The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-03-26

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advance
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The State J0urRal comes back at us will
awiIl upon the subject Of tho homestead
law, and concludes in q manner indicating
the most perfect satisfaction that the dis
romGrurc Of the Register has been COM
pIste, and unmitigatcl cen,ure indeliOly
6Sel upon the Democratic party. Inns
much os We have been complimcn'Cd by
tho term brilliant" we aro happy to re.
turn the compliment in the sense in which
It was poil When the Register is com.
peIIcd TO vince and squirn" it will be
effected BY moro cogcnt reasoning than
that which Charac.crzcs the article which
We propose TO notice. The JompuI is
now convinced that no responsibility a.
tschcs to the Legislature for the Sh sect.
ion, but we are asked with considerable
gusto "who mpdG tho constitutional which
contains this provision, as Il to fastcn up.
IN tho Democratic party grave response.
bility The party is to be nrraigned for
not having incorporated in the constitution
provision that would have given relief
for all debts contracted prior to the 22d Of
August TO show tho Obsurdity of the
proposition, such action on the pnrt Of the
convention would have been in direct VIC.
Iaiiou Of the constitution Of tho United
States, tho supreme law Of The land, which
sets forth in express terms that no State
shall pass "a law impairiug the o0Iiga.
tio1 Of contracts" This is a power com.
mitted to the general government by the
States, and one which the States are com.
PEELED to respect, q doctrine which the
Courts rccogniz,, and is TOO plain even to
he conIrOverted.
We now come to The JOarnals strcturcs
upon the 9Th section, because there is no
exemption for trent due upon lease y
Great COMMUNICATION is expressed for The
tenantry of the country, and the editor
warming up with his subject styles th'
whole act 20 skeleton Of airy nothing
ness" and class legislation Of the mos
unjust character Being no lawyer, the
inquiry suggested itself, can it be possible
tkat a wrong has been committed? We
commenced our investigation Of the sub
,ject By turning to the homestead law o
1851 We found in the list Of cxcmp
lions that the tenantry Of the country hov'
been left ont This showed according t
The Journals reasoning that the Rcpubli
cau party had not subjected itself to tn,
criticism Of class legislation. So far, 81
well. bat in 1868. when this same Law
was in force au act was passed exemptinE
personal property to the amount Of twC
hundred dollars from distress or levy, au(
vet another law was passed to the cFec
that rent Of every kind could be rcscover
ed BY distress or action. Without under
taking to discuss the justice Of this Fea'ur
Of tho ,aw. which is apparent to ever.
right thinking Unn who appreciates TIL
obligations imposed upon the lessee for
house to protect bis family, ii not the yer.
means Of their subsistence, We say to til
State journal that when it SEEKS to cas-
'odium upon the Democratic anl Co'5erVa
tiveparty, it should frst inquire ThCtL9
its own psrty skirts ore clear. iayI1t
established the precedent yourselves, yol
must presume largely upon the Ignorance
Of the people TO suppose that they are t
be gulled BY such cIap.trop ns this, |
but shows the straigbts to which the Re
publican party is driven in its efforts 10 re
gain it's lost asccudcuCy,
The position Of the opposition upon TIL
whole question has been very inconsistent
During The last Gubernatorial canvass
was proclaimed that tue homestead proyis
ion Of the constitution would prove c,rS
TO The poor man, alleging as a reason lha
it would destroy bis credit, and now it
uublushiugly argued by tho same part
that tue t,s.ft' Of that provision lav