The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-29
AN UNrAIR CRITIC.


made upon the course of the lNTRLLI-
GRNcER, and other papers, as touching
the resolutions recently adopted at the
meeting of portion Of the farmers OF
Savannah Township, relative to the set
tlement of debts due by the farmers Of
that section. II our supposition as TO
the author of that article be correct, VIC
offered the writer the use Of our columns
to correct any misrepresentation that has
occurred, either in the INTELLIGHSCER
or any other paper from which we quot
ed. He has not seen fit to avail himself
of that offer, but has sought to misrepre-
sent the whole tenor and purpose OF
our editorial, where the editorial haD
not been seen to speak for itself he
charges that "the Anderson ISTELLiGBS-
GER, the Charleston Neus and Courier,
and the Atlanta Constitution, have each
and all assailed us with unity of invec-
tive and an agreement Of misrepresenta.
ton which strongly suggest unity of in
sp;ration." This is truly eccentric to
come from man who can use the Eug-
iish language. If Savannah" will show
us q single sentence in our editorial that
comes under the definition Of invectivc,
We shall be surprised. He will be still
further troubled to show any misrepre-
sentation. We have only stated what
the resolutions tended to, without at
tempting to do more than show wherein
they would work harm, and the only
unity Of inspiration between the papers
mentioned, was the sense of right which
each possessed. There was no commu-
nicaton, and no one Of them knew what
the ideas of the otnes as to the resolu-
tions we're.
Savannah" who we believe was the
author of the resolutions, next says:
"Three several charges are made against
us, all of which are equally false lat.
Reputation; End. Subverting the law,
and particularly the blessed and never
sufficiently glorifed lien law 3rd.
Denouncing as public enemies creditors
who collect their just claims by law"
Nov, let US see whether these charges
are true as to the last two specifications.
for We said nothing about repudiation.
The third and fourth resolutions were:
Resolred, 3rd, That such payments rs we
nre able to make shall be divided pro rata
among all the debts incurred in the max
ing Of the present crop.
Rcsoirtd, 4tb, That we shall regard as O
public enemy any man who attempts to
from any farmer who complies with the
3rd resolution.
Now, if the third resolution does not
subvert the law, nothing can subvert it,
for the law requires the lien for rent to
the one-third of the crop to be paid in
full before cny other payments, and after
that any mortgages or liens in the order
of priority. This resolution proposes to
pay pro rata upon all debts incurred,
wheiAe- secured or unsecured, and, there.
fore, unless all are paid in full, the reso.
luton does subvert the law. Not only
this. it pledges men to DO that which is
crime for them to do, for if party sells
property covered by g lien, and pays the
proceeds to some other creditor, he is
liable to prosecution. We are very free
to admit The. ssss;'o rata payments upon ail
Of ones debts, as far az his ability will
permit, is high-toned and honorable, ex-
cept where the law has provided other
wise, and we presume that this fact in
deced the passage of the resolution by
the Savanaah farmers, without thinking
about the legal provisions as to crops
upon which liens exist. Now, if the
third resolution does no. denounce men
for collecting their just debts as public
enemies, then the English language haa
no meaning; and, what is more, "Savan-
nah" knew this %hen he charged that
the statement was false, for he says fur
ther on in his article: "As to tho public
enemy resolution, we can't take it back"
We leave it for him and on enlightened
public to decide how for It is consistent
with honor for man 10 charge that q
statement is false which he knows to be
true.
The resolution charging that man
who sues for his just debt Is q public
enemy, is wholly without justification,
for he who does 80 only exercises the
rights which the laws of his country
and the contract in each case give him.
No man is public enemy who obeys
the laws of his country, and no set of
men can make him so by resolutions.
Savannah" says the object of the
meeting was to pay as far as their ability
went, and then get time en- the balance.
This was all right, and in every case where
it is carried out, we have no doubt the
parties will be accorded the necessary
extension, but public meeting was not
necessary to secure it. This was u mat.
ter to be arranged between the debtor
aud his creditor, and not by the debtors
independent Of the creditors.
The meeting was, we shink, an unfor-
tunate one, and we tried by o courteous
and candid statement Of our views to
prevent its resolutions from being gene
rally adopted, for we believed they would
work mischief. We know the citizens
of Savannah Township, and know them
to be higb!toped, honorable men, but
THE does hot prevent them from making
6 mistake. and the consequences of q
mistake on their part is likely to be all