Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-08-05

fearlcssly and let tho people provide remedy
for tho consequences by tho means prescribed
by laws
It Is we'll known that tho constitution is tho
work Of Republicans and of Republican con-
vention, and that thai party is responsible for
any errors or defects it contains. In seeking
sunlight the convention orcatod darkness. In
striving to bc clear and specific, II destroyed the
full benefits intended to bo conferred. Are tho
Democrats responsible for this? Arc they 10
violate tho constitution and their oaths to secure
these lost benefits to q few, or should they not
rathor amend tho constitution and preserve their
integrity2
Is the Supreme Court in any sense RESPONSE
BILE, whatever bo tho political creed of its men,
bers' In its sphere It is supreme. It's powers
wisely and honestly executed, constitute tho
highest protection of tho rights Of the people
from aggressive legislation. It construcs the
constitution and laws Of tho State, and it's de-
oisiorc uphold or overthrow statutes of doubtful
! oonstituionality. In making these decisions
should tho Judges bc governed by their indi-
vidual opinions and prefcrences9 Is justice and
right and law to bo ascortained and established
by tho arbitrary will of tho judgcs2 To avoid
| hardship, which might be removed easily by
| loyal means, should our judges pervert tho law
and violate their oaths9 Such principle would
| destroy oil confidence in our courts, plaoo tho
law at the arbitrary will of few and undermine
tho security of life, liberty aud property
Judges arc not only bound by tho law, but in
| determining what is tho law arc and should bo
bound by those rules Of construction which aro
the outgrowth Of the wisdom and experience of
ages and are recognized and acted upon by all
civilized nations. In this way only arc We
secure from fluctuating constructions, involving
important interests, and it is far better for the
people and country to suffer slight hardship
for time than TO put at seq all law.
Upon just such rules and upon the theory that
tho constitution was tho supreme law Of tho
land, tho United States Supreme Court, COM
posed Of q majority of Republicans, decided in
Gum against Barry that tho homestead exemp-
ton allowed in Georgia, aud hence in every
State, was unconstitutional, null and void
as to all anteccdcnt contracts. This was
hardship on many Of our people and
wrestcd from them every article of property;
but was it not better than TO trample under foot
tho constitution and unsctLlc the law? The
sane occurred IN reference to contracts for tho
| purchase Of slaves in which our Republican
Supreme State Court rendered the decision,
| setting aside on ordinance passed by Rcpubi-
can State Convention, Wo think, then, the
decisions Of our present Supreme Court on tho
homestead aro we'll sustained aud do credit to
| tho integrity Of its members.
AS soon as possible after tho question was
raised and decided and it was seen that the law
operated uncqually and even harshly upon ono
GLASS of our citizens, the Democratic party pro-
| posed and its Legislature passed an ordinance
| proposing an amendment to the constitution, cx-
| tending equal protection to every head of n
family residing in this State, whether owning
| lands or not. This ordinance substitutes for
Section 80, of Article II general provision as
to exemptions of personally, leaving it to the
Legislature TO fix the character of tho property
to bo exempted II covers tho whole ground
and remedies fully the inequality complained Of.
1t has passed one Legislature, and if adopted by
vote of tho people In November, of which
| there is no doubt, it will then be passed again
by tho Legislature this winter and become tho
fundamental law Of tho land. Let no ono seek
to fix the responsibility for tho inequalities Of
the existing homestead law OH tho Democrats
They regret it and have proposed and will carry
out perfect remedy. Let us all, then, stand
together for Hancock and Democracy in the
State and National campaign.