The Legal Collection Of Debts

The Kalamazoo G;izetie dUputes our nssertion ihat " there haa not been a civilizcd naiion on the globe, fioin the beginning of time to this present jear, that has not had a code of la?8 lor the collection o.'debts." Itnttcmpls to convict us ol error by q-iotinu Morse's old Geography, as saying thnt the Hindous, before they were ucquaintcd with M69io:iaries and the cjforts to livilizet'icm," liad no sucli l;iws ; nor had ihey even salesmen fur thcir goods, but nianed the prices on their goocis, nnd tlie purchasers helped ibemselves and leit the money in their stead : and no 8uch thiiig as thefc was ever known or feared. Well, we cannot say but that respecta ble uld gentleman mny have related such a story nmong other wonderful narrations : bui oes ii ■.ppear that the Ilindoos were civilizcd at th úmcl We ratlier think not. Our asaeition extended only to " civilized " nations. The Gazette seems to conaider ua as arfirminy thnt the abolilion of the legal coliections of debis b)' law could never be obiained. Wo said no such thing. But we bclieve the abolition of legal collection8 must be preceded and nccompuntccl by very consideral and radical changes n ihe chniacter and intercourse of our ciii.ens, and n our instif.tiuiH generally. Any person ot all icq'iainted with legal business knows that a vasi .iruiy ofnnötersin chancery, ofjudges, attorniea, solicitors, sherifl'j, justices, constables, marshals. &c. live, move nnd have their being through the expenses of these legal coliections ; nnd (lint vcry inuch of our ïnnual legislation i devoted to the legal adjustment of the pecuniary .ealings of individuals and corporations. The whole Banking System would be swept to the winds at once by odopting the proposal of the Gazette. Chnnges of so radical a character, un(ried by eny civilized nntion, and in advance at least of vil modern legislation., can scarcely be looked for (ill one or two generalions to cone. Should we live long cnough, we ehould bc glau to see the result rather than otherwise. But in our opinión it should be gradually introduced. and tried first upon small sums. and afterwarus extended to those of a greater imount, os fastos experience ebouM point the way for the change We ore awnre. howcver, thai the whole lenden cy of legislation is alrcady setting in that direcsion by ihc exemptions of real and personal property. under various circumstances, from legal procesaos for debt. These exemptiona are constontly increasing in a'mount : and the freedom of the ilomesiead from legal !ÍQblities,when once esiablished, wil l bc n grect step towards the object sou glit by the Gozotte.