The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-14
STAY LAWS.

AESTHETIC people to hope orrrotec''oh from
Government. And it is itself dcrar-
,,,rc from ihe province Of Government, NJ
i; is nm Interference with private affairs,
which should be left to the people con
ccrucI in them, under the gcncrns fcgo'"-
tious provided by law, administered ., '"'
iulic,tor;es established for that purpose.
The highest evidence of civilization Is
the mutual trust rcposcd by men IN one
another. Where this sort of sociat eon-
tjcDcc in the business Of life exists l"
TIC highest degree there is the hiSncs'
civi,izatiou-thcrc is the virtue oil ho'es's
ma GOOD faith preserved III the grcn'es'
,p-itv. The moment there is disturbance
VI this condition-thc moment one CLASS
d;st,,ss;s another and flies to the Govern
1acu, Tor protcction-thc7c Is damage done
- :ic order which reflects the high cha
ractcr Of the community, and civilization
j. $caudalized.
80 that whenever we sec debtors OF Nlr-
Giaia running to the State to pray for pro-
tcc,ion from creditors, we consider that the
public character is sullied. E!thcr the
creditors are unworthy members of the
civilized community of this State or the
debtors have grossly slandered them, anu
arc themselves unworthy. No matter which
i true, the consequence falls upon the State.
The public character suffers. People abroad
will conclude that either VIC have hard
hearted and uncivilized creditors. or in
differently honest debtors Tin either case
rot a we'll organized community. and there
VII! he no excessive zeal TO get possession
% Virginia securities.
There is not one single solid argument TO
Justify tie State in interfering between
these classes with liz stay law. The mca-
sure never kos been rcsortcd to save under
clamor submitted to by dcmagoguisln
The relations Of debtor and creditor are
susceptible at all times Of easy solution
anl settlement by themselves. Their IN
tcrcsts arc intcrlockcd. and form part Of
the frame -work If society. Il is Impossible
iar ;hc creditor ut time Of great distress
Il press his debtor harshly and unconpro-
lnisiNglv without bringing INJURY upon
himself. Not only must the creditor class
suffer pccuniarjly by such IL course as this
on their part, but public opinion-no CON
tcmrtiblc conservator in periods OF calam-
:ty-wiil ,iait its terrible rebnkc upon THEN
cruelty.
But the creditor class, as far as our cXpe-
rjeucc 2ocS-saye such exceptions ne are
ever found in cycrything-havc always
shown a consideration for circumstances as
we'll as disposition towards forbcarance
and blindness. They are generally the
more sagacious part Of society, and well
know how tl'cy may lie injured Ivy dcprcss-
Ing tho values Of property, destroying con-
ilc~co, oletrrcting enterprise, and pa
ru!y7;ng husiness-all Of which would fol-
low q sweeping and forced collection of
PING. They are: indeed, the true con-
jrvatiycs Of the country, and with the
rual exceptions will not raslIly impair the
confidence and the prosperity which main-
tain the very value of what they possess.
L wcG!l nc ii great wrong 10 the debtor
class generally to say that they desire to re-
puliate their debts. On the other hand,
the creditor wants security for his claim.
There is no difficulty in the way of their
nceting on this ground, and then forbear-
ancc on tho one side will be wei-founled
'Ion good faith Oh the other. This is the
whole matter il Il nutshell.
Therefore, the people, left by the Govern
inert II settle their own affairs, will do SC
with ljs:lc trouble aud with entire safety
10 tie public character and the public
credit. Dut when the Government inter-
lclc. il establishes between the creditor and
the debtor bad feeling and alienation, and
raNkcS the ultimate settlement between
them, when the stay-law expires las ii
;"u-;l, more unfrien,'ly and probably more
harsh than the settlement would have been
Without tic interference. The debtor, in his
petition for relief, accuses his creditor 81
-'aricc, relentlcsSness, and inhumauty.
%hcH the rtay-law dies, and tile two come
face to face, the creditor says: = You ac-
"cuscd me of cruelty; declared that you
- had no hope OF consideration or forhear-
unce ~ my hands you made me out a
/" brute, and now what can you expect from
- me but an unconditional demand formy
money? You have no right 10 ask any
" ching 0f me-
And yct We declare from What We know
that lii cher day, even after the stay law
had expired, and after the creditor lad let oil
Ills feelings by Il little warm expression
q: them, he seldom failed to chow tho
rroier social and business consideration
fer the general welfare by impoeiDg only
such conditions &c were Justified by it.
We never knew & stay law to leave tie
people IL rs good condition rs il found
them. We never knew stay law repealed
When there were not petitions for its c"n-
tinuance.
The present condition Of tie country is
indeed anomalous; and the appeals for re-
lief ere grounded ulon the great national
calamity which has involved the whole Of
society. and which makes an impartial re-
lief impossible. Manifestly the gist of
the appeal put forth by the debtors is for
tic restoration Of something that has been
los. by them in that calamity. What right
have they more than every c,hel man to
that restitution
Summon 10 the capital the rennless