Year: 1859

Senate bill No. 483, "a supplement to an
act to exempt property to the value of three
hundred dollars from levy and sale on execu-
ten and distress from rent, approved April 8,
lS49," came up in order on second reading ;
when, the question being upon the second Sec
tOn


Mr. MYER said In bringing to the notice
Of the Senate the proposition contained in this
BILL am endeavorng Only to carry out what
| believe to be the true intent and meaning Of
the Legislature of lS49, which passed the law
commonly called the three hundred dollar ex-
emption law" By an examination into the
history Of the exemption laws passed at differ
ent times, | find that the great principle of hui
manity, upon which all exemption laws are
fOuaded, first received the attention and favor
able consideration of Pennsylvania Lcgisla-
tnre, in the year 1914 and as an evidence of
the feeling that prompted them to the action
then had upon this subject, | will call your at
tentiOn to the title of the act referred to- 1t is
in these truly expressive words" an act to
promote the comfort of the poor" A few years
later in the history of our State, in the year





the act of 1914, Slight and inefficient though
it was, was favorable to the accomplishment
Of the object sought to be obtained, the LegiS-
lature passed two other acts of like import and
similar title, keeping still in view the idea that
must have then been prominently in view as
before, of promoting the general happiness and
prosperity of the whole people


The acts to which / have referred are ia
themselves unimportant so far as the amount
Ofproperty that was really exempt from levy
and sale by remorseless and unfeeling creditors
was concerned, bat they are of vast Importance
asexhibitng the spirit that animated the hearts
Of the men who were called upon to conduct
the affairs of state at that day, and prove that
the people had really considered those measures
as beneficial, slight as was the exemption that
was then secured to the unfortunate debtor and
those that were dependent upon him. As the
good result of these laws more and more de
velopcd themselves, the people began more
and more to turn their favorable regards to
the subject, and in 1923 the members of this
and the other House, then, as before, coming
directly from the people, and in this, as in all
Truly republican governments, being the re-
pFeSentatlyeS of an enlightened public Senti-
ment, passed law eXempting property, which
cannot be put down at less than two hundred
an. and seventy five dollars, from levy or sale
Inns law, although operating unequally in con.
leFrlng Its benefits, was productive of great
sooG to the people. 1t cast around the home
vi Tue poor and industrious citizen the shield
=. protection, and held out to him that induce.
oonG5a lvIt ana incentive TO action, by creating a
u,n4 nueace ~ and certain security in the enjoy
nnn1foUt. ~ " nome surrounded by the necessary
toii,ol.s oI HE, which seldom, if ever, failed
10 INSPIRE man with sufficient ambition to ac,
tulhplate what the law permits him to hold for
tue sue oenenV OF himself and family, and fixed
forever 5 In the minds of our people the Justice
q Suu proPrlety OF liberal law of exemption.-
% rapid was the progress of reform in this di.
iec''on' that IN 1912, the odious Imprisonment
act, one of the relics of barbarism was swent
from the statute books, never again to be r..
produced to disgrace the history of our legaI
proceedings. Were disposed to travel hack
aua instance, as could be done. the suffering
ana misery which were the legitimate and dis
graceful results of the enforcement of this ab
''oa'ee law, Knight draw pictures that would