Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-01-06
Che portage 5eutinel.
Homestead Exemption Law-The De-
mauds Of the Money Power.


Who are they that are striving to pro-
cure the repeal of the Homestead Exemp-
ton Law? Has it been demanded b. the
people? Its passage was received with
favor by the mass Of the people of every
section of the State, and that approval was
manifested in the resolutions of the peoples
conventions, and in many instances by those
Of all parties. And has there been any
public demonstrate ton in favor Of its repeal?
None that we have seen or heard Of. No,
it is only the capitalists Of the State who
are pstitioning the Legislature for its re-
peal. The same influence is at work 10
blot out this humane provision Of the law,
that at the same time would retain upon
the pages of the statute books Ten per cent.
Interest la ws TO eat up the earnings of in
dustry and oppress the people. 1t is the
same interest that winter after winter is
claiming and receiving at the hands Of the
peoples servants special privileges and ex.
emptions, which are fast reducing the peo-
pie to a state Of servitude to tit is the
money power Of the State. Whenever al
lusioa is made to the numerous privileges
and exemptions which this power claims
and enjoys, which are denied to the people
whenever the people are warned Of the
rapid strides it is making to gain complete
control Of legislation for its own advantage,
its devotees hold up their hands in holy hor-
r0rand charge such warning as an attemp, to
array labor against capitalize excite the
poor against the rich-while at the same
time they are employ ing their money and
energies to diyest the statute book Of every
provision which secures to man his birth
right-a home on the earth. They may
succeed in securing the repeal Of this law,
but if they do it will not be representation
Of the wishes Of the people.
lfthis policy of legislatiug for cspit al be
persisted in; if associated wealth is to en-
joy special privileges and exemptions, by
which it is enabled to divide to its holders
from 10 to 20 or i25 per cent. dividends
annually, drawn from the products Of in
dustry; if 10 per cent. interest laws are to
be continued in force TO enab bic cunning art
ful money shavers to take advantage Ct
unforeseen necessitous circumstances to strip
industry Of its hard earned reward, and
turn whole families, from decrepid old age
to helpless infancy, homeless and sbelterless
upon the charities, of the world; if the
public domain is to be thrown open to spec
ulators TO be withheld from the landless;
il this is to be the policy Of our Safe and
National Governments, while every act ex-
tending privileges or affording protection to
honest industry must be wiped out how long
will it be before this fair land will he
under the control Of power as tyrannical
as any of the nations of the old world! If
this policy is to continue, then is it not time
that labor should oppose the exactions Of
capital, and MAN assert his RIGHTS? That
such is the policy of this county must be
apparent to the most casual observer. The
legislation Of our own State shows beg.
carly account of anything that has been
done for man, for humanity, while every
winter brings to light some new mammoth
enterprise for the benefit Of associated capi-
tai. which demand legislative encourage
ment. The State is dotted over. with in
corporated companies which the Legisla-
turs has clothed with powers and privileges
which are denied TO the people. Millions
Of dollars of the wealth of these compa nies
is exempt from that taxation which the peo-
pie are compelled to endure. Thus has the
Legislature become the representative Of
wealth and not of Man.
And if we take a view Of the national
legislation, how different do we find mat
ters there7 Have not the cottonocracy, the
manufacturing interest, and the land spec
ulators every thing their own way as tho
they had ordered all themselves? For the
benefit Of capital, the revenues must be col
leeted by way of duties upon importations,
upon the necsssaries and comforts Of life,
that the burthens Of the Government may
not bear too heavily upon capital, and that
the interests Of a particular class may be
promoted at the expense OF the toiling, un-
protected many. Millions of acres of the
Public Lands, the common property OF the
people, are annually thrown into the mar
ket to be bought up by spectators and kept
from the possession OF settlers. What power,
thea, rules this country? Is it net the pow
er Of the purse-of wealth? 1sit not time
then, that privileges should have an end,
and the people begin to asser, their rights?
These questions are beginning to be un-
derstood by the people, and they are Begin