Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-12-30
Homestead Exemption Law.

Of the efforts on foot in the Legislature. and
which bid fair to prove successful, for the
repeal of this humane and wise provision Of
last winters legislation. This was one
act of our legislators which inspired the
heart of the pblantnropist with the hope
that better day had begun to dawn in
Ohio, when the time and talent of our Rep
resentatives should not be devoted exclu-
sively to the interests Of capital. in confer
ring upon it special and exclusive privileg-
es to plunder labor. 1t was an acknowl-
edgement and enforcing of that "higher
law" which regards the right of every man
and every family to home on earth, the
common inheritance which God has given
to his children, of which he might not be
dispossesse2 by reason of his own mis'or-
tunes, or which should not be stripped from
him by the caprice or cupidity of the willy
speculators who might seek to entangle
| him. 1t enabled the man who might be
50 unfortunate as to fall into the hands Of
ShvloUks to still save enough from the wreck
of his fortune, perhaps earned by life of
toll, to providil, for family dependent upon
his exsrtions for support, and to stand bold
ly up before the world an independent
man. 1t was an act for humanity, and
should command and receive the support
Of the friends of humanity every whe.e'--
1t did not prejudice the rights Of any, for Il:
did not take effect as against debts which
were contracted prior to its passage, and
debts contracted since the taking effect of
the law have been contracted with d.
rect reference to the exemptions Of the law.
But it is needless to argue the justice or pro-
priety Of this law in this community, for
there are very few who oppose it. 1t has,
we believe, received the support Of all three
OF the parties in this county and supported
by the resolutions of their conventions; and
this is the voice of the people of Portage to
the law makers of the State.
1t is but few years since the agitation
Of the Homestead Exemption doctrine was
FIRST broached, ard yet such has been the
general favor that it has received and such
its progress, that it has already been adopt
ed by over half the States of the Union, and
in one or two, at least it has become the
settled, permanent policy by being made
provision OF the fundamental law. Ohio
should not be behind her sister states in
humane acts. This, it seems to US, is not
the time to urge the repeal Of this law. We
should at least be willing to give it a
fair trial. This it has not yet had, for it
did not 60 into operation until last July,
and therefore has not been in force long e.
nough to test its operations. We should
learn something from other States where
similar la VS. have been longer in force, and
their beneficial effects have been so far
proved as to induce the people to make it
provision Of their Constitution, and to ap-
prove it by an overwhelming majority, as
have the people Of Michigan. We can
not but hope that better counsels will pre-
vail in our Legislature this winter than
these which seek the repeal of this law.
Nor ExAcTLY.-There are certain pa
pers that affect to see no difference between
the position Of President Fillmore and that
of Gov. Wood in reference to the Fugitive
Law, and they assert that the latter sus-
tains the Whig national administration i.
1t is true there may be some points in which
they concur. Gov. Wood believes the law
to be Constitutional, and so does the Presi-
dent. The Governor is opposed to violent
resistance of the law. In these two points
only do they agree, and in none other.
Now, are there no points of varience be-
tween these two men? Let those who think
there is none carefully peruse and compare
their views, as expressed in their messages,
upon the subject. The President says of
the adjustment measures of the last Con-
/ gress, Of which the Fugitive law was one,
l believe these measures to have been re-
quired by the circumstances and condition
Of the country. believe they were msces-
sary, TO allay asperities and animosities.
| He declares them to be "a settlement in
principle and s"bstanse-A FINAL SET
ELEMENT of the dangerous subjects which
they embrace" and be adds: 81 recon-
mend your adherence to the adjustment
established by those measures
The above shows that the President not
only endorses and approves this law, but is
utterly opposed 10 its repeal. Can any
corresponding sentiment be found in the
message of Gov. Wood? No, nothing like
it. He declares that "it is unacceptable to
a very large majority Of the people of the
North" He further says, @it is, in my O.
pinion, inexpedient." He further says:
"A law that makes exparte evidence con-