Mr. HOTCHKISS. I move to amend by striking out in lines 36 and 37 of section 11 the words “marshal of said district;” in lineI 37 the words “as messenger;” in lines 40 and 41 the words “until the appomtinent of an assignee;” and also by inserting at the end of line 36the following:. General assigneo in bankruptcy residing in the county where such bankrupt resided at the time of; filing his petition: and thereupon the estate of such bankrupt shall vest absolutely in such assigneefor the purposesof this act: and thodistrictjudgeof each district shall appoint a general assignee in bankruptcy for eachcounty Within his district. who shall be a resident of the county for which he is apointed and shall give such bond as shall be requiredpbysuch judge, and shall be an officerof the court, and subjeot to its rules and orders. Mr. Speaker, the object of this amendment is to dispense with the services of a marshal, and avmd the increased expense of his fees to be charged upon the estate of the bankru t. I deem it entirely unnecessar that after the decree of the bankruptcy or teorder declareing the applicant a bankrupt, the property should pass into the hands of the marsha before it vests in the assignee. No such proceeding was regarded as necessary under the former bankrupt law; but when the applicant was declared a bankrupt, the property vested in the assignee. I regard it as safer for all parties concernedfor a majority of the creditors and for the bankrupt himselfthat there should be appointed, as under the former bankru t law, an assignee in each county, who shal take charge of the estate. The services of a messenger or marshal are entirelyunnecessary, and only tend to create additional expense which would be a very onerous burden upon a poor bankrupt. I desire to sustain this bill; but I wish to have it made a law for the benefit of corbankru ts, and not exclusively for the benefit of those who are rich. This bill provides that where a man owes debts to the amount of $500 he may take the benefit of the act; butif the system which we are to establish be bur dened with the fees and expenses contemplated by the various provisions of this bill, it Will cost a debtor $1,000 to obtain the benefit of it. I think there should be a provision under which the bankrupt could pay his $500, if he has that amount, in discharging his debts, instead of paying $1,000 to go through the exensive recess which would be inevitable under this bill as it stands. I believe that I am correct in this view. I had some experience under the former bankrupt act. I trust that my amendment will be adopted. It will not interfere in the least with the general character of the bill, while it will relieve the proceedings under it from all an necessary expense. "he a poiiitment of an assignee in each county, as propose, will not increase the number of officers provided for by the bill. My desire is that we should not create an unnecessary number of officers to eat up the little substance of these baiikriipts.