wm ^^ S^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) ^* .v".'%' 4 C ^°^% <^ z ^ .d> 1.0 I.I 1,25 1^ ^ m 12(8 |25 IE 2.0 1.4 1.8 1.6 V] m ^ ^ /:»' M- <-^ ^/^ Photographic ScieRces Coiporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (71«) 872-4503 1 > ^$ ^^ ^N [v^. ^.>i ;\ -/^o ^^ ;> '^^ %^ ■^ 'ifc v.. «? .^^,^- f/. % CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVS/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. 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Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of a Committee appdWd to Enquire into the necessity, propriety and expeMloy of petitioning tlie Jegislature, praying for the Abolition of all legal authority for the Colleoiion of debts unjer one hundred dollars, or such sum as may be decided upon, consisting of Messr*. Dioltson, Holmes, Rastall, Valentine and Qunn. llaving considered the maiter ns maturely n» the limited time at our disposal on this occasion will pormit, beij leave to report; — That after making duo allowance for that portion of the destitution lately prevalent i.i a great extent of these United Counties, justly ntlrlbutiibic to causes beyond human control, Your Committee are satisfied that a large pro- poriion of tjie distress consequent on that des- litnlion arose from the activity which pre* vailed, for some years previously, in the sueing process in the Division Courts. Through the results o( this sueing process, the poor settlers ■were, in inany instances, completely fleeced "■'d despoiled ol llieir entire availublo means of existence, and lett utieily destitute of re- sources when visited by the partial failure in I he crops of 1868. Your Committee beg it to be distinctly un- derstood thai they have no desire to lay tliii •tate of things to the charge of the Division Courts, notwithxtanding the ruinous and ex- orbitant extravaoance of their cost!", and the grinding oppression on the parf. ot SnduiJual officers of Kuch Courts in certain instances of limited occurrence. The Division Courts, in the opinion of your Committee, aie but a necessary and ineviuble consequence of the ptesoiit'stateofe.\isting laws for llie recovery ot small debts. And so long as the liiw luriiishes a retuedy for the collection of petty debts, and "teps m as an extorting agency in the shape of a duti, in the trinsaulions between man and man, in the niluie of buyer and seller, nn interference which, excet)t in ciaes of n fraudulent nature, your Comniittco nre of opiiiion it is inexpedient, either on the grounds of justice or morality, to invok-' ; so lona will the perpetuation of the Division Conns, or some sitnilaily oppressive and demoraliziiii; ins'.runientality be rendered necessary. Ycur Committee have neither time nor on- portunity, at present, to investigate tlio record.s of tlio Division Courts, or to ascortaiii fortlieiDsolves, from figures, the results of I lie operations of these Couita for some years past. They have goad reason to believe, however, that in a large proportion of cases tried in Ihojo United Counties, and in Counties adji- cent thereunto, the sum-total of the heartrend- ing process of the seizure, sale and sacrifice of property, alas, in too many instances, with the Hiter blasting and ruination of life pros- pects, in a peouniaiy point of view, to say nothing for thwconsi'iuent inipoverlzatioii of the community as a whole, and the certain demoralization of private and pHblic virtue, honor and juslie, has resulted in barely pay- ing tlie costs ^f action— leaving the debt still haiig'ng over the devoted head of the ruined debtor, and in maiy instances beyond the reacli of the relentless creditor. It will thus be seen that to a very great extent, the present state of things, in regard to the collection of small debts, is alike ruinous to debtor aa4 creditor. The application of the machinery requtsito in working out the suing process in the Divis-- ion Courts involves the outlay of a large ami>unt ol unproductive labor, which might do employed to much belter odvautagu in the prosecution of more laudable pursuits. The Judges of our County Courts, instead of being so incessantly engaged in the barrassins and oppressive process ol grinding the poor and the unfortunate in the collection of petty debts, would, by the abolition oi this depart- ment of their duties, be enabled to devote a portion of their valuable time to objects of a higher and more elevating nature, involving the ci/il, social, educational, and moral wel- fare ol the people. It is urged that the abolition of these laws and Courts would necessarily leod to the total abulitiou of smoU credits, and consequently entail great hardship on the poorer and more industrious classes ,>f the community. Your Committee are suiisfled that no such re- sult would ensne. In all rural districts, and ind in towns a;id villages there art! to bt found numeroin instatices of meii who have, for periods ex ending over mai.y jears, tr/ins- acted buiiiou''s do this i-icdit. system, and who h-tve r.irely, if ever, sued a customer in the Division Courts. The honest and dese-ving custoner would slill have the same credit extended to him by the lionest and confiding dea'er, whilo this privilege would only bu wit held fi-oMi tlie undt-serving and improvi- dent' Your Committfc ar? ph'nsel to observe Ih.-.t this suhjeet is worthy of tlio attention of it po.iion of the press, and ,he true fiiends ol the genernl welfiira of the people, in sever"! parts of llic Province, The results of the presuiit .tjsteni ot debt ond credit are the sime tvcry where, nnd ytur Committee are of opinion" that no thinking mar. can fail .,o see that the late crisis through wlncli we li:ive been passing, and the 0(Piiliuu:il depressed state of our tiiian- ciiil and general bu.-,iM"s:' system, is, in a great measure attributable to ihu petty credit syftcin. Your Committee are fully aware that it change so grnat os i3iiivolvo(l in the abolition of all legal remedy fur the collectinii of petty d:bl« is at) inipur'ant. mutter, and muit be- long to a re-organizit.on, to some extent, of our entire roramereial relntions. Tli»y L>3- lievo however, that the present, from the ox- perienos derived from our reuunt trials, is a |)roper anitation and petition; and, on behalf ot this Council, to draft a pe- tition to the tnreo branches of the Legislature, praying for the abolition of all laws authoriz- ing the colledieu of debts undei one hundred dollars in amount ; those laws so ruinous and demoralizing in their nature and tendencies. All of which is respectfully o^bmitled. CObNTY QF ELG.;.. CoMUiTTBE Room, Goderich, Sept. SOtb, 1859. WILJLIAM GUNN, Chairman. A ? t f lO ^ ^>^. > ^t->. >s \. ? t r 4 (©obericl), 3tl) (Drtober, 1850. iTo THE Warden of the County of G^Cci^e^Aj ^^> .'V. X fS >. v o/ a ^e/ioU /m^e^ /u {