The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-17

Nessrs. Editors,-In your paper of the
18th is on article signed observer" as
sorting that throughout the State the farm
ers are doing all they can "towards paying
off their indebtedness.'' Do the facts war
rant any such assertion? I affirm they do
not. Twill cite one or two cases out Of hum
dreds and thousands existing IN this state
I proposed to debtor to give him a dis
charge (who owes over So 000) on the pay
ment of 81 900. This very debtor could have
sold either his personal or real estate for
Eve, ten, or twenty times its value during
the war, and discharged his Indebtedness
by paying the one-sixtieth part of his gotd
contracts. He refused to sell nor could he
be made to do so.
One other case, and I will not trouble
you further. have a docketed judgment,
a lien upon piece Of real estate which
my debtor has sold. The purchaser holds
$500, which he knows he will be COMPEL
ed to pay me when the stay lao expires.
My debtor objects to his paying me this
money, though he knows he cannot collect
it: and | offered to sell him my claim
against the debtor, deducting $500. This
offer has been rejected.
These are not isolated cases. There are
hundreds and thousands throughout the
State. Does this look like /" doing all they
can" towards discharging their debts
Messrs. Editors, the debtor is doing all he
can 10 Avoid payment.
"Obserycr observes that " If permitted
to do so, the people would return to our
General Assembly men favorable 10 the
extension" This / do not doubt, and the
same men would repudiate all debts ii the
Constitution permitted.
The debtor has now had eight years to
discharge his debts, and has not done so,
nor will he ever do SO if General Stoneman
interferes at this time.
l once thought "a stupid thought it was)
that constitutions were adopted and laws
enacted to protect the few against oppres-
sion from the many.
Now, sirs, the argument used by the
debtor is that the people favor the continue
ance Of law unjust, immoral, and uncon-
stitutional. Nor do these men say how much
longer time they want. | ask You, Messrs.
Editors, would it be wise in our Legislature
to require every thief to be tried by rogues.
If it be unsafe or unwise to select rogues to
try thieves, then l assert it is neither the
part OF WlSuOL uOf VI safety ~ permit ilC
debtor to decide achen and h01e he will dis
charge lis Obligations.
The debtor first asked for twelve months
to pay off all interest due upon his ohliga-
tons. This the "people's Legislature
granted, but took good care to repeal the
law before it had time to take effect. The
" peoples Legislature" then passed law
to permit the creditor to collect one gears
interest at a certain time. This the "peo-
ples Legislature extended six months,
and before the six months expired they re-
pealcd it. The "people's Legislature"
then passed law a'0lcjng the creditor to
collect one years interest twelve months
after its passage. The "people's Legisla-
turs" then passed law to allow the stay
law 10 expire on the lst Of January, 1868;
but before the adjournment they feared
they would not be permitted 10 meet again
for TWO years, and they extended the time
to 1869. From these facts it must be evil
dent 10 every candid mind that the "people's
Legislature ought not to be permitted to
meet to pass upon the payment of debts.
November IA, 1868. HENRlCo.