Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-06-01

1907 ~, lb4, I76!
1888 4O,4272Islu
Thus with population nearly quadrupled. our
exports IN 1885 amounted to within fraction of
the amount of exports thirty years preyiousl Our
imports Tor 1907, exceed those Of 1893 some
h0enty fire million dollars. During the same in
tervn, the expenses Of the Federal Government,
hive been multiplied by 8-amounting IN Ioss
.han 100000, in 1907, and 10 more than 40 600.
600 in 1888 now will any sane man tell us where
is the "over-nction" and "over-tradng" in Ibis
statement OF affairs? Have the people oyer-tra-
ded, or The Government"
10. Congress has no power to relieve dstress.
If this he ue,- Congress can do EVIL only evil and
that continually, and cannot relieve The SUFFERING, bon
let us havs no Congress: such one is worse than no,b
ing 1t is not true, however: ocofoco Congress u NOT
relieve dsross there is the dieutyand is 10 be oby-
ated by sending different men there.
III. "That Harrison s, or was, 1T heart, a
friend to the poor man, am prepared to doubt"
He " is in lavor of and has voted for, u law au-
thorlzing and requiring the sale of the poor man
IN bondage and degrading slavery for the payment
OF fine and costs for which he might be mulct.
ed or what is tantanount thereto"
Here IS vamped the stale oft refted SANDER that
Harrison voted 10 sell poor for debt Duncan knows
this charge be false he knows that the bill for which
Harrison voted is precisely the the existing law of
Name Massachusetts, Vermont and New York he knows
|
nent ocos ia Ohio and similar one BY no less distinguish
ed locof,co leader than Benz F. Butler of New York
late member of Van Buren's cabinet lie knows that its
design beneucnt strictly SOFT being relieve men
from the bondage Ct actual chains prison-was and to
enable them 10 work out their fines instead Of oins Jail
and yet he arrays anew, and sends the people in
such shape to misead and deceive The unwary
fix stigma upon Gen HARRISON for which was really
honorable testimony the benevoence and goodness of
his heart. The castgaton given below, Ohio pa
per- administered years since persons Of similar
character TO Duncan with excellent effect and we commend
it to his special attention.
"We say again and again, for the information
Of distant readers, that the law on which General
HARRISON voted had nothing to do with debts or
debtors. IL was no part of our cipil code. 1t re-
lated only to the punishment OF scoundrels and
rogues, (of Ike character Nth those tpho circulated
this cdlumny,) such as break into their neighbours
houses at night to steal and plunder-such as burn
haystacks, kill horses and cattle remove landmarks
obtain money under false pretences, destroy brdg-
es, break down tombstones rob the graves of their
dead, live in state of iorncation assist prisoners
TO escape from justice, &c. 1t had no connection
with The debts or business of an honest man. Fell
ons and uitdins alone came within its cosnizance
and none but feion's n villains heart could
be so base to attribute 10 n valiant and faithful
poor old soldier, like HARRISON, design to sell his
neighbor for debt | have no charity for such
men. / mean such as have seen the law, or are
acquainted with the true facts of the case.'
And here let notice way in which the loco. con-
trivc to give entirely false aspect the bill in question,
viz by quoting speech Of Robert Lucas against IT. which
he suproses this case:
| patriot of the revolution is insuted by an
enemy of his country and thus provoked to com.
init an assault in defending the honor Of his gov
ernment-by our laws he might be prosecuted
apd fined. He is poor and unable to pay the fine
Mark-bcfoe this be brought within the act il
necessary to suppose assault committed nothing
short Of that execution for costs Of eivl suit for
deb, would within this But Mr.. Lucas pro.
ceeds:
"What would follow under the provisions of
this section? He is publicly advertised to be sold
he is dragged by the crier along the streets, the
man who provoked the assault bids the amount of
the fine and the shortest time of service, say forty
yen sand the old patriot is knocked off to his
pefse cutor into bondage"
very hard case apparently but what will be said when
is shown that such could possibly under the
section for which Harrison voted? This is the fac in
der to meet tbs and all other of hardship which
could possibly arise and prevent the least abuse injury
Whatever the very section question contained the follow
ing provision;
"But nothing therein mentioned shall be con-
strued 10 preUe persons from being discharged from
imprisonment, according TO the provisions of the
act TO which this is supplementary, u shall be
erpedieni 10 grant such discharge"
So, this all the charge ag,nst Harrison the
bill for which he voted spilled on eminais-tO them it
ient in all its parsand contained clause especial
Il providing for Their free discharge all where
podent What vii al just liberal and high minded men
think of the honesty Of Doc Duncan and the ocOocO press
es in using this matter they do?
We will close notice of this foul SANDER with the fol-
lowing letter to ]. II. Peasants, Richmond, Va.
R,oHMoND Sept Is, 1886.
DEAR SIR-I acknowledge the receipt OF your
favor of this date. have before heard Of the ac-
cusaton 10 which il refers. On my way hither, /
met Yesterday young gentleman from Marylan
S who informed me that vote of mine in the SEN
mic of Ohio Ind been published, in favor of law
10 sell persons imprisoned under judgem ent for
debt for term of years, if unable TO discharge
the execution. did not for moment hesitate 10
declare that had never given any such vote, and
that liza vote of that description had been publish
cd gnd ascribed TO me, il was an infamous forgery
Such an act would have been repugnont to my
feelings, and in direct conflict with my own opin-
ions, public and private, through the whole course
Of my life. No such proposition was ever sub
mitted to the Legislature of obio,-none such
would for a moment have been entertained nor
n would any son of hers have dared TO propose IL.
e So far from being ,OiiHng to sell men for debts
,ehicI Mcy are tmbls TO discharge, am, and ever
!, have been opposed to all imprisonment Of debt