Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-03-09

liz oGF notices OF the legislation OF the
recent session, No cannot undertake to
furuislA an explanation of every act that
was PaSaSd: &Ra pust omit such HS5Sfe
local IN theT operation or not ,of general
imp'iEtaucei Aud their relative importance
is TO be desided according 70 our own
Judgment, which We admit NIT to be an
infAllible test. Even Of those which we
notice, we can give the general features
only, emitting many Of their provisions
and details which are necessary to the
practical operation Of the law or proper
guards against its abuse. Yet every one
will naturally consider whatever Affects
himself as the most important, aud any
law which does not concern his own i'm.
mediate Interests as of little consequence.
We shall not, therefore, be surprised it
some Of our readers are disposed TO COM
plain Of our selections as containing "a good
deal that might have been omitted, and
emitting some things that ought to have
been inserted. However. this may be, we
proceed now to conclude what we have TO
say on the subject.
An act was passed March I'd, to amend
the law concerning free schools. 1t pro.
vides that the three school commissioner
to be elected for every township, and the
superintendent Of tree schools to lie elected
for every county, shall be elected on the
fourth Thursday of April next. and enter
upon their official duties at the same time
as other township officers, that is, Ton the
twentieth day of June next, after the cleo
ton at which they are chosen" The city
OF Wheeling, aud parts of townships con.
neeted Herewith, are, however, to remain
subject to The same school system which
was iu force within the city before the
enactment of the laws Of 1868, except that
it is to make reports AS other school dis
tricts, and 20 be subject to the State tax
for free schools and receive its proper dis.
tributive share of the general school fund.
A law for the encouragement OF foreign
emigration was passed on the Same day,
providing for the appointment Of a COM
missioner "tOr the purpose of soliciting
and organizing foreign emigration to this
State" The principal duties of this
officer are to be, to diffuse correct informu.
ton among those disposed TO emiErate
from Europe, respecting the political and
social condition of the State of West Viz.
ginia, the nature OF her climate, soil and
geographical features, her agricultural,
mineral and manufacturing resources, and
other information of interest or utility to
the emigrant AS there is no provision
made in this law tor any compensation to
the commissioner, or for defrayiug the
necessary expenses Of his agency, We fear
much cannot be expected to result from 1t,
toward turning the current of emigration
10 this direction.
The Stay Law expired on the LIST of Jan
usry OF this year, and the frequent efforts
which were made during the session to
renew it, were all veted down. A law,
however. was enacted to exempt ii certain
amount of property from sale for debt.
which will afford some measure of relief,
at least, to The AsbIOF. q He is allowed to
select out Of bis personal property what
ever be HAytprsfsl, aio . The value of Two
hundred dollars, aud hold the same ex.
emPr from execution. Provision is mx,ie
for the appraiSement OF the articles select
ed, if the creditor disputes the valuation.
As the law heretofore was, certain speci.
fed articles were exempt, for example:
COW, certain articles of household furui.
ture, cooking 5tOre, sewing machine,
family portraits, &c. This was very we'll,
If the debtor happened to have them, but
there was no equality in it. 1t only pro-
tected those who had the particular ar
ticles specified. The exemption in one
case might include three or four hundred
dollars worth Of property, aud another
not tenth part of that amount. We can
almost Imagine that the exemption of
sewing machines from sale for debt, was
devised by the manufacturers in order to
induce every poor man to purchase one.
This may not be SO; but a; all events, II
seems to US much better provision for
the debtor, to FIX the amount that is to be
exempt, aud allow him 10 select whatever
he deems most necessary for himself and
his family.
The same law allows the debtor to bold
real estate TO the value Of Eve hundred
dollars, exempt from execution or other
process for any debt contracted after June
l, 1864. Thrust appear of record that the
particular property intended to be 80 held,
has been appropriated to that purpose.-
Provision is made for the appraisemcut of
it, if required by creditors, and Tor secur-
ing the possession and use of it 10 the wife