Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-05
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP,

those misrepresentation are constantly being
repeated in other sheets, touching the provis
ions Of the bill for tho collection of debts. Il
is said to be "very summary, and will prove
oppressive to the poor" This is an appeal to
Ito the interests of those who contract debts
and would avoid the payment Of them, or Sc
delay the creditor as to injure his rights. II
lis discreditable objection, and goes to impai,
the obligation of contracts and good morals,
which ever enforce duties Of good faith and
punotuality in paying honest demands. Good
men spurn such arguments, which alone find
favor among the reckless OF the vicious
But this bill does not, in fact, PROPOSE any
harsh proceedings. In cases of all claims
under fifty dollars, the bill proposes no change
whatever from the existing legal provisions.
In cases Of all Gains over that sum, it copies
word for word the language of the new code of
Virginia on this subject It is the very same
law that now prevails across the Potomac and
which has served to promote, in no small do
gree, the commercial and business prospects of
our former fellow. citizens of Alexandria.
Do they, or any man among them, complain
|of it? Go and ask them if they are oppressed
by It, and it will be found that only the dis
honest debtor, he who would wish never to
pay his just debts, will complain of it. Tho
bill gives every man who is sued at least forty
five days to put in his defence after being
twice notified to do so, if he has one, or has
mono, before Judgment can be rendered to
bind his property. And if he has Defence
and will say so, it gives him such an ad-
ditional time as may be necessary to prove it,
Nothing can be more untrue than to say the
process is harsh or summary. In most of the
States, thers is a process of attachment, that
at once, at the beginning of suit, secures
the debtors property. No such provi sion is
in this bill. The process of recovering debts
is milder, more kind to debtors than that of
most of the States. Besides, the prov isions
Of this bill will bring the Maryland Home
stead Law here and the new constitution of
that State requires the Legislature to exempt
from execution the property of tho debtor to
sum not exceeding $500. This is done by
the thirty-ninth section of the Third article.
hence it will at once be seen that no process
however speedy, can Cypress poor debtor as
his property, to reasonable amount, not ex-
ceeding this sum, cannot be touched by exc.
cution.
The poor debtor will see at once how this
bill thus serves to protect instead of injuring
him. Interested persons who are fattening
on the enormous profits of tho present system,
are trying to get the humber classes of our
citizens to oppose and defeat this wholesome
measure of emancipation, by these false ap.
peals to their well known prejudices If they
succeed, all reform is defeated, as these men
want none, and will always find arguments to
defeat every scheme. There meyer was bill
moro liberal, more considerate to the rights
of all. 1t raises up the people here to the
condition of freemen. Let this bill be defeat
ed, and the poor and friendless, and all who
desire to see this District advance towards
freedom and acquire prosperity, will find that
they have lost their best friend and protector
We therefore warn our District of Columbia
readers to consider we'll what they are doing
AsVoA tA0 DAA AVA you4s0Av0S, cu0 uOt DC Iuto-
rested persons present it.
The Diplomatic and Consular System Be-
form Biu.-We have to congratulate the COM
mercial interest of the country on the fact,
that Mr.. Perkins, of Louisiana, has succeeded
in inducing the House to fix upon Tuesday
next for the consideration Of the bill named
above, in which that interest, more especially,
has SO much at stake. By-the-by, parties
whose own emoluments bid fair to be some
what interfered with by the enactment of the
measure, are at work to give members of Con-
gress erroneous ideas Of the condition Of our
consular and diplomatic systeps and of their
requirements. We but discharge plain duty
in warning the members against placing too
much confidence in appeals to their sympathy
from parties so Immediately interested in their
legislation on the subject The curse of the
age, with us, is special egislation-looking
out for the interest of particular individuals
in framing general bills. 1t is the fruitful
cause Of the failure Of much of the legislation
Of tho day, to accomplish the ends sought to be
oosoAu0V W transporting ooPPo1to1s Va mduy
measures originally brought forward with the
very best intentions.
The Pacific Railroad.-The temperance
Of Dr.. Gwin in the Senate chamber has already
revived the hopes of the friends Of the Pacific
railroad, in and out of Congress, inasmuch as
his energy, activity, forethought, and SO usu-
ally efficient influence, arc known to be of
vital importance to the success of the meas
ure. We have before stated that We saw no
prospect for it this winter. Yet its friends
seem to have rallied their spirits to an extent
since tho California Senator's arrival, which
betokens much severer struggle for it than
We anticipated week ago. He will evident.
ly, at least be able ere the session ends, to
give the project forward movement of great
importance, placing it in position from which,
under his future guidance of its helm, its de.
parture next winter will b on the high-road