The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-13
THE HoMEsTEADs 1AW.
Opinion OF Judge Carpenter Deciding
1T TO he Unconstitutional.

| Opinion OF Judge Carpenter Decidin,
1T TO he Unconstitutional.
The following is the full text OF the recen
opinion of the Hon. r. B. Carpenter, Judge @
the First Circuit, IN which he decides tn
Homestead law OF this State to be unconsttu
tional: r
Joseph Purcell for the use Of O. B. NortArep,. Us
Dr.. James Il. Whaley. g
On the 27th day of May 1857, the plaintiff obtained
judgment by confession against the defendant 20
368 TO- with interest from the day of its rendition
at twelve per cent per annun and costs of suit on
tho same daya writ OF fera acias was lodged in tn
Office of the sheriff OF Charleston County ithe. Dis
trictl On the 9th day of June, 1857 Purcell assign
| ed the said Judgment to O. B. Nsrthroh for vAlua
BILE consideration. After delay. arising from cause
and by virtue of said writ levied upon the olanta
ton of the defendant. containing about four hun
dred acres of land and advertised the fer sale
The defendant gave notice to the sheriff in writing
that he claimed homestead under the act Of tbt
General Gen Assembly. passed the 9th day OF September
motion of the plaintiff ia order the sheriff to pro
coed to sell the pre- pertyavled npan without refer
ence to the provisions OF me act above mentioned
South Carona,) provided that "a reasonable amount
OF property as homestead shall be exen pied from
seizure or sale for the payment Of any debts or a
biites, except for the payment of such obligations
as ara provided for In this constitution
Section 80. Article Q, provides that "the family
homestead of the head OF each family residing in
this State. such homestead consisting OF dwelling
house, outbuildlngs and lands appurtenant, not to
nron vaae Oh one taousana dollars aud yearly
levy or sale, on any mespe or fpal process issued
.a1in !1 Any court by thc same section, 1t is made
nrovsom ~ ~ ~. e 10 ENFORCE the
+, t, t 81 =. .i,s scc.ionSy suCaCte ieglsaton
rod ~ Seot; ~ mo uenSta1 before refer.
nsote ~ o,a., s ~ sin' Mnenever the real
shall be- levied mon hv a os a,, III WIS seate
process, issued from any court upon any judgment
nrevinn. ~ s Ius rasut el aruon Wnether arisin2
;onstitnt;on of tha Stn,o' " ut, r, Vi Tue
CO.,, ~ 4, Q. tne StaIei OF south Carolina, if the
h@ Te .I1 ainl,ly nomeSteaa OF such person, the
cause " hoIpastS oser executing SAID process shall
70 sa' 20 exceed tne vae OF s1ooo to be set off
y The Th,e sRi'l,,o R0nsoi, ~ =.
soas q tie the act Of The e eenera
Clause Of the tenth of te ,ne rs OF the
Constitution of the Untsa states which prohnits 9s sns
ssa.s rom passing law impaarina the obligation Of
eop,racIsa a,,,a ,sa,
eoel .ihR Where tue ine OF dem roation exists be-
smso Cne acIs oI Ihe Legisiature winch Affect the
ns Gn.S ana nose wnion unier the preeLce
OF aHectng thc remedy,do impair the obligation of
1ne contract: II mas never oeen doubted that the
Legsiaure mas the authority to pass suoh gene ral
r ~ LII s ~ leeuies as may seem most hu-
name ana w1se, where the character and amount Of
the the EXEMPTION do not substantially interfere with
,ne Gonlract i1seli. Inc only queston 49, does the
asS oVerstep that oound, ana under tho
ese ol leSasiauon upon the remedy. attack and I'M
parI 'ne opiieauon itseHf
,uo ONoC ociSIo AueS CWO queS-
u1ns 1.i preselI 4e tnelnseiVess
First Wnae Is meant oS the term obligation of
Gon.u,ct' as usea VI tDe constitution; and second
~ wha1 consumes an Impairment Of that obliga-
'ion III
1he n1ghest legai authorities have answered both
questions Acontract Is an agreement to do or not
" uo tnins specined rein, and Its OBJ
i.9auon Is tnas Which oinds the promisor to per-
. .oIn tne asIeemcnt. II is not the promise of the
mere auty, put ~ s the remedy which the law gives
against the detau1tng party
IHs provision oi ire constitution was inserted to
copel tne seyeral Sta.ea 10 maintain the integrity
aI nnu secure to9 ialtntpt execution OF contracts
'nT4aenoue 1T3 esI .ne cmon.
