The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-18
roundings comfortable, and invites happiness
and content to his hearth.

roundings comfortable, and invites happiness
and content to his hearth.
Perhaps one ofthe greatest troubles in Ameri
can legislation has been In not protecting thu
homestead. It has made the American people
almost ali great wanderers as the Arabs. WhU1
father planted an orchard or o vineyard, ht
had no assurance that five years thereafter
the result Of his care and labor would not pass
into the hands OF strangers. Grant, therefore
liberal homestead law, providing against pas
and future debts, so that the white man who
has his home now, and the black man who may
secure home by industry and economy here
after, can feel that if is secured to him, and yor
will find rot only an increase in the prosperity
and happiness Of the State, but you will stimu
late patriotism which has not heretofore e1.
listed. Wherever you identify man and his
household. with the soil upon which he lives
you mako that man, if from no higher con.
slderatiors OF love Of country, defender Of the
country when tbs assailed, because the assault
is upon his individual household.
Third, J. urge you to provide for the abolish
ment Of imprisonment for debt. have always
considered the incarceration Of human being
for debt as senseless and cruel except in cases Of
positive fraud. It is advocated that imprison-
ment for debt is right, for the purpose Of assur.
ing creditors in their demands, and that it cur.
tails the capacity Of an individual to secure
credit, WHARF this right is deried. In these
with you, think that the universal credit e1-
tended to or claimed by community is great
misfortune to that community, and if the
homestead and exemption law, and the aboi-
ton Of imprisonment for debt, will reduos the
temptation to men to ask credit, and curtal
the disposition or those who hold funds O..
goods toe ktend credit, it will be blessing. to
our people. To the farming. interest especially,
the credit system is curse, and the sooner
that and al other interests, except perhaps
the mercsntile interest, dispense with it, the
better will it be for the general prosperity of
the State.
Fourth. 1t is very important that this body
should adept some ordinance TO provide relief
to debtors prior to the war. The temporary
orders Of ;he military commandant, extend to
debts contracted during the war. All debts
now existing, where the consideration is for the
purchase of slaves, should be absolutely wiped
out by thu convention. II these debts are
recognized, it is recognition of that institu-
lion, Of it's proprlety, it's justice and morality.
Most of thu debts contracted prior to the war,
were upon the faith and possession of property
in slaves. That property has been destroyed,
and liberal provision should be made by this
body with reference to debtors-the amount
and time when they may make payment Of the
same. Do this, and you will commend your
constitution under the most favorable auspices
to the cons Iteration Of that class in South Caro-
lima who hsye not participated in the election
of delegatel to this convention.
Fifth. Education is now the great disideratum
of all the colored people ofSouth Carolina. For
obvious reasons it was the policy Of the State
previous to emancipation, to exclude the slave
population from the benefits and advantages
Of education. I will not discuss these reasons.
But the relttions of that population to the
State are now materially changed. Hence it is
telligence possible shall be communicated to
that class. Men OF intelligence have many
more opportunities, through their reading and
observation, Of learning and appreciating the
moral low aid it's requirements. Profound ig-
norance, almost universally couples with 1t
CRIME and vice. Hence, the education Of the
black populltion--and, am sorry to say, Of
many OF the white population Of the State
should command the earnest attention OF this
body.
In providing for it, I beg to guard you against
attempting 10 levy taxes exclusively upon pro-
perty. There is no taxation which is 80 uni
person or poll, for educational purposes, since
aI are Interested in having an intelligent and
Yirtuous population.
Sixth. With reference to the condition Of the
State, I have only to say TO you that the
treasury is empty. The tax bill adopted by
the last legislature has failed, by $500, 900, to
produce the amount Of taxes contemplated.
We have, therefore, been compelled to rely
upon what ace known as the 'bills receivable"
issued by authority of the legislature, to pay
all officers ard claims against the State. The
great deprec iation, of property, and the general
of the State, has reduced the
amount of taxes anticipated by the legisla-
ture very materially, and consequently the
financial condition Of the State is greatly
embarrassed, But it is very important that
you should, in your deliberations, by ordinance
or otherwise, declare-and nothing can more
commend your body to the confidence of the
people of the State, who horepresented it's wealth
that all OF tn obligations Of the State, all the
bonds Of tho State created prior to the war,
and all the obligations Of the State SINCE the
war, shall te fully and faithfully redeemed.
An ordinance announcing the validity OF the
obligations o, the State, passed by you, will at
once rapidly land largely appreciate the value
Of the bonds, now held at such low figures.
The great discount upon the State bonds in
the markets, here and elsewhere, grows out Of
want OF confidence in the will and determine
tion Of the new government to redeem them.
This you should set at rest. And while you
may with plopriety repudiate all obligations
contracted b. The State for war purposes, the
credit of the State for other obligations should
not be tarnished either by reputation or
semblance ol repudiation.
In framing your constitution I cannot too
earnestly commend to your favorable conside-
ration the Importance Of removing the disc
bility from oil Of the white population of this
State. Wher you look 10 the Judiciary, am
very sure vol eau have no reasonable ground
of complaint against their fairness or impair
tiality. Under the constitutional amendment
most Oh nearly all are excluded from contin-
,ling in their position. Have you in the State
members Of the bar who are competent to dis
charge those high and important trusts with
the ability OF even the satisfaction to your
selves Of thcso who would be required to re-
tire from the public service, unless you make o
modification retaining them in their present
positionp Is there any reasonable ground OF
complaint against yotr Appeal Court, the
Judges OF your Criminal Court or your Chan
cellors2 While, under the constitution, you
may vacate these Offices and subject all Of the
parties to the ordeal Of an election before the
legislature, will it not be eminently wise and
prudent for you to place the judiciary in o po-
sition where, il the legislature elected under
your constitution think itsexpedient, they may
re-elect such OF the Judges and Chancellors
as in their judgment arc worthy to be con-
tinued in these positions.
This brings me to say that in South Carolina
ut least there is no reason why any man, white
or colored, should be excluded from the privl-
lege OF voting or holding Office. You are
aware that tho Acknowledgement in the Recon
struction acts of Congress excludes the intelli-
gence and wealth of the State. In one Of the
districts of the State know that the colored
people waited upon certain gentlemen and re-
auested them to become candidates for the
convention, tut they were constrained to de-
nl;na hecanse thev we're disfranchised. This