New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-04-11
The uomes,ead secure (.

~ place 10 live. Though nothing has ye
been done to provide homes for those who
need them, it is very much 10 have enacted
that family having home Of H. own shall
not be legally expelled thereirom beeaus" o.
the misfortune in business or even the dis
sipation and incOmpetency Of MS head-thai
is. shall not unless in satisfaction OF debts
heretofore contracted. Whoever now holds
the obligation to pay Of debtor may cn
force it at any time against the shelter o.
his family, because he is held 10 have a lien
or implied compact 10 that effect but tho
State gives fair notice that She viii be par
ty to no such compacts made hereafter II
q merchant or tayern-keeper chooses hcnc9-
forth to supply on credita man whoi, drink
ing out his character and substance with 'he
poison that Is destroying him, he must not
ask the State 10 take the roof from over that
mans family 70 satisfy his demand -
with all other debts and obligations. \. T..
endorses G. D's note meaning that lac viii
pay said note if the maker don't, but the
law no longer steps in to declare that. if the
endorsor can't otherwise pay, it will turn
his wife and children into the street. Their
dwelling. to the extent Of II 600 in value, Is
benceforth beyond his power to pledge in
any such ways held by the law TO be
more necessary to his family than the priv
legc Of thus risking it can be to him. Bear
in mind, therefore, all you who are called to
trust Tom, Dick and Harry, that You do not
trust them on the strength Of the last 81 900
worth of the value of their lIomcs-on 'hat
there is a lien which takes precedence OF
yours. If they have not character or dis
possible means, it may be well to consider
the safety of trusting at all in the premises.
But that is your affair; the law only informs
You Of its own provisions
The obligation to pay debts Is not iouha'
ed in human laws, nor bounded by uem'-
A debt is not paid because the debtor has a
certificate of bankruptcy; it must ever sub
sist until discharged in full or 10y compro-
mise to which the creditor is a party. But
a man is under other obligations than those
to his creditors obligations to his God, his
country, his family and himself. He has
no moral right to siarye himself nor freeze
his children in order to pay debt sooner
than lac otherwise could do it-he has no
right to pledge what is indispensable TO his
familv's health in order to help friend or
make a speculation. And what he has no
right himself to do, the law should not com
pei him to do Hereafter, in SO far as the
Homestead is concerned, the law of New
York will not attempt il.
We trust that among the fruits OF this
Exemption will be greater circumspcction
and discrimination in granting credits
Credit is one Of the best things man has de-
yised, and about the worst abused. Thou
sands live on credit who have no right to
any such thing. None but an honest man
ought TO be able to pass his word instead OF
coin-a rogue's word is not worth its face,
no matter how rich he may be. No one
should have facility TO run in debt for the
means Of ostentatious display, of sensual
qualification or Of hazardous adventure
Earn before YOU spend should be the gen
eral rule, and credit should be extended
mainly 10 those who use it 10 fit themselves
with the means and implements OF useful
productive labor. FIT were hencetorth I'M
possible for the great mass Of our farmers
and mechanics TO run up store-hills, II
would prove general blessing.
We trust that among the fruits of this Ex
emption will also be more universal desire
a more selfdenying endeavor, to own anc
enjoy Homes. Adequate homes are as ye
SO cheap in this country when compared
with their cost in Europe that the genera
apathy and carelessneSs Of our people with
regard to the possession of freeholds is de
plorable. Almost any young man whC
knows how 70 work at twenty-one might a
twenty-six own cottage and lot if city
mechanic, or tolerable dwelling and forty
to one hundred and sixty acres Of fair lane
if farmer, if he would really and steadil,
try. 1t is not the thing to marry and TAX
YOUR bride to some other mans house-it II
not fairly taking her home. If our young
men would earnestly, consistently try Il
have home Of their own for such occasions
there need no great proportion of them come
short of it. Blu, to efiec, anything they
must try thoroughly-put aside froics and
balls, save rarely--eschew idleness, pitch the
sparkling glass sheer overheard and send