Year: 1872

300 years, he found, by patient examination,
the records of bells cast for St. MichaePs
Church, Charleston, S. c., in 1859. The pro-
portions of the metal, and the sizes Of the bells,
were all entered in the books and the present
Meares engaged to turn out new set, which,
when hung, should make the Charlestonians
themselves think they heard their veritable
old bells. But Mr.. Prioleau was not content
with this; he wrote back to have all the frag-
ments that could be found sent out, and this
was done. Meanwhile, Meares found still in
their service an old man of seventy-six, who
had been an apprentice under the very fore
man who, more than 100 years before, had
cast these bellies and he, stimulated by Prio-
leau's generosity, never rested till he brought
to light the very original moulds for the cast.
ings. Into them the new metal was melted
with careful distribution of the broken frag-
ments, so as to make the illusion reality.
All that was wanting to make up the cast
Mr.. Prioleau added, and the reward of his
perseverance and generosity was to send to
the vestry these new bells which are the very
old ones still. Again did the congregation
with tears and thanksgiving receive the bells
from this their fifth voyage across the Allan
tic, and hung them up in St. Michaels steeple.


May they never again be removed by the
rough hand of war, or ever sound aught but
peace on earth and good will toward men.


THE HOMESTEAD AND BANKRUPT LAWS.


The Statesville IN. CO. american says that
case will soon be carried up to the Supreme
Court of the United States, involving the ques-
ton of the constitutionality Of the retrospect
i've feature of the homestead law. If the Su-
preme Court of the United States should de-
eide, as it is generally believed it will, that
the retrospective feature Of the homestead pro-
vision of our State Constitution is in conflict
with the Constitution of the United States,
then all the homestead men, who owe old
debts, must lose their homesteads, unless they
promptly avail themselves Of the bankrupt
law. This is matter that becomes all inter-
ested to enquire into at once, otherwise they
may soon find themselves without home
stead. The case, we learn, will be carried up
by Mr.. N. H. D. Wilson, Assignee Of the
Bank of Cape Fear"


To which the Greensboro Ne,o North State
says: "In Virginia the Supreme Court of
Appeals has decided that the homestead pro-
vision is not good against old debts. Judge
Rives, of the U. S. Court in that State, in
recent decision, held that the Bankrupt
Court must accept the construction given to
the homestead law by the Suprt me Court Of the
State and therefore, in bankruptcy, the pc.
titioner is not entitled to the homestead ex-
emption provided for in the Virginia Consti-
tuition, as against debts contracted prior to
the adoption of that Constitution. Should
the Supreme Court of the United States re-
verse the decision of our Supreme Court on
the homestead question, (and there is every
reason to think it will,) debtors in North
Carolina who shall not have saved tn cir
homesteads by going into bank ruptcy, will
lose everything In connection with this, it
is but proper to state that there is pending in
Congress bill for the repeal of the bankrupt
law which was introduced last winter. The
debtor who takes the benefit of the bankrupt
law relieves himself not only of the burden of
his ordinary debts, but he removes the judg-
ments that are hanging over his homestead,
and places his home in such condition that
he can sell it free from all membranes if he
sees fit to do so. The discharged bankrupt
who had his homestead laid off to him under
the State laws, will hold it in absolute fee, free
from any judgment lien for the simple rea-
son that his discharge in bankruptcy dis
charges him from any liability on the judg-
ment; and the judgment being discharged,
there can be no lien by virtue thereof"