Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-03-30

few ride over the many, 'bot ted and spur.
red" Such has been the fate of the Re.
publies of the Old World-the humble
peasant has been forgotten, or over-pow-
cred by concentrated wealth, and thsAtrue
resources Of the nation lost or subyertod
amid the glare and spleador of royalty,
and the enchantment Of privilege. What
constitutes national wealth Not the
sum Of its splendid deeds, Ror the chival-
ric glory of her rulers but in the multi.
tude OF her people who produce wealth by
industry.
In Europe government is founded on
property, and in our country the doctrine
''iet government protect the rich and the
rich will take care of the poor" has pre-
vailed to certain extent, but the FREEDOM.
mating principles of Democracy has dis
PEELED the mist, and such anti-republican
notions have become obsolete. save in the
breast Of that faction who are of the "hish
and well born.''
Imprisonment for debt, is now looked
upon as relic of barbarity, and that ex-
emption laws are sanctioned by universal
|
the march of self government, is upward
and onward. 1t is needless TO refer to
the position that each state has taken in
the exemption of certain property from
execution; suffice il TO say that New Y rk
has excelied others in personal effects
yet Wisconsin in her infancy has taken a
more broad and democratic view of the
subject, and secured this blessing to her
people by ENGRAVING it in her fundamental
law. The amount of personal property
In New York exempt from execution, ex.
ceeds some three hundred dollars, bat this
is only legislative provisions creature
OF statute-which subsequent Legislative
body may repeal, and thus subject the in.
dustrlous poor to be stripped of their little
hoard, or even his person incareerated. as
the whim OF the law making power may
choose to dictate. The principle that one
Legislature may undo the acts of its pre-.
fderessoFs, brings this matter home with
concentric force, and bids US TO take a
position beyond the reach of cupidisy that
the little pittanee Of the poor, may never
be placed in jeopardy. Then will honest.
industry be rewarded and the poor man
teei that his government is his friend,
"sure and steadiast." Now, if the posi-,
ten is correct, that the genius of eur insti
tutions demand the protection Of the mass
in their lawful pursuits, then most assur-
edly it ought TO be Incorporated in the or.
GAME law Of the land. Nor is this an
unPrecedeht position. When the refrac-
tory barohs obtained tie :Magna Charter
from that vile King Joha, it was aad still
is styled the palladium of English liberty,
because it was a privilege beyond the
reach Of regal power, and must ever re I.
main an inherent right of Britons
That legislative action is in the main
for individual benefit, is consequent 10 the
usual commerce of life. Tho man whose
means are limited, moves ia circumscri.
bed sphere, with no prayer to the law
making power, save common protection,
by unremitting toll he precures the ''good
things" of this life, and perhaps adds to
the nations wealth, by rearing numerous
family, who. in their turn, become useful
members ofsociety. While on the other
hand, the petitioners who throng the leg
islative halls, the bills grated, the pYovis-
ions enacted, admonish US that tho mass
are forgotten amid the hustle and strife
! for special favoFs. Then lss the consti.
tuition throw a shield around her people,
impregnable against the Vaadsl spirit OF
monopoly and the desolatirg Influences OF
privilegeship. The spirit of reform is
abroad; many of the States in the con
federacy have or are about to revise their
several Constitutions, and the s'Great
West" not only profit by the e1peris ice
of their older sistcrheod, bot far excel them
in the race Of reformation. Ennebling
spirit! Can there exist more stable
and perfect guarantee that the glorious
institutions of our republic will be trans.
mitted to Posserity uninpaired, than that
such spirit of reform has aroused SOW
ereign people to unite and send forth their
| high behests to enlarge the field of uni
versal protection. Nobly has Wisconsin
attained position probably unparalleled
in the annals of civilized governments,
and points to that high destiny to which
man is ultimately called, when suffered to
enjoy the blessings of selfgovernment.
To be Continued.)
L
From the St. Louis Union of March 10.