Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-09-09
REPORT
Of the Select Committee on The Repeal
9. II. -. 1870, q e I'LL.

all la,cs for The collection Of debts -,
The committee to whom was referred the
petition OF VIM. Sales, and others, citizens
of Dodge county, asking the legislature to
abolish all laws for the collection OF debts,
have had the same under consideration, and
respectfully ask leave to Report:
That they are fully impressed with the
importance of the measure sought ioriby
the petition in question, and Will discuss ITS
merits as briefly as is consistent with sub
iect of that character. The idea of the abo-
iition OF the collection laws, however II may
star,le the admirer OF past OF present. 'nsu-
tutions, is one which IS growing rapidly "
the popular mind; one which inevitably
grows out of popular progress; and one
which, through progress, must sooner or la
ter become the policy of our government.
Whatever may be the chimeras OF Indlvld-
ual minds, your committee believed that the
popular instincts, when left free to pursue
the natural channels of progress, are never
wreng Under our government the NINA
of man is left comparatively free, and Its
march i'm asserting and regalnine human
rig hts has been steadily onward. Nearly ev-
ery one of the Fundamental laws of the sever
al states Of the Union have undergone modi~
fcaticn since their first establishment, and in
every one so changed, there has been high
Ter aud broader recognition OF the principles
OF liberty and equality, and of mans capac-
ty TO govern himself. Wrong after wrong,
tyranny after tyranny, falls before the prog
reSs e:ld expansion of Tie popular mind
and it cannot be doubted that through the
inevitable progressive principle, man will
one day stand forth, in perfect ireedom-the
lcontroller, not the creature OF elrcutnstan-
lces-neither the slave of pampered aris-
tocracy of wealth, nor OF political ntrlgues
and dependent as the planets
of heaven, but like them, moving one with
the other in perfect harmony. Such is the
ultimate result of progression, and the abo-
/ lition Of these laws, we look upon as one of
the first steps in the onward march.
Your committee are well aware, that a
policy, however wrong aud corrupt, which
has existed as long as the one sought to be
changed, has, from the efforts of man to
adapt himself to its operations, deep and
strong hold upon the popular mind, but il
lis hardly thought necessary, in this age of
the world, to advocate institutions because
they have been adopted by past ages--or
that because thing has been, it must OF ne
Icessity always be.
We are the descendants of men who once
lived in rude huts; who dressed in skins of
wild beasts, and who led in all respects
savage life. The argument against change
would have been just a. good ia their day
as il is 10 ours. Doubtless in the lapse of
a period of tune corresponding with that
which has passed from the savage condition
of our ancestors until the present period OF
our comparative civilization, the world VIII
witness moral and social changes in the con-
dition of man, quite equal to those already
witnessed, and marking as great degree OF
progress. Let us not, then, fear or scout a
measure wiIich is new. We are the law
making power of our young state, and It
becomes US to consider whether the measure
sought does not really belong to the spirit Of
the age; and whether il Is not really de-
manded for the moral, social and political
prosDerity of the great body of the people
az he age. The ideas of the child are not
those OF the man. As the child progresses
TO manhood, be puts off his old and puts on
new thoughts. The immaiurity Of the pop
ular mind is the childhood Of soeiety--the
expansion of the popular mind Is the pro-
gress to maturity OF society; and the ideas
Of to-day have no more right to claim 20 be
the ideas Of Tomorrow, than have the
tbougi1ts of thr child 10 be those of the man.
If IL he claimed by the advocates Of these
laws that Justice Will be violated BY their
IabrogatlulI, your committee are struck al
the outset with one important face: They
find the system of credits entirely voluntary.
No law exists compelling a man 70 give
credit. il rests with him to investigate 40
the chances Of payment aud deliberately
make up hrs mind as TO the good policy Of
trusting the indiy idusl seeking credit. hat
the creditor has a Just right y demand the
aplJiance of al The laws bearing upon a
.ctnfract whirh existed 1t the time sulh ron
tract vsas made, l. not denied. iecsuse sucn
laws did implicitly, II not expressly, enter
INTO aud become part of surh rontIaet,;
~, ,.Ilsn cra.lir Is entirely voluntary. il be.