The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-10-02
"PooR DEBroRs.n

poor DEBTORS."
In the Ai1ertiser of Saturday appeared
communication signed Several Women
which was written for and sent to the Press,
but unayoidably laid over for several weeks.
Just as we were about giving it to the COM
positor, with few editorial comments, We
received note from the writer complaining
of delay, and attriOuting its non-appearance,
as zoe thought, to dishonorable motive-the
fear of influential party friends-and suggest
ing its immediate publication or return. Of
course we returned it, with a note saying that
its publication, if inserted in view Of the writ
er's note, might be cnsidered as coerced, and
we could not afford to create such an impress
sion on the mind Of any one.
Saturday it appeared in the Advertiser with
predatory note, in which the writer betray7
some degree of ignorance of the rules which
should govern every independent editor'
which We are quite sure govern Us IN SucH
matters. She is entirely mistaken IN suppca.
ing we returned the communication IN a num-
and equally mistaken in supposing we were
influenced by the opinions OF others, for we
know of no living man whose opinions we re-
spect, with whose views on the question she
touches we have the slightest acquaintance.
The Revised Statutes of 1S41 contain the
very provisions of law OF which the write
complains showing, by its antiquity, that n
parry considerations could weigh in any
mind in relation to the merits of the law il
question. 81
The writer is also mistaken in relation to the
cost of poor debtors disclosure. She puts it
at 500, certainly not less than $50. We are
quite sure that in all ordinary cases-where
there are few or no conplications-the disclos
ure may be made, especially where the de
mand is a small one, tor ten or dozen dol
lars expense to the debtor. 2n sn
As we have said on previous occasion,
there is no general law that may not result
in individual hardship, particularly if unjust
executors of the law happen to be entrust
ed with the matter No doubt there are sol
itary cases in which honest poor debtors hav
suffered under our law, and been locked up by
memorable creditors, but we believe for ev
cry such case hundreds of cases may be found
in which poor creditors have been swinded
by dishonest debtors, who, after gaining cred
it to meet their alleged absolute necessities,
have snapped their fingers in the faces of those
who had befriended them, and told them TO
whistle for their pay. We believe it is quite
time that poor creditors should receive some
sympathy as well as poor debtors; and we are
unable to see wherein our law is unjust. The
debtor, if honest in his disclosure, can in nine
ty-nine cases out Of ahundred, secure a dis
charge for small fee, and if he refuses to dis
close, or, disc'ojing property that should go to
pay his honest debts, refuses TO give it up, we
know not why little coercion is unjust o,
oppressive. The imprisonment is not for deb
but for obstinacy in refusing to disclose, or for
Withholding payment where he has property
not exempt by law, from being used to liqui
date his debt There my be legal bubbles
which advantage may be taken to Cypress al
honest man; and ifso, we viii go as far asan,
one to have them corrected, and to so modis
the law as to take out of it, as tar forth
possible, all liability Of peryersion and abuse.
We have no patience with those people who
aippantly assert that the laws Of our State arc
inhuman and oppressive towards the poor
that poverty is punished by law as though
were crime. 1t is not so. Our laws are a.
most wholly on the side of the debtor. The
poor man has more protection in this State
than in almost any other. A mans worlxin
tools, household furniture to a large extent
work horse, mich COW, pig, yoke of oxen
carts, plows, etc, are articles exempt from at
tachment together with many other thing
while months wages of the laboring man
secure against trustee. In fact, the law ALLOW
the poor debtor more property than is Offer
possessed by his poor creditor, whose goods he
obtains and then deems it hardship because
compelled to pay for Them ~
Manga poor widow has been defrauded
her board bills and made to suffer, by fellow
who would howl against the oppressive nature
of the laws, should she, as they were about
stepping on board boat or the cars to leave
the State, cause them to be arrested and re
quired to disgorge for the beef and bread they
had eaten at her table. We confess or
sympathies are with the poor woman, and
we have not a particle to waste upon the
scamps who would consider it smart to defraua
her. II the law is liza, lie to abuse correct it,
but we believe the principle on which it is
based u correct. and that to repeal it AMI al
so repeal the exemption laws now existing.
would De great disadvantage to the hone
poor man and five repeal oneclause, to b,
just to the creditor we should repeal the Other;
also. - ftstt ~ 4A ~
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