The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-07-18
For the Times
Tho Homestead---Crops, &c.
Cross KEYS, July, 1879.

| ,J Cross KEYS, July, 1879.
Mr.. EDiToR 81 am glad that Cross Keys was
not represented last week, and therefore did not
contribute to that dose. Well, "after a storm
there is generally n calm," so can have the
whole field to myself this week?
| According to promise now propose TO review
the Homestead law. Ii will be remembered that
in the year 1868 convention met nt Columbia
for the purpose of amending our State Consti-
tuition, or, we might say, to frame a new one,
better suited to the changed condition of affairs.
| IL will, Also be borne in mind that the honest
intelligent voters had but little voice in selecting
| the men who composed that Convention. That
| Convention Gnstigated by the Devil 10 doubt)
| saw proper, in their wisdom, (?) to incorporate g
| in that constitution, q law exemptiug from levy
and sale real and personal property to the
amount of 5 500. Thus. by an organic law
OF the State rendering null and void all laws for
the collection OF debts by civil process from the
| fact that few men owned more property than
| was exempt. Property being the best collateral
| security upon which credit was based, it struck
| n death blow to the credit system. The people,
in their impoverished conditions, were not pre-
pared for n change so radical and sudden. The
| Legislature, in attempting to remedy the evil,
passed the Lien law-the legitimate offspring o,
the Homestead Many know, TO their sorrowt
| how badly it has worked. But the greatest OBJ
| lection to the Homestead law is its tendency to
| corrupt and demoralize our people. Men will
| make fair promises to obtain credit. They "wll
pay out of the first cotton sold, or bring you the
very first money they can raise" 1t is II lament
able fact that great many men, after they OBJ
tain credit by lying and dissimulation, become
quite aw'abiding. When you attempt to get
what is justly due you, they pretend to get an
CRY and tell you ITO help yourself; l claim the
benefit Of the law" thereby adding insult and
| dishonesty to lying. man that acts thus GER
tainly feels himself degraded in the eyes Ut all
honest men he must iccl despicablc and mean;
he knows he has acted dishonesty. In fact he
has made long stride toward the Penitentiary
| When man steps from the exalted plane vf
| truth, honesty and virtue, his duwnward course
in vice is often rapid, bringing him to disgrace
| ful end. Cursed with law upon our statutes
| for eleven years past which gives licclse to the
people of South Carolina to lie, and steal ndi-
| rectly, we need not be surprised ut the long list
of criminal cases in our Courts. ,f
| There is u notion among cur people that so
| long rs they keep within the bounds OF the law
they are shielded troui reproach it matters not
| how unjust the law may be. Fatal deusion
| Right and justice ever remain the same. They
emenate from Him who holds the scales of jus
lice, and lie wall reward every man according
| to his deeds.
| l remember an expression made by an intel
| ligent farmer, soon after the passage of the
| Homestead law. Says he, take away the law
to compel men to pay their debts and precious
few will pay" thought lightly OF it ut the
| IlUIc, out nave louuu IL " Uc true.
| recent writer says: "Some men have shell
tered themselves behind homestead and bank
| rupt laws. by all sorts of fraudulent practices,
they have conveyed their properly 10 others
| They are clothed in purple aud fine linen fare
| sumptuously ever day; drive fast horses ride in
the finest vehicles revel in luxury, while their
honest creditors with their wives and little ones,
cheated out of their hard earnings by lying and
all sorts OF sharp rascally practices, are suffer
ing for the necessaries OF life" Now, Mr., Edi-
tor, if the law works badly and tends to corrupt
and demoralize our people, which think no can
uid honest man can deny fhe has thought serious
| ly upon The subject, let us call convention this
Fall for the purpose of amending our Constitu-
| ton. The sooner we return to good old ante
6elium times in this respect the better il will be
| for rs. Then the man who refused 10 pay n
| just debt, was regarded rs dishonest. Well do
l remember how careful those good old citizens
were to lay up and he prepared TO meet prompt
| ly the demands against them as they became due
| but few waited to be dunucd even. But sad ia
relate, most of them have passed away and ihcir
sons are demorazed, from living under differ.
ent laws, and have ceased 10 follow in their foot.
steps.
As said in u former article, "somc men
attribute this state Of affairs to the late war,
and even try TO excuse the elves and quiet their
conscienccs in this way. Many Of your readers
remember the ready excuse of the soldie when
he did mean act during the war. "well, boys
it's war times, you know But it is too late
now, we must look elsewhere for the causes OF
our present condition.
few local Items and close. Rain is badly
needed. light shower fell here last night
Sunday which has livened up vegetation but
unless more comes soon early corn will be al
most failure. While writing, learn that in
portions Of this Township heavy rain glad
dened the hearts of the farmers last night
Cotton is standing the drought we'll 1t is very
small on red lands. Some complaint of lice
The new conner, mentioned by your correspon.
dent HOGAN, made its appearance in this sec
tion early in the spring and still persists in
committing its ravages, defying hot sun, dry
weather and everything else. Hope some Of
our scientists will give us history of the pest
1t is much larger than the common bud worm
about of an inch in length, covered with dark
brown spots. In its movements it appears to
be endeavoring to crawl through itself Glad
to see such fattering accounts of a largo yield
of small grain throughout the County 1t speaks
we'll for our farmers. Lot us raise all we con.
sumo at homo, then what Cotton we. can, and
our independence is secured.
| t, For the Times.