Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-02-02

confined, and in short there are TelGrationt
and enactn,ents in fdror of the debtor, and al
| the expense of the creditor, running through
| the whole of our statute books.
| shall now briefly mention the many and
liberal exemptions in our laws in favor of poor
debtors, hoping that view ofall of them toge-
ther will satisfy some who have not E'1oi0' them,
| or have seen them so insulated, that the ag-
gregate appeared of little amount. And first,
in the warrant for the collection of taxes -
tools or implements necessary for his trade
or occupation, beasts Of the plough necessary
for the cultivation of his improved lands,
arms, utensils for housekeeping necessary for
upholding life, bedding, and apparel necessa-
ry for himself and family ;" none of these arti-
| Giles can be distrained for taxes. By an act
of 1906 "the wearing apparel, beds, bed
steads, bedding, and household utensils Of any
debtor, necessary for himself, his wife and
children, the tools Of any debtor, necessary
for his trade or occupation, the bibles and
school-books which may be in actual use in
his or her family, together with one cow and
one swine, shall be altogether exempted from
attachment and execution; and no civil Off
Ger shall attach, levy upon or take the same
or execution-proUided nevertheless, that the
beds and bedding exempted as aforesaid shall
not exceed one bed, bedstead and necessary
bedding to two persons, and household fdrni
ture the value of fifty dollars upon any just
appraisement." The statute of 1871 provides
IS that no person shall be committed to gaol,
or be liable to be imprisoned on any execu-
ton issued on any judgment founded on con-
tract, unless the debt or damage in such exc
cution shall exceed the sum of S5.n Another
act of 1914 provides, "tha: every citizen of
this Commonwealth shall have a right to
hold the following goods and chattels alto
gether exempted from attachment on mesne
process and execution, viz. six sheep, and two
tons of hay for the use of said sheep, and for
the use of cow, which is exempted from at
tachment by the act to which this is in addi-
ton ; prOrided, that from the first day of Octo-
Der, to the first day of April in each year no
more than sig sheep shall De exempted from
attachment, and provided also, that the value
OF said sheep shall in no case exceed the sum
of thirty dollars" In statute of 1918 it is
further enacted, "that every citizen of this
Commonwealth shall have right to hold the
following articles, altogether exempt from at
tachment on mesne process and execution,
viz. all cast-iron stoves, and stoves made of
sheet-iron, used exclusively for the purpose
of warming buildings; prOuided that not more
than one such stove to each building, owned
or occupied by the same person, or family,
shall be so exempted"
The foregoing recital of our laws must con-
vince every good cittse7, that they are full Of
benlgntty and humanity, and that those fire.
quent legislative interpretations conclusively
shew that the debtor hath been the faUored
party by the constant inroad that has been
made upon the ancient and ussted rights of the
creditor. One would think it was high time
for our poor debtors through the State to be
modest and silent, and for the bnrukTuptS and
desperadoes of the city to cease to besiege the
government with their an1port1tlitieS and men
aces. IdlerS and drunkards and gamblers and
prodigals and debaucheeS had better seek relief
In labor, in temperance, in frugality and chasti-
ty, and in the adoption and practice of every
UlrtuouS habit. An assiduous and persevering
attention to useful business, and leading lives
OF morality and paety, will be an easy, sure,
and permanent prevention from imprisonment.
The abolition of Imprisonment for debt would
do the andOlemt and profigate no coed, unless
theft tenaperS and habits are changed. The
innocent and uirtuouS debtor, who has done
the best he could, will never go to gaol; and
reformation will at once remove the ground
less complaints and the natural fears Of the
vicious, remiss, perverse, and factious. If the
poor debtor has always discharged the duties
of good and UirtuOus citizen, and will contin-
ue SO to do, he is in no more danger of being
sent to the County GaOI than to Botany Bag.
PUBLIC GOOD