IN th ~ .as s ~ nad netore them
t,on y, Sa is anterior to the adop.
.,o' w, " zig consuuion. ample exempihcations OF
e, Ia ess irciuenc ~ tns mpairment OF these obi1-
sansmdence nd1r .s o. tne struggle for in
p;s: nIy "a Sne NSsates mad passed laws
paTmens s .,a. some OF them the
M 2, Wss ~ oslsrs, debts
en Mere ~ adtnoxsd ts 70 be paid Oy insalmen vtos
miobt he tsnTarad I t .er =; 80 w.
ohiiaation anS % 5it e @ c1 - ~ i nis
s~ch @ art om~ nt t oreu'or ~ wIs 10 .aAe
S,ch Io,S,t; ~ ~ sAotDi.ai. ~ Ippla.seLnsu.. s
SuHn ata a proaucea iss naurai results IN
Gs"ca ond calo% 81, ;at a. Puu,t1 a oou
AZ fa. no an aSvi.ad hoaav a, +,eo pt,a.
tract athonnb thau Id ,ni a. h Tue coz. n
ramedw 10y "'' A-A pAA' ~ ~ ""nuA"s 'ne
conueced tbat tSe Sesrncoy ~ "fe 80 80
fha nsirn,ant of tho 1o,tar. tha nst;,nt,T -
vision was destined to nrotect hoh fn tha lau
,'a y. tn 1850 ~ M p,ueu co ~. uon ~ 'nu ian-
..Tt would ~ hecnmn +his cn,rt ND. ,has a
stances to denar rom tha Nam ,enni s tta
woras lsed and sanction % d;ainctom hatgee " te
r@X ond remedy which xvoTId rondar tnis ,,nn ,ro
vision illusory and nugatorvMmare words Of torrn
affor ing mn nrotaction and ros 20
resmit ~ ~ p'o''01on anu pSis az pI"c'ioai
In the present case. upon the rendition of the
;ndumcnt len was vasted IN the nioint;tf h NJ e
by he was to receive from the real esate ~ the ,e
fendans the amonnt Of said indgment mis- e ,n- "o
ouestionably was a legal right. At the time the
innd~mant wac renaarad ana tha ,;., 49, @ 49, .s o.so
there was no law in South Carolina ybich essmmtad
thst epacnton 'E G,d tSa rons,tona ss.e mnaer
taon OF the General Assembly enact q law after the
rnndition of his ;nd~nasnt xrh;c% ai..atS th ho
na;ntr % his r,nht n tSia Iana 1n.o, j,o Ioe
the oblIaation Of the contract? --'.pAi-nS
~ ..Tn'5anv anv ronoadS nnao. oon.,4 - -
hurdenna The ram sdv With nav con1it,nma a vi py
strioions to make it useesa or hardly worth n,,rsu-
i~a 10 an,n,i,, v;o1otsoo ~ tha =, !,
Kant - CON 40, "'o" ~ 'Ao oon'u"o" =
ss1t seerns to ma that ,ool,,no at con+r.+ ,ooo,
,nd rract;n.Ifn M an instrunaSt h h,, s Htay ~
roner,v aSe creoea and nn svbc ny mha @ a OF
obnaations and remedy are strictly conxerrt,bIs
tarms Take away the ybo1a romadu9 ond ~ ~ ~
,,o;ttaa +,,a 80 80. s ,,onl 10 a. a ~ is ~ Iu