The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-02-26

, duty. am speaking tor my people;
love my people.
Here Mr.. Leslie became so overcome
by his feelings as to burst into tears, ana
was compelled to sit down, which he die
amidst intense silence, evidently elicitias
the warmest sympatlics of the members
of the Convention.
Mr. Whittemore followed, but was in
tcrrupted by the hour of half past two
having arrived when the President an
nounced the Convention adjourned.
THIRTIETu DAY.
The President announced the unfinished
business to bc the consideration of the
35th section of the second article of the
Constitution, reported by the Legislative
Committee Gin reference to- homcsteads.)
Mr.. B. F. WhiLtcmore obtained the
floor He wanted the Convention to un,
dcrstand that in no way did he oppose
homestead law which, in its provisions,
was prospective only. 1t would be IN
consistent, after the position he had taken
upon this floor, TO rctrace his steps unless
he could be convinced that morally he
had right to step between the creditor
and the debtor, and todirorce thcm from
their claims and liabilities. lie had no
doubt in his mind but that precedcnts
sufficient could or would be brought for
ward npon which the action of this Con-
vention might be based in passing an or
dinance retrospective in it's character.
Yesterday an appeal WAS made by the
member from Barnwcll, (Mr. Lesle) and
very effective one, as it would appear
from the graphic description of the ever
ready pencils ut that table, (the rcpol-
ters and for which they had given him
sufficient credit. He not only appealed
to the best sympathics of their hearts,
but he depicted the condition and position
of the people in the State with such feel
ing that it would warrant every person
to look kindly on this subject. and neither
himself or any other member of the Con-
vcntion would give him credit for any
thing else than the most heartfelt sym.
pathy with all in distress.
But whilst they sympathiscd with the
oppressed on account OF their burdens.
liabilities. debts and all that makes life
miscrable-whiSt they looked kindly to-
wards the debtor should they divorce
him from all existing claims, or was it not
their duty to look in compassion also
upon the creditor. Did it follow that
creditors. were always rich and debtors
always poor, or should they legiSlatc for
for debtors only. There might be as
many poor creditors MS debtors. and,
therefore, if tho sympathies Of their heart
were to be called out, they should be cx
ercised towards ALL If they were to APP
portion out the burdens among the pco-
pie, they should make proper appor-
,ionment and a proper division, so that
they might fall equally upon debtors aud.
creditors. Many II poor family were per
Laps then depending upon the claims they
have as creditors.
The speaker, alluding to the picture
drawn by the member from Barnwell
(Mr. LESLEY OF a vessel stranded on the
shore, and the people thrown into the
water, almost in the condition in which
they came into the world, with nothing
saved from the wreck, and the relentless
creditors meeting them on the shore de-
mandng what belonged to him, said it
was not the true picture of the people of
the State They might admit the ship
wreck of the State. but in the case of the
| vessel the people had no volition of their
own. They could not control the winds
and waves.
Whatever the claims of the people Of
the State in their present condition, upon
their sympathies, that condition had been
brought about, to 81 great extent. by their
own voition. their own act. They had
no one to blame but themselves. They
went into the war with the understand.
ing if they did not succe.3 whatsoever
property they kcid would he swept away
from tl.Sin. They might pity them, but
!; when they came 10 pass upon the right
.ofa debtor to pay creditor, they had to
look at the morality OF the question as
we'll as the legal points involved, whether
they had moral right to step between
first, second or third parties and wrest
from the one to give to the other.
But there was q difference between 4
homestead and retrospective law. If
they passed an Act to protect the home
steads of citizens in the future, after the
adoption of the Constitution, it could do
no harm to any individual. If, after the
massage of law like that, man obtains
assistance with the knowledge OF the
world that so much property called home
steads is exempt, then no one is deceived
in losing money.
He al ailuded yesterday. to the assistance
rendered by Northern capitalists He
admitted it was furnished with the expec-
talion of receiving compensation. But
he WAS vet to find men so dsinterested
in the loaning Of funds, as not to require
some compensation for them. But he
claimed that when these gentlemen came
forward, forgetting the bitterness OF the
past. and were willing to assist their
brctl,ron in distress, it was wrong for the
Convention to say they should not COL
lcct their debts.