The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-01-25
THE BANKRUPT LAW.


take effect on the first of February, is in dan
ger of repeal. Such indeed is the hot haste
of the repealers, most of whom are locos, to
effect this object, that they have overstepped
all the order of legislative proceedings, in the
House ofRepresentatives and rushed to the at
tack in the most disorderly and tumultuous
manner. For forty years efforts have almost
annually been made by the Just the wise and
philanthropic in congress, to restore the I'M
fortunate debtor to freedom, hope and useful
ness, upon the REIMBURSEMENT of his property
tie his creditors. One of the pledges given to
the country by the wing party was to relieve
this unfortunate class of our fellow citizens
from the multiplied and overwhelming en-
barrassments, which the crush.commerce,
crush-credit party had brought upon them by
their wretched experiments. The law is pas
sed. But just at the moment it was to take
effect, and hope had revived in the hearts of
hundreds of thousands of unfortunates who
were preparing to comply with its provisions,
a rough and savage attempt is made by the
myrmidons Of locofocoism and misguided wings
in congress to repeal it. 1t is not the lot of
humanity TO make law perfect. But not
content to remedy its defects and amend its
provisions, every letter and word must be in
stantly torn from the statute book, and every
man gagged by the previous question who
would oppose this inhuman legislation. If
there are men in congress who would endeav-
or to make political capital out of the tears
and groans of one hundred thousand fellow
beings, whose worth and virtue before their
pecuniary embarrassments were as unqUestion-
ed as the best men among US, we doubt not
the shafts of popular indignation will at length
overtake them.
Will the senate sanction this violent act
Of reputation in the Housed Or will the
President who recommended it, should con-
gress repeal it, veto the bil Time alone can
determine. But we extremely regret to find
wings who voted for the original bill allied
and some Of them among the foremost of our
iOCS III thiS hlChtu d law WHICH
we had ever regarded as wise. Just and humane,
and equally demanded by the good of the state
and the mutual interests Of the ere ditors and
debtor. And among these we were astonish
ed to find the name of member from Yer
mont, Mr. Young, the representative Of the
north western district. What has come across
the spirit of the dream of this gentleman
whom we have ever esteemed, that without as
signing any reason for changing his vote he
has suddenly taken sides with overgrown cap
italists to dash the cup of consolation and
hope from the lips of thousands who without
any fault of their own are now left to be pur-
sued by Shylock creditors though seizures and
Imprisonment to their graves, we are at loss |
to determine. If he designs to represent the
will of his constituents, we would ask him-Did I,
not the people of Vermont hail the passage of
this law a triumph TO the truly democratic
party. TO extend the hand of protection TO The
distressed OF whatever rank or condition Aud
when have you discovered any wavsing from
The humane position which they have ever taken
upon this subject. In Vermont, where single
creditor can snatch the whoe apparent properly
of the debtor. without contribution, and then
leave him under the TEMPTATION 10 conceal and
consume the fragments, because forever cut off
from the hope of retrieving his misfortunes, the
danger oil injustice and fraud, is but shadowy
excuse.
Besides sir. has not the success OF the wing
patty somelhin. 10 do with course which with
ers the hopes o. multitudes Of freemen who care
to the rescue in 1910, in confident belief, that
under whig rule the day was about TO dawn, when
the grasp If remorseless avarice was Ia be broken
and he captive debtor should be suffered 10 60
free But not only these men. but solvent iarm-
ers, manufacturers and merchants, who have been
seeking relefirom lorg accumuIating misfoIlunes
under The scour5es ofthe Two last Administrations,
must shrink dsheariened and disguised. from The
longer fellowship with party whose plighted
faith has been thus grossly violated, whose bond
of cohesion is rope of SAN, and who turn To-
day, with suicidal hand upon the fair offspring
which but yesterday they brought into existepce.
P. S.-The names Of wing members N the
House, who voted in favor of the Bankrupt Law
in July, and In repeal the same Law in January,
before i. had gone into effect, in number, are =
Augustus Young of Vermont, Sellers OF Mary
land, Cowen Of Ohio, Davis Of Kentucky, Ora
vens of Ind ana. Caruthers: Campbell and Will
liams Of Tennessee. We have not list Of those
who lodged the QUESTION.
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