The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-04-19
|. The Homssteaa..

We-hope our legislature VIII pass
Ehomestesd exemption law. This law.
with astringent liquor law. will forever
prevent pauperism in this Stste. One OF
the heaviest taxes in the Eastern States.
and in Egland. is for the support OF pau
pers. Now.swe have the opportunity to
protect ourselves from this curse. Les
US try, and do it; efficiently, too. For,
Commercially. j. is simply the question,
how lew down shall we thrust man be-
fore we give him foo..hold to stand up,
! on; so that he may rise again.
The laws, heretofore, have mostly
been made to protect property, at the
expense,of humanity. Property can turn
a man into the streets for not paying rent:
then put him in JAIL. or into she work
house, for being in the streets. We hope
now to see the. laws made equal. Give
at least the same prominence to the pro-
lection of human rights. human happi-
ness, and human well being, that we do
to other. things.
The pioHeers tosKansas deserve well,
They have suffered mores dared more
and endured more than any other peo-
pie; and every one of them for'tliem-:
selves and their families. ought to be Sc:
cured in. q homestead. For, who amongst
us, has not beenin s'wearisome journeys.
in pefils of waters, in perils of robbers,
in perils by our own countrymen, in Pc
rils by the heathen, in perils in the city.
! in -perils in the wilderness. in perils in
the rivers; in WEAKNESS and painfulness,
in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, and in cold and naked
ness Besides these things, the cares of
the State come eupon US, and the burthens
Iof individual families, food and cloth
ing. care and shelter. nursing and watch
ings, in health and in sickness, to weary
the body and exhaust the mind. We
appeal to you, gentlemen, whom we have
selected to make our laws, to examine
this homestead feature Our wives may
at any moment become widows. and our
children orphans. and may by misfortune
be also penniless. How sad a condition
will that be-in a new country, many
hundreds of miles from home, kindred
and. friends, TO be left houseless, home
less and penniIess. to endure what none
can imagine, and but few can survive
We would respectfully suggest the fol-
lowing to nerve the arm and cheer the
heart of our brave pioneers:
l. Be it enacted, &C., that it shall be
lawful for every man being the head of
a family, ,;or every woman being the head
of family. or every family of orphan
children, living together as a. family, and
being citizens of Kansas, to hold exempt
from legal attachment, for debts of any
and every kind. dwelling house, in,
cluding the lot, in which said family
may reside, with all the books. furni-
ture, clothing, and other articles used by
said family in their said dwelling house.
g. 1t shall be further lawful for the
persons above described, following the
occupation of farming. to hold exempt
from attachment for debt, in addition to
the dwelling, farm of l6o- acres of
land, with. one pair of horses, one yoke
of oxen, FIVE cows and calves, five hogs,
twenty sheep, and all tools and imple-
ments used on farm for the purpose of
agriculture.
3. Itshall be lawful for any person or
persons described in section lst, and fol-
lowing some mechanical pursuit, to hold.
in addition1to' the dwelling, DC, as pro.
vided in section 1st, the shop with all the
tools used in The trade which he or they
may follow for a livelihood. with a stock
of 81 900.
4 1t shall be lawful for every person
or persons as described in section lst, and
following the business of merchandising,
to hold, in addition to his dwelling. the
storehouse and lot wherein he carries on
his business. and goods to the amount Of
81 900.
A law of this kind will make Kansas
ene OF the most populous, most wealthy,
most refined, most moral, and best educs.
ted, and best cultivated States ia the
Union: The country is adapted to
higher state of civilization and refine
mcmillan is comHsen; and the people
who are here. and those who are coming,
know how to appreciate the beauties and
blessings which are everywhere scatter
ed IN the greatest profusion. It will give
Permanence TO our inhabitants. Honest
men, and labcrers-the bone and sinew
Of The land. will hail it as a rainbow of |
promise, and harbinger of better days.
Sracfllz!Ors NAV oyr,osa a La. H. ..o. 1