Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-02-20
CHARLES BLACK, ssc'ry
For tho Advertiser.

Mn. EDIron:-In 1S65,-tha: crentful year-it
was my good fortune not to tc IN. debt single
dollar. And this is mentioned only to sher that
I am disnterested in what am about to write
respecting the Indebtedness of The country. De-
lieving, however, that the course herein recon-
mond.d. will be beneficial toa largo majority Of
tho people, cannot say that nm entirely disin-
tsre.ted, for the individual good depends upon
tho general prosperity. Se!f,haess closes all the
avcnues to happiness, and often over-lraps itsell
By destroying the sources of that wealth which it
SO, much corets. At the risk of being considered
egotistica,, will also state that I have sued
nobody, although quits number Of my old notes
and accounts are .stll unpaid. La this particular
at loast practice what preach.
1t notorious fact, and one to be greatly re-
sretted, that our Legislature, ut its Last session,
failed to do any thing towards relieving their
constituents from the prcuniGy embarra'suent'
super Induced by the disasters Of war, and Of
partial famine. 1t may be urged that Constitu-
tion,, and the deei,ion of our Judges, interposcd
an insurmountablc barrier to any further action
in tho premises. But it soelns that Georgia, and
North Carolina have NOT been deferred from ac-
ting the part of kind mothers towards their un-
furtuato children. When it WAS announced, lust
fall that the 9ueing busness WAS put If till
Spring Court, every one felt that ray OF light
had penetrated the gloom Of dc:pair,-that al
uudefnsd dread had been removed from the mind
Has any body been injured by this little breathing
spell! Did President johnson, or any one else
in authority, say 10 our Legislators that theCourt
of Common Pleas in South Carolina should not
he longer suspended! Ii no such thing has hap
pened, and il the experiment of 4 temporary ci0-
sure of our branch Of the Lawyers vocation, has
acted like charm upon the lscerated body poll
tic, Why not, in the name OF all that s"i'e ana hu
mane, give us 4 still further respite! Time is
What wc want; nothing but time will cure the
evils under which we labor. We scorn ths idea
Of reputation. But 10 view Of the unparalleled
distress, nkich hath invaded every house hold,
We say " add not trouble to the grief-norn heart
We must resort to pallistives,-uo must stay the
hand of oppression. 1t can be done, and let the
people rise in the majesty of their power, ana
SAY, il .haH Be done! Let the hcart'ess niscr
study the character Of Shylocx throughout, and
t,ke warning in timo. "The letter Of the
Law killeth, but Its spirit girctb Iie." You shall
do nothing, forsesih, to impair tho obligation OF
contracts. Well, let every one procssd forthwith
to sue, and follow this to its legitimate conclusion
and i. would. impair the obligation OF contracts
in tho South, moro than all the Stay Laws that
srer wero enacted. Without tho ability to pay,
An obligation Ia nothing.
cannot see hom any man can reconcile 1t to
hi, conscience to demand spesie for debts con-
tracted before or during the MAR, even where the
CONFEDERATION is unchanged ana Interchangeable. Let
as deal with each other in the spirit Of eompro-
misc, and moderation, and nll will yet DO well
with us and ours. But, Dir. Editor, must stop.
This crude article ia submitted in the hope that
It may lead to something tangible and eficiont,-
something that will be conducive to tho best inter-
e,ts Of oil parties.