Mr. STEWART. I shall vote against striking out this exemption and against this amendment of the committee, although in committee I am not certain which way I did vote. I wish to state the reason why I am inclined to vote against the report of the committee. I regard it as a matter of great importance to have a bankrupt law passed. I believe that it will relieve a great many persons who are in a hopeless condition without it; I believe the country needs it; I believe that at the Present time it would relieve a great many enterprising men who would thereby be enabled to add to the wealth of the country. It is desirable that they should be liberated, if it can be done. On the other hand, these homestead exemption laws have so far entered into the system of the country, particularly in the West and on the Pacific, and have operated so beneficially, that it will be a great calamity to disturb them. I ann. that if it is necessary to disturb them the bill will not become a law. In as much as there is a very serious question whether the ComJudiciary are not mistaken, whether this law cannot be passed, whether it will not be enforced by the courts a grave question which must ultimately be determined by the courts I am in favor of : retaining the and allowing the courts to pass upon it. If declared unconstitutional, there would be no great harm done; if declared constitutional, the bankrupt law will be in harmony with our homestead exemption laws and will be satisfactory to everybody. I consider it so important to have a bankrupt law and so important to retain our homestead exemption laws, and the question being acknowledged by all to be a question of considerable doubt, I think we had better retain the clause so as to bring the question before the courts and have it determined. I wish to retain the clause in order that the courts may determine whether, consistent with our established system of homestead laws in the States which are working beneficially, we can have a bankrupt bill at all. It is the only way to bring it before the courts and have it determined, and I am in favor of doing it.