Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-07-03
..xe pare Be Poor ser ana .har.r

sswe Dare be Poor for ali shat"
The Opposition candidsfe for 6eyernor is seeking
to create the Impression that the exemption laws are
intended as means Of enabling dishonest men 10
svOid the payment of their honest debts To this
end he appeals to his audiences to know if there IS
s man iH the crowd who desires thas II shield him
self from the payment Of an honest debt, and if So
he does net want his vote
This sophistry Of Col. NETHERLANDS Is
positive SANDER upon The principle and policy CT
the exemption laws ana Of abe popular ssniinent
ef Che people upon which they hsve baen snsetei;
but is, perhaps. the best defence he eau make for
having voted to subjec, to execution the last hoe
tke last plcw, and the last horse of the hsmbe hus
bsndmsn, and the last set Of mechanical tools in the
hands Of the industrious mechanic.
The exemption laws are based upoa no such idea
Is enabling debtor to apoid the payment of his
honest debts, no more than we're the stay-lsWs in
tended for such q purpose Upon the contrary,
they we're intended as safeguard, not only to the
dsbtor, but to the creditor; by guarding sglinst
that sbjeet poverty from which there is no rcsurrec
ton, sad by keeping in the hands Of every citi-
zen those implements of industry which are sbso-
luiely necessary as means of support and of max
ing something with which to meet his debts. The
history Of the world has sttesed the wisdom Of
throwing the protecting arm of the Law around
every citizen in such way that no misfortune shall
reduce him to beggsry and want, excep. such casu-
allies as the law cannot guard against So general
has bern this experience Of mankind that there is
scarcely State in TIE Union upon whose statute
books this wise policy has not been engFsfted.
Col. NETRRRLASD and his friends will have to
look to the aristOcraeies and despOtsms of En-
rope, where pauperism and serfdom constitute
8 large portion Of their society, 10 find the
practical workings of his mario E-min led and
selfish policy. Where Labor is chained t. The
rriumphsat Of Capital, and the many are the alb
eet vassals Of the few, there poverty is considered
S crime, and The unfortunate debtor is considered
the legitimate prey of the merciless creditor.
Thank Godl In free country more humanizing
sentiment prevails and it is considered one Of the
chief excelsncies Of lava that they guard scru
pulOusly against oppression.
But the exemption laws give no protection to any
property from debt contracted upon the faith Of saeh
property. They in way impair the sseredEess of
contracts. They simply provide that every citizen
who may secure to himself certain necessaries of
lfe or implements Of industry, shall be entitled to
hold them free from exesuion-not for debts exist
ing st the passage Of the lsw-bu for all subsequent
debts. The law in its wisdom, says TO society," This
amount or these particular articles Of property,
are regarded necessaries to support, and shall be
exempt from execution in the hands Of every cti-
zen, and epe credit gOen and ereyy dsbt contracted,
saEst Be in vsuO of this feet and NOT upon the faith Of
5hs.. ha 1a-v trg haNI-
ship to any one. No meroess shyloek can con-
plain thst be has not got his pound of Hesh, when it
Wss not so stipulated in The bond.
The exemption laws are general in their applica
tion--tbey are intended to protect all Those who
most need their generous protection frequently
persons who at scne period 10 life have been
reokoned among the fortunate and prosperous
There Is nothing dishonorsble, Col. Meth
RRLAND would intimate, IN being the subject
Of their favor Every citizen Of Tennessee stands
under their protecting shield. Thousands Of
unfortunate men, women and children have felt
indebted to this policy for bed TO sleep upon, sDu
for those implements of labor With which they could
earn livelihood. We can say, without any disre-
spect 10 Col. NETHERLAsD, that hundreds Of less
fortunate, but better than be is, have awaited
ss means not only of keeping their families from
want, but of meeting their honest debts.
1t does very we'll for Col NErHEnIAND, who new
er felt the hsrdships of pogerty-notWithstandiDg
the ridiculous farce he is now playing over the
State-to seandslizs the humane policy of the ex
emption laws; bat to the honest and rejecting la
boring people the subject appears very different.
Col. NErHRRLAND does not want the vote Of sn
humble man, who, oppressed with misfortunes and
poverty Would avail himself of the protection which
the Lew gives him to the last hoe, the last plow,
the last horse or the last set Of Mechanical tools,
as the means necessary to support his family but
ne covets the vote of the shaver, whose capital he
thinks it would not be dIshOnorable to exempt
from taxation; and of the wealthy man whose
pleasure carrisge Col. NETHERLASD also voted
should be placed among the articles exempt He
oovst the vote of the banker Ehom he thinks 1t per
fectly honorable to exempt from individual liabil-
ity to his banking creditors, most generally the dc
frauded note holders among the labOriDg people;
but he does not want the vote Of the humble man
who accepts the protection which the law gives HIN
TO the last barrel Of four the last pound of meat, or
she last bed to lie upon. To put forward such
man for Governor is an insult to the intelligence and
integrity of the people Of the State. He deserves
20 be defeated twenty-thOusaud votes, and if Gov.
HARMS majority stops short Of that the people will
have done injustice to their high character as Ten
nessesns.