Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-06-26

we Sshtisel, Published st Regersvlle, the county
town Of Col NErHzRLAHD's county. under the head.
"Col. NETHERLANDS Record" gives q eaustie re-
view of the defence of thAs gentleman of his
votes against the Exemption Laws We print the
article below:
Cot NETHERLANDS RECORD. We have hereto
fore said nothing in reference to Col. Netherlands
previous in the Legislature, that peculiar,
train Of legislative acts-or more properly styled
by Gov. Harris, "elass JsgislGtioa (which runs
throughout his legislative career, and clearly indi
Gates the genius Of the man.
AS in our system Of government all power ema-
nstes from the people, and Offices are held Temporal
rily, the peculiar views, passions and dispositions
of the officer not matter of such vital im9Or-
lance as in limited, especially, absolute
mouarchies where the peculiar bent or disposition
Of the governor gives cast and character to the gov
eminent. Principles should be discussed, and can
vassed, otherwise no resu II are gained, no ques-
lions settled, aud our elections and political con-
tess become mere tests of in eeetual strength but
little superior TO the prize riog ITSELF We were,
therefore, perfectly willing that the present contest
should be conducted in the discussion Of principles
as we were confident that Democracy had nothing
to iose By an investigation Of the real issues-or
the false that it was evident to be thrust
into the canvass.
We were therefore perfectly satisfied TO leave Mr..
Netherlands past political career, with all its Lib
crafty and StatesmaRshp, ''a0ne in its glory" with
the pifI apology his friends had liked up for him.
The liberal provision that every reasonable doubt
shall go to the benefit Of the prisoner. and though
the guilty may sometimes escape, better that ninety
aad nne do so than one innocent suffer, runs
back in criminal code 10 the liberal spirit,
imprisonment for 3ebt was sbolished-for though
sc Jundrels might Ike advantage OF this liberal
provision, better this than one honest suffer.
Following up this same liberal spirit with the
ligh eminent Of the age, the Exemption policy was
In reduced for though seou drels may take advaB-
tage of this provision, 1t was thought better this
than that poor, unfortunate good men, with their
families should be left 70 the tender merces Of the
Shylocks of the land
Against this liberal policy Mr.. Netheland voted.
| His friends said for him ne voted not his but
reflected the will of his constituents and as proof
that he did so, he afterwards voted for homestead
to The amount of five hundred dollars 10 be exempt
| ed from execnti n. Mr.. Netherlsnd, in his last
! speeches, thrusts aside this apology aud in argu
ment says this exemption Law is mere screen for
rascahty, and no honorable man will take adVan-
| tsge of It's Irovsions-'hat the poor mechanic
| whom sickness, or unforeseen or unavoidable misfOr
tune may have involved In debt, though he is con-
scious VIXEN health returns to his wasted frame he
fcan soon, with the cid of his tools, pay up every
! debt he owes, MIR. Nelherland maintains in argu-
ment he cannot honoraby reta these tools to feed
his hurgry family or pay his honest debts, even
the htd which he ttretshes his Tacked and suffer
| lBg HINES, from the lEOD Il tne Ony-
| l0cks-snd there no lew of thtm-Who would,
| in form of Law, wrench them from himI Or the
honest farmer still in the strength Of manhood who
has becsm master of asiDgls horse who rents some
land and by dint of hard hicks fu nish his grow
ing ia GIy Il necesaries Of life, he small
trac. Of land ne can purchase aud pride of an
honest heart, TO secure homes cad, humble as it
may be, he trusts his growing CROP the strength Of
his brawuy arm, aud gives his note for the same.
His crop may fall sickness m4y emaciate bis braEny
limbs or boUntiful harvest may yield full return
TO his hopeful Wishes and line his pockets with the
promises 10 pay of some sWiRdlng institutions of
the - proper restriction" stamp of Mr. Netherlands
creation, and thelaw can throw protection around
this honest unfortunate man thus swindle6 and ru-
| ined His horse, his COW, bis farming utensils must
all go-nay, his honor bleeds in Netherlands high
sense of it, he retsEs the to procure fuel or
food for his children crying for bread whilst this
proper restriction swinder not only goes scot free,
but rolls ia the luxury thus obtained through this
ignorant, honest mans ruin. II therefore becomes
matter of Interest to every one, as the wealth OF
those seemingly most secure often "tskes wings,
and especially of the mechanic and laborer, liable
at ali times to sickness and misfortune to it
in their support Of Col. Netherland how far they
are sanctiOnng this relic Of barbarism-this most
iiberal policy, verify If iron age and soulless
advocate, which plIces the unfortunate debtor, nay,
the to procure bread for his wife and child
rem, in the hands of the ruthless Shylocks of the
country. Whatever own feelings heretofore
have been in this matter, in its present aspect de-
Tended as it recently has been by Col Netherland,
in the face of superciliOus, upturned noses about
the ttleness of this matter Of those who have been
nursed in the lap Ofluxury, never known one stroke
Of misfortune, talk hugely honest of the last cent
going to pay mans houest debs, but before the
storms first peltings would shelter the mselves behind
assignments other equally eredtabIe refuge,
We intend to PRESS it upon the people, that Col
Netherlsnd voted "against eAemPting from execu'
zion the last hoe, the last plough and the last horse
in the hands of the farmer and the last set of tool;
in the hands of the mechanic