The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-01-08
Hard Times.

We hear general complaint of hard
times. Every one feels the pressure to great
er or less extent. There is great cry among
the people for relief. The Indebtedness of the
country has been accumulating for years.
and losses of all kinds have been SO heavy
debts. We take it for granted that the Con-
vention soon to assemble, and the Legisla-
ture thereafter, will do all that can be done
to relieve the people. Meanwhile we ad-
wise economy, mrdpork, and the bankrupt
Ian. These are the only present remedies
we know of. The bankrupt law enables
debtor to secure to himself and family some
twelve hundred dollars worth of property,
and at the present low prices good home
stead, with some stock and household furni-
ture can be retained, to give the debtor
new start. This law relieves the debtor alb
solutely, and makes his past debts, debts of
honor. An honest man will pay them when
he is ablc-of course dishonest man will
not We can see nothing dishonest or disre-
Sputahle in taking the benefit of this law,
especially when we reflect on the fact that
the poverty to which our people have been
reduced is the result of great general causes
over which they could exercise no control.
As an illustration of the hard times in
Georgia the Savannah Republican says:
"Col. Quarterman, of this county, deceas-
| ed, and his executor was compelled to close
the estate The property was advertised as
required by law, and on last court day it
! was sold. A handsome residence at Wal
| thourville. with ten acres attached. out-hou-
ses and all the necessary appendages of a
frst-class planters residence, were sold for
sixty dollars. The purchaser was the agent
of the Freedmcn's Bureau. His plantation.
450 acres of prime land, brought $3.50, sold
| to Mr.. Frazer Sixty-six acres of other
land near Waltbourville, brought So; pur-
| chaser. Mr. w d. Bacon. These were all
bona .fae sales. 1t was court day, and u
large concoursc of people were present. The
most of them were large property owners,
hut really had not five dollars in their pock-
cts, and of consequence would not bid, as
/ the sales were cash."
PAYMENT OF CLAIMS DUE LOYAL CITI-
zENs-We will be pardonet for alluding to
this subject so often, but where justice and
right demands that thing should be done,
we are eml,odened to lie more importunate
on the subject Col. Stokes has introduced
bill in Congress to amend the act of July
1864, so as to make it applicable to the ca
ses of loyal Tennesseeans. and now let US
second his efforts by bringing strong
outside influence to bear on the subject.
A copy of the memorial which we publish
ed two weeks ago has been furnished to the
County Court Clerk of each county in East
Tennessee. and some of them have been re-
turned with large list of signers. We
would recommend to Others to return their
lists here as soon as possible, and also that
any citizen who may feel SO disposed take a
copy of the memorial referred to, procure as
many signers to the same as possible, and
forward it to one of the committee, whose
names were published last week.
We should feel no more delicacy in press
ing our claims before Congress than We
would in urging the payment of any just
debt, and the world will regard it in no 9TH
or light: We believe if the matter is laid
before Congress, in its true light, We will re-
ceive tile desired aid. The honest, loyal
people of the United States, we are persua-
ded, will never tolerate such spirit of repu-
diation as the refusal to pay these just claims
would be.-Brownloe's Wig.
Many of our loyal people are looking also
for payment of claims against the general
government. 1t will be seen that even the
Tennessee loyalists have not been paid
though that State has been some time in the
| Union. Our people can expect nothing in
this respect until the State shall have been
restored When her members of Congress
are admitted to their seats they can move in
this matter as Col. Stokes. is doing, with
some prospect of success