with the authority which
righ,fully belongs to them, they would
have been obeYed-none would have
dared to violate their expressed will
Measures would have been adopted,
which NO court would have dared to
touch with their destroying hand. No
one advocated the cancelling of debts,
repudiatiop, as it is called in modern
partdnce. No one proposed to 90 as
far as the great Jewish. and Athenian
law-givers. The people did not ask for
legislation in open violation Of the Con.
s,itution. From habit, if from no other
principle, they entertained some respect
for what remains Of that torn and tat-
tered document, little dread, perhaps,
of that ghost which has frightened 9th,
ers out Of their propriety. They asked
for laws which they believed to be Con.
siitutional, right and proper. They
wanted tine to stir among the embers
Of their fallen fortunes, and prepare To-
meet their liabilities that was all and
even this poor boon, this crumh Of com
fort, has been denied them. Unfortu.
nately for all measures OF relief, the Leg
lature Of which has held power 10 the.
State since October, 1865, was elected
before any question had been raised on
this subject, before the Stay Law had
been pronounced unconstitutional by
the court Of Errors, and before the peo.
pie had any ground to suspect that such
would be thedecision. "Thislaw had been
so long on the Statute Book, and had
received such high sanctions, that they
trusted lott as their shield Of defence,
and resting uuder it, let power pass into
the hands of Legislators who have since
not only succumbed to the judiciary,
but have turned q deaf arlto all their
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