The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-08-05
Wing Legislation for the "poor
labOrins Glass;"
COMPARED WITH
Wing Legislation for the "higler
GlaSseS'' Of Bankrnpts,

amendment of Sec, IS Of chap. % cf the Revised
Statues" which Bill may be found on page OF
the Laws of Vermont for 1871. We insert the
law entire. and ask readers candidiy to decide
upon the merits Of the Law itself, and of the par
ty why brought it into eSislance.
5. I'm, .Aci in amendment of Section Ga Of
Chapter 2S of The Revised Statutes.
II is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of
the State of Vermont, as follows:
Section 63 of Chapter 20 of the Revised Smu-
ties, is so amended as to read as follows
No person who is resident citizen of this State,
shall be arrested or imprisoned by virtue of any
mesne process which shall issue in an action ioun-
ded on any contract, expressed or implied, made
or entered into after the first day of January 1889,
nor by virtue Of an execution issued on judgement
recovered in an action founded on such contract.
Provided, that if The plaintiff, his agent, or Ot-
torney, praying out such writ, founded on such
contract, or an execution or judgement recovered
in an actien founded on such contract, shall file
with the authority issuing such writ or affidavit
stating that he has good reasons TO BELIEVE,
and does BELIEVE that the defendent is about to
ahscond or remove from the State. or has secreted
about his person or elsewhere, money or other
property, such writ or execution may issue against
and BE SERVED UPON IU}~TllE BODY I'll.
OF THE DEPENDENT!
.ApproreR Thy Gov. Panel Nov. 9, 1912.
What scheme could possibly be planned, better
calculated to Cypress the poor man and unfortunate
debtor, and to place him completely at the mercy
Of the creditor The old Imprisonment law was
Justly complained Of as being extremity harsh; but
this piece of Wing legislation is ten fold WORSE
Under the old law, the debtor was admitted to his
oath ut the time of the Judgement against him ;and
thus if it appeared he was Enabled to pay, he
avoided Imprisonment altogether. But under this
Poor Mans Relief Bill" how stands the case'
Suppose n demand is left with an attorney for COL
lection. The debtor is known TO be destitute of
property which is liable TO attachment; aud it is
perfectly well understood that if writ is issued
against his body he will appear before the Justice,
nj the day appointed for trial, and avail himself Of
the Poor Debtors OATH What then is the course
taken under this new Wing law! We answer, it
is as follows, in nine cases ont of ten. The aitor-
nev issues common writ Of summons, and after
having obtained judgement for the debt, issues
an Execution against The body of the defendent,
who has no alternative but to pay the debt, or 10
remain in Jail for sir or twclre days, leaving his
family who have no means of support save the
frniis Of his daily ahor to live they best can,
No matter how perfectly destitute the debtor may
be. " if The plainiV, or agent, or attorneys"
will make affidavit, "that he has good reasons TO
beliere and does bclierc," that the dcfendent is
able to pay the poor unfortunate man must remain
in ail six, and in case the creditor lives out of the
County, twelve DAYS, and in most cases twice or
thrice that period since tho examination, be-
fore the Jail Commissioners, may be postponed on
the slighcs, and most frivolous preicSt devised by
legal chicnnery. Unfortunately, the working of
this riIlainous and oppressive Uhig Relief Law
is bnt to well known IN this community. IN many
cases have honest and worthy men, justly entitled
to be exempted from Imprisonment. been driven
10 sell their last cow or the very furniture of their
houses, or the provisions for their families, to es-
cape the gross oppression TO which this infamous
law has exposed them.
The existing law furnishes mol The least obstacle
10 the rnpacity Of the hnrd-heartcd aud avariclons
creditor, but throws the liberty Of every debtor
completely in his power. lie may make the ALI
davit which Wing legislation requires, stating that
che has good reason to believe and does believe"
that the delendent "hns money OF other properly
sccreiGd about his person or elsewhere WITHOUT
even making single enquiry as TO the c'rcnm
stances of the deblGr. He is bound 10 anSwer no
is not asked to give. reason Tor
his .srelicf" II would seem as il the Legislature
had been determined to place the Debtor complete
" at the mercy of the creditor for the existing law
might have been afforded by the conscientious
scruplcs of the interested plaintiff He is no, even
obliged to make the affidavit personality; although
If he does so, there is not the slightest possibility
of furnishing him even for the grossest perjury. 4
The creditor can find ont Of all The attorneys ia
Vermont, my ONE who ,ciN make The nee
essary afidarH, or If out Of The whole population
Of the State ann man can be found 10 act as ms
"agcni," for the unlialowed purpose, the end is
accomplishment debtor Is dragged from his
home and immurcd within the walls Of n prison. Us
this the entertainment TO which we were invited!
Is this the sympathy of whiggery for the dear peo-
ple'--ror the ''poor laborer - We call upon the
rreemen of Vermont, 10 rise ns one man and drag
from their places the men who have so grossly
abused their CONFERENCE.-The man who under pre-
ence Of reform for the benefit of the many, have
eaisated for the few--and in all cases for the rich
at the expense of the poor Is it not enough that
the doors of every town house, and the walls OF
every bar-room are literally papcred with sheriD's
safes that poverty and ruin, depression Of phi
ces, and and universal stngnatlon OF all branches
of industry, have come upon us--we must be
locked up in dungeons TO glut the savage spirit of
Wing legislation. Our march 10 prosperity is be-
come the road to the poor iouse--our''n dollars
day and roast beef is changed to utter dcslitu-
ton.
Such are the fruits Of TPhig legislation for
that great cldSs--THE PooR!!
For the "highcr classcss the Bankrnpis---It
presents different aspect. There are no jais for
hem-Mey arc for the "lOuer orders those who
owe fcw vulgar dollars. Bu, for gentleman who
owe hundreds and thousands, lost in eS,ravaeant
speculation and lofty schemes of fnanciering, 1t
affords happy escape from the evils of poverty,
and general bankrupt law sponses ont their
debts in the twinkling Of an eye, and leaves them
free TO recommencc new and similar career oil
fraud and villany. But such high privileges are
reserved for men of the "higher classes '-who
in the midst of all their misfortunes still iase
some $50 or $50 to pay Iawyers and commission
os. Stand back, thou poor laborer that owest 20
shllngs--lhe Jail must be thy home as for thy re-
pecla6ie neghbor that failed last week Tor half n
million he is Jree,-Bur. Sentinel.
Two Of the aiders and abeltors Of this " Poor