The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-07-25
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.


,ure is that securing the inaienabiity OF
the homestead. We do not regard the ar
gnmcnt urged against the measure as worth
straw in comparison with the good which
the Suite and the people derive from it.
Something is needed to give the nomadlc
American an idea of permanent and sn-
cred home. and law of this kind is worth
something to give him hint Of this vaiu'
able idea. 1t is time that this nation began
TO cultivate home feelings, n regard for the
one spot where we were born, where cur
children were boru. and where we may col
Irct the dust of our families for generations
! II is not good ia ne forever TIM chanting
the family tree and scattering its branches
abroad. Though the bees may he crowded
in swarms from the parent hive. still let the
old hlve remnin, so that the wanderer may
be sure of finding some representative OF
his name on his return. Let man feel
that he has or can Ob,on n firm foothnId
somewhere on the green earth, and his ar rm
will be nerved with increasing energy in
bufding and adorning home. His WI"
will toll more checrfully, renr up her PFC
geny more hopefully. and inspire them with
more confident and independent spirit.
1t is said that debtors will enlrench them-
selves in their cas-, les. md set their credl-
tors n defiance, that if they cannot he re-
duced to n cond iiion in which it is mpossl'
bic for them to pny, they will be less likely
TO 2ny their debts But those who sny this
are infidrls, so far ut least ms want OF tal'h
i, man mikes them SUCH md the time is
coming when it will be seen that want o'
faith in is want of faith in God.-
IF you give man an extra arm Tor
labor. so Tint his resources are Increasrh'
will he be less likely TO pay his hon
est debts? If so, then when he becomes
unwilling to pay, cu, off his nrms entirely.
We cannot soc how making the homestead
pnr, of the man himself is to make him less
willing or less likely TO pay his debts. Sup
pose YOU educate man for profession ut
n cos, of one or two thousand dollars
! This profession cannot be stripped from
him-you have made that one or two thou
sand dollars inalicnnble property. II the
man becomes involved in debts beyond his
ability to pay Immediately. does any one
suppo &c thai the feet Of hia having pro-
fession which yields t~ice the income he
could earn without it. makes him NOR" un'
willing TO pay his debts. Does his creditor
look upon The money expended in learning
that profession as so much dcfrauded from
himself! Does any one look upon the sum
as so much defrnuded from community? We
think not, and we regard the exempted
homestead as just such property as a pro-
fessior, or gift of nature. 1t is part o'
the mans being, and men must dea! with
him lust as they would with man who
possessed some extraordinary faculty or ex'
traordinary strength.
1t is due to the weak ones-the wife and
the children of the family, 'hnt society oi
government should strengthen the roof tree
over their heads. The mother is rearing
her children as n gift to society. She can
not 20 out into the world. and work side by
side with her husband, and while she i:
pursuing her task OF home that HUSBAND
may bo disabled or dcl'rauded, or he may be-
come sot or o criminal. Saall the roof be
taken from over the heads of the family
home? We think it wise TO secure the wife
and children against such calami'ies. ant
we are glad to see the principle of home
stead exemption becoming more general il
these States,