The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-03-03

Declared Ursastitutisnl. y Tie Supreme Csurt.'.
Z stkepOrtsa for the standArdlI 4 !.
opinion 0ip5iiini, M Of Justice Reade.

tReported for the standard!T THfh III
(ynin;ons (yni;slo If .J,n,ssstjce Reade. noilosS
sss3eY aaiiI9.ai
iN'fHb CASE, OF ssAcoBs'Sos.'i UNDERWOOD:
1t ought Ia be. and tits with us the era-a
vest duty to decide between the Constitu- I
ton and "a legislative enactment II is
settled that wheaever such d question arises,
every reasonable, presumption is in favor of
the Validity Of tile enactment. and against
the alleged repuenance. Nor is it ever to-
he ...Jl III .33at 3at the Legislature Intends sn
infringement Of the Constitution, even when
TIL. infringement is palpable but II is tobs.
set down TO inadyertence orr mistakeaiofo
unncctonsciorls HAS from ,nressinp hcireumW
stances. Tie duty is. not soJniy crave but
painful. when great ipfblicy interests are in-b
volved. or the publiclmindz is excited and !
anxious. by, reason III t,e nitltipIieity of inLa
dividual interests. N wliehsafe at stake: But
stilf the JGdSe has But one guide autpn sfn-
maintain and enforce legislative enactmentso
is important, but to maintain and defend
the Constitution is, paramount sdi hJj4oq
The Constitution Of the United States pro-
yides that no State shall pass any law i'm
pairing the obligation Of contracts ess.M
The Obligation, of A contract is, the duta
of its peTofnianceA full and complete consti
pliance a5ith its terms iii79da 9iif aSiInd1Ba
Any' statute Which relieves a party from
this duty, or enables him to evade ii, void
An occasional, if not frequent recurrence
to fundamental principles is useful. . Let
us, Therefore, consider aohu it was thought
necessary by those who forfmed our govern
ment.' to make this provision in the United
States Constitution Every word of that
instrument was weltcohsidered rvprin.
ciple was founded m patriotism and Virtue
THOSE who lad fed from error, and staked
all 'fof truth and iiustieeaAgreat and good
men-framed a government in which virtue
and Intelligence were to be the, powers
capital. priyilece prnonopoly. rank. hadtliei
5ay and We're discardedi a new soil
and in fresh cline a Government was inau.
obrated founded uponi the virtue and in.
felliocnce If tbose Who were Of 81 Very few
we're rich tbc nr,assf.si we're moor. and tbos,
Who were expected to come under il byljm-
;grro,;on Werc ttl he i,oorer stilIsT and the
whoie bodv wv,rsrre idenendent supon industry
and inteoritv for prosperity Under these cir,
c,lllmstances. what was necessary for the bu-
siness and prosperity of such community2
Ifit had been left to the control ofcapital,
the tfaSp wl,o had If wouifi have badta 4 mo.
;no,,o,g and f;ndnstrv and ennter,,rise xSSopld
have heen Tzed tn nrevent,tbis in.
tearif9 was INF in com netition with capitaI1i
;nIeed almost toa snp,,,v l;ts MACE EVERY
:. "a wac 10 hnS lie bopd anil 'aysry
bopd s.ayeryy co,tract- -,yss Gto be r,novo;da-
| Iiein MAJ Gbly MAS The canitalist assured
tbot;fhaJ ,ybi,Ia fvsnf ftrA k;s can,;ta, for tho
;nta.ast off ~ I,,s isba,ld have
every for III safi.tv Int tle labor,r
was ,IraH itl,ot l,,,,IIuStry Sbe,ld have its
rrewvard tlat in ltbe absence If lcanital 10
"a nav down ,iin6,,str ~ and enterprise need
III Lecaoit.t.s s,,!o,,ise IF reva sboaI1
inaasver ~ eevadea ~ ;,,,.;taa =. II will J,p
seen therefore that the nrovision was nat
"a "a 1,,rf, tle nt.,te,ssyf, of Az for
| the 9enco,lfadenrent' Of industry and entef-
nr;s.. If vas n gparantv of instiea IN M
anA is eply,nrcssl u ooainsf bint Who would
Iohtaip tbe nrof;fs bf in dnsfrg an A ,yitbbolA
stbe rea "a n IA nrov;siSt in,favo,, Of IN
ilnstrv ma bnnestv and bstsfJIfness MI
frooni,arv sIa25I 11IIIi0SUg 6af ,gTUE
III prob. bt1 h ez ,y;ssf,an,id of. o.r ancostors
,cao,nid nof Ia r,ore rI.arlv u ndcste1 tl,an
Ii o ~ if,e II, oss. i, Now, err.
,ounh III IIi1at n l,a s,,n;ibsed s,hare j,
in tbe State o0O 0oe 6arsnns scf;ns Tor tl,en,.
oelvec ona.tlird ofrttam the colored nor-
t;or are no;,borI c,ed;tnrs nor dehtorS to
ar,,a aSns;dar,N na,orntT and ara da,,on
AM dny ,he;sI,olar for snhs;s,snce
.I1a. r. ,;",sH;I;, ~
troots tmas ann,har tb;rd. onehalf ,hs ,ab,tas
Ill f,n..,s., r.n5 laI,crar, -,
80 .l'a ra,,rds - ;narstry, NJ 81
ont tho ereel and 49,
classes N9f' thest. there are doubtiess mer;to.
r;ous cases an, each side a On one Side there
nav ha tLe tho evact;na shylock cred;tnr
III ~, .tl,o o,l,or .hs,oxIo, s,ed nnfortunata
dah,ora On tho ane side tbere nav bo tle
.,v;.,aw ar tbe ornhan~ creditor and,on tbe tbo
o,her tbe show snendtbrift debtorF II ;s
;mn ,ss;hls to max, General rnlss - r. s. these
;nd;t;d,aI cases ami if Was w;ss to lea ye
the coutract. invialahle7 and the hardsIins
to- nriuate = Adjustment ProbabIy The ,.t.
,ten,rtedr in,erierenee4in favor of * one class
,o"ainst, tbc' her 'lms held ont false % not 10
saw nniust homes and has nrevented tbe al pri
vare, .a5li,stnents, which might bave,been
am,dels As,itiis we,find that eioht years, of
stax laws have left "a considerable. .indebtes,-
ness w,th1 interest and cost ,accumulated
and creditors j and; suretiesa impoyerished
withont, anv, corresnendings benefit. to fhe
n,incir,als debt ors. 1. some, Of ,wlam cannot
nay,and, have ,sought relief from the, Bank
upt law !, and, some have DELAYED, and have
loststhc opportunity for, that relief shy rea-
sonnof tue false hopes held ,out. blythe stay
Iilaw a.anfb,some of whom will not pay; al
thouoh their means are abundant, and; are
Ieusedein speculation and, extravaganza
ban Agaiu ) glt(was very, well eknown to those
IYmho tramed,euri Constitution, ,-tllat, with the
most nrudent and honest purposes. r persons
would Sometimes become involved beyond
their abi!itN To pay, and that. it would be