Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-01-15
Abolish all Law for the Collection OF Debt.

Abolish all Law for the Collection OF Debt
There is mach shrewd Argument, il
not sound reason in the following from
the Philadelphia -Aryus:
1t affords us great satisfaction to
see that the proposition with which
this article is gradually but surely
working its way, and the important
truth it carries with it, in the minds of
the community. At first sight there
appears to be, says the Boston Herald,
something too radical in it. We are
too much the slaves of old custom to
throw off at cnce, our reverence for,
and faith in, good old laws for the
collection of debts" We ask in amaze
mcnt what we shonld do without them
how shall we enforce payments what
security shall We have in using the
credit system, unless we can have, too
tie system OF laws we are asked to
abolish, to interpose for the safety and
security OF creditors against unwilling
or tricky debtors But as we ponder
over the proposition, these objections
disappear, the bug-bears vanish, and
we see in the abolition Of law for the
collection of debts, the iiras step taken
towards placing the credit system and
the relation between debtor and credit
or on firm and sure foundation,
\ writer in the New York Ecening
Post recommences the discussion OF
our proposition by characterizing the
law for the collection of debts as the
prominent absurdity of the nineteenth
century. Its continuance is surprising,
when its considered that among mer-
camille men Of the largest and longest
experience, nearly all agree that during
forty years the law has cost them far
more than it has ever saved. The
prominent and obvious arguments for
the repeal of these obvious arguments
for the repeal of these laws are stated
by this correspondent. 1t would tend
to purge the business community of
the rogues who now infest it. 1t would
make all debts, debts of honor, and
would thus make the character so
valuable, man who finds himself un-
apc to pay, would deem it his highest
privilege to prove to his creditors and
to the world his entire inability, Men
would not, then, shelter themselves
under the law, get Judgment at an
enormous expense, and after long
delay, o1ly to find in the end that the
debtor has no effects.
The debtor law should be abolished
for the protection of the CREDITOR
Debts could be collected far better
without, than they have ever been III
the law, Honest men would be re
licvcd from ruinous competition with
rogucs. Ii there was no law to collect
debts, any man who did not pay his
merchant, mechanic, butcher or baker
&c, would be Stunned and avoided,
unless he could show good reason for
not paying. He would be marked
man, with a character irrcvocably lost,
who undertook to shirk payment, the
pledge for which was his honor. As
the case now stands, the man who can
"do" his creditor out of honest pay
ments, by lawsuit, law expenses, and
the laws delays, is considered shrewd
cute chap, who has his cye-teeth cut.
Is it not worth something to make the
attempt to place the business transact
ions on higher basis than they are
now placed!
These views we have stated in for.
mer papers at greater length, and ar.
gued them with as much force and
clearness as we have been able to com.
mand. They have attracted good
deal of attention, and we have reason
to believe that the popular mind is be-
coming indocttlnatcd with them. The
present time, when the Statutes of the
Commonwealth are under revision
appears to be good and favorable
! time to introduce the reform we arc
contemplating. And we respectfully
. suggest to Gov. Banks, that recon-
mendation in his forthcoming message
to the Legislature, to consider til,
, proposition we are advocating, woulC
bring it before the public in legitimat.
,, and authoritative manner. A governor
never can signalize hims If SO much o.
: establish stronger claims upon thu
, gratitude of posterity than to be thu
first to recommend this great measure
, of reform upon the attention of the
people. By its adoption, society would
. save millions annually in expenses
millions annually in time, million.
annually in greater security for debts
and would gain incalculablyy in estab
, fishing better code Of morals and {
higher code of homer in business affair,
than have ever yet been recognized.