Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-01-07
Minnesota, n Paradise for Debtors, vs.
Canada, n Paradise for Creditors.

In the Weekly Toronto, c. w J Gtote of
Dec 3D. 1875, find an editorial headed "a
Para,hse far Debtors,' in which he finds
ample scope for his narrow and crculn
scrlbel mind. He animadverts upon the
divorce law Of Indiana and then leaps into
Minnesota q suppose after some poor debt
or who was Obliged to flee thither to keep
from being stripped to the pit by vociier
Gus creditor=) and finding himself barred
from devourins his prey there by what he
is pleased to term dishonest law, viz: the
" Exemption and Homestead Law" sets up
most furious cry about the dishones legis
lators of that State. 1t is very possible
that Minnesota has overreached the mark
! lut if she has erred it has been on the right
side-on the side of mercy. But to my
story.
4 Paradise for Creditors. If a man
wants to own his debtors, body. soul and
hreeches, let him go to Canada. She seeks
distinction in that way, and is likely to gain
the summit of fame Her legislators have
decreed that it -hall be paradise for cred
itors that they have the sole right of own
ership without let or hindrance. All that
the debtor has is his, the only exemption
being the wife and children. and they are
in too many cases turned out Of house and
home TO starve or beg. Nothing exempt in
Canada, - ] homestead, no mechanics tools.
no beds nor bedding, nothing, not even IA
days provisions for the family however de
serving and Innocent they may he--al is
decreed to be and remain subject to the
heartless creditor. What more could
knave Of creditor desire
Bat the debtors-the Canadian law ma
kers never thought Of them, their wives or
children-they are all vassals. The only
wonder is that that wise government has
not authorized the ere litors to sell the wife
and children Of the debtor, which, in many
Cases, would be merciful proyision-bet-
do that than leave them to suffer and starve,
and to become the prey of vicious and de-
| signing men.
! To pass laws declaring in so many words
that tie creditor has right to give credit,
and to force upon the debtor all the goods
II his power, and then declare that tle
/ debt shall be paid even though it should
take the last sixrence and turn the innocent
aid destitute family into the street starving
i and despesed, are laws that ought to call
/ down TIE Just INDIGNATION Of Just and
mercfu' God. They are laws that any civ
| iIized country should be ashamed of, and
which the trainers should blush to acknowl-
edge
Her Legislators, being wise in their gene
ration, hide this Ubiquitous purposes under
a guse of eq'atn. They legalize swindling
! by compelling the innocent wife and help-
less children to pay what the unthoughtful
and often unfortunate husband has contract.
ed, and then call it equity They say that
people should not run in debt, ard to mend
the matter. fix the penalty Cat least the
heaviest part of il on the family, who may
whistle for something te eat and to wear
The principle Of such laws does not admit
of justification, Being oblique excepting
among the semi civilized, it ia little better
than downright robbery.
failing for debt has driven thousands of
honest and Industrious merchants and 9th
ers from Canada, to seek homes in the far
West and elsewhere, shuddering at the
very thought of being pent up in loathe-
some prison, they have left their native
homes, deploring the shortsightedness of
the lawmakers Of the land they loved, but
were forced to leave or go to Jail, because
they were unable to meet the demands of
their creditors, and how the poor refugees
are branded as dishonest because they have
/ gone to Minnesota, where there is an ex
emption and homestead law.
The editor of the Globe had better use
hi. energies to remedy the evil at home
He iced not go to Indiana or Minnesota to
find evils either in law or society.
A CANADIAN.