The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-08-12
Wing Legislation for the "poor
LabOrins Glass;"
Wing Legislation for the "highcr
classes" Of BankpuDtS,

our Wing Legislature. We allude to the +" Act in
amendment of Sec. G3 of chap. 2S of the Revised
Statues" which Bill may be found on page 4 Of
the Laws of Vermont for 1911. We insert the
law entire. and ask our readers candidly TO decide
upon the merits of the Law itself, and of the par
ty why brought it into cSisance.
5. IN, act in amendment of Section Ga Of
Chapter 28 QfMc Rerised Statutes.
II is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of
the State Of Vermont as follows;
Section 63 of Chapter 90 of the Revised Statu-
les, is so amended as to read as follows:
No person who is n resident citizen of this State,
shall be arrested or imprisoned by virtue of any
mcsne process which shall issue in an action loun-
ded on any contract, expressed or implied, made
or entered into alter the first day of January, 1899
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 at
tor,ey, praying out such writ, founded on such
contract, or an execution or n Judgement recovered
in IN acten 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 dercnden is about to
absmnd or remove from the State. or has sccrc,cd
aboi his person or elSeWheIc money or other
property, such writ or execution may issue against
and BE SERVED UPON .UJSTilE BODYeG!
VI HE DEfEN DENT!
Improved [by Gov. Paine Nov. 9, 1912.
I 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 being EXTREMITY harsh; but
this piece Of Wing legislation is ten fold worse
Under the old law, the debtor was admitted to his
oath at the time Of the judgement agans, him land
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 demand is left with an attorney for COL
lection. The debtor is known TO be destitute Of
property which Is liable TO attachment; and il Is
perfectly well understood that if n writ is issued
saiHst his body he viii appear before The JssiicS
hc Poor Debtors OATH What then is the course
aiken under this new Wing law' We answer, it
as follows, in nine cases ont of ten The allor.
my issues Il common writ of summons, aud after
having obtained judgement for The debt, issues
IN Execution against The boiy of the dercndcn,,
who has Nc alternative but TO pay the debt, or 10
rcm0ia in jail for Sir or tcclre days, leaving his
; Gmily who have no means of support save the
ruils Of his daily labor, to live as they best can
so matter how perfectly destitute the debtor may
-bc, if he plaintiff, or agent, or GtiorRey,"
will make affidavit "that he has good reasons to
bclicrC and does Jelicrc," that the dcfendcnt il
able TO pay the poor unfortunate man mus, remain
in Jail six, and in case the creditor lives out of the
County, twelve days, ant in most cases twice or
thrice that period, since the examination, be-
fore the Jail Commissioners, may be postponed on
the slightest and most frivolous prclcXt devised by
legal chicancry. Unfortunately, the working Of
this ,illainous and oppressive Wig Reiicr LGw
is but 10 well known IN this community. In many
cases have honest and worthy men, justly entitled
to be exempted liom imprisonment, been driven
10 sell their last cow or the very furniture Of their
houses, or the provisions for their families, 10
cape the gross oppression 10 which this infamous
law has exposed them.
The existing law furnishes not lie least oLsia,lc
10 the rapacily of the hard-hearc aud ayaricious
creditor, but throws the liberty Of every debtor
completely i, his power. lie may make the aiii
davt which Wing legislation requires, stating that
she has god reason 10 believe and does believe"
thu, the deendent "has money o; other property
secrcled about his person or elsewhere" withou,
even making single enquiry as 10 the circum-
stances the debtor. lie is bound 10 anSUCr no
oucstiou-and is not asked TO give reason for
his reler" Itwould seem as if the Legislature
had ben determined TO place the debtor complete
ly at lie mercy of the creditor FOR the existing law
takes away even the feeble protection which
nigh have been afforded by the eonscientiicn
scruples of hc interested plaintiff. lie sGLonoh
cbls led to make the affidavit pcrsonaP no,"jb;y5n
he uu,s 90, there il not the size pprnrv !;
Of furnishing him even for The, II Nc oitorre;!s :,
The creditor can fad OFT .Co ,r;U make ne nc 90
,um0 nn; ;a.; ;'6ut ofMe whoie population
es%g S S u IAN can be found 10 act as his
~, ''" r,r -" ,hy unhaOwod purpose, the end is
,. "s,mi the debtor IS dragged from his
moUn nd injured within the walls Of prison. rs
III, ,ho Entertainment, to which we were invited,
L. ,bs the sympathy Of whggcry for the dear peo-
,ls"--(or the '.poor laborer ~ We call upon the
I,oemen of Vermont 10 rise as one man and drag {
r,om their places the men who have so grossly I
ahn.,d their conference.-the man who under pre-
,orc, ol reform for the benefit Of the many, have
ior;Ia,ed for the few-and in all cases Tor the rich
~, lie expense of the poor is II not enough that
ho Ioors of every Town house, and the walls of
",sy bor.rocm are literally pdpered with sherf's
THAT poverty and ruin, depression Of phi
90. and and universal siagnatlon Of all branches
# industry, have come upon us--we must be
oc.ed up in dungeons 10 gut Inc savage sp''i {"
Wig legislation. Our h'arch 10 prosperity IS DC I,
WIS ,l,e ro,d 10 the poor house-our'tw dollars
corr and roa,, beef is changed 10 utter desiu
uO s,.h arc he fruits Of Ifhig legislation for =
- rre,i cIa,s--THE rooR"
'"I ToI the "hsher classes Dankrupis-ch q
J." "" INHERENT aspect. There are no Jals for W
P'es'"', far the ''ioirer orders" those who b
mf"- to'. yncnr dollars. But for gentleman, who ~
owe IL and thousands, lost in eXlravagant
owe .rd lofty schemes of linanciering, 1t ~
spec1"'h Ia escape from the evils oil poverty, Of
affords marpii bankrupt law sponges ont their VI
ana a." ,'yinklns Of an eye, and leaves them r.,
debts III inc m,u new and similar career Of VI
free to Ieco, ,I,ny Bnt such high privileges are sd