to his disposal. The separate property of the wife is alone liable for her debts before marriage. A married woman may make powers of attorney, provided her husband join in the instrument. (Acts 1865.) A wife may transact business in her own name, by complying with certain regulations, and her property, reve nues, and money so invested belong exclusively to her and are not liable for the husband's debts: she may sue and be sued alone. (1867.)

New Jersey.

All the property of a married woman owned by her at the time of marriage, or acquired afterwards by gift, grant, devise or descent, and the rents and profits thereof, are her separate property, not subject to his disposal, nor liable for his debts. She may insure the life of her husband, the premium not to exceed $100. She may warrant the title of real estate conveyed by her jointly with her husband. On the death of the wife, the husband is entitled to administer and take all her personal property, and if he die before he has administered, the right goes to his representatives. A married woman cannot bind herself by her agreement even with her husband's consent. In respect to her separate estate, she may, as if unmarried, dispose of it according to the terms of the instrument by which she holds it. A husband cannot create a lien on his wife's land. Digest 1861. The wife of an insane, idiotic, or imprisoned husband has the powers of an unmarried woman. (1864.)

A married woman may bring suit for redress of wrongs, by joining the name of her husband's to her own, even when he does not consent, but with certain provisos. The husband has no control over such suits. Acts 1867.

New York.

All property owned by a woman at the time of her marriage, and whatever comes to her by gift, devise, and descent, or is acquired by trade, business or service; and all the rents and profits of such property, are her sole and separate property, not subject to the husband's control nor liable for his separate debts. A married woman may sell and transfer her separate property as if she were unmarried; may invest her earnings in her own name; may sue and be sued, in matters relating to her property, as if she were sole; may bring actions for No contract, made by her injuries to her person or character, in her own name.

in respect to her separate property, or entered into in the course of trade or business, is binding upon the husband or renders him or his property liable. Neither No man can shall his property be liable for costs of suits in the wife's name. apprentice his child or part with the control of it, without the written assent of the mother. A married woman may act as executrix, administratrix, and guardian of minors. She may will her separate property. The husband and wife, or either of them, may testify for or against the other, or on behalf of any party in certain cases. (Acts 1867.) She may insure the life of her husband, premium not to exceed $300. She may hold patents for inventions, deposit in savings banks, and vote on stock in any company of which she may be a stockholder.

North Carolina.

The real estate of the wife cannot be sold or leased without her consent; and the husband's interest in such estate is exempt from execution. She may insure

his life, and devise the interest. If the annual premium exceeds $300, and is not paid out of her separate estate, or by some friend for her, the sum due on insurance, if she survive him, is liable for his debts. The estates of females marrying under fifteen, without consent, are secured to them and their issue. A married woman under a will, deed, settlement, or articles, has power to dispose of her property by will if she is thereby so authorized.

Ohio.

Real estate acquired before marriage, or during marriage by gift, descent, conveyance, devise, or by purchase with her own money, is her sole and separate property, subject to her sole control. She may lease the same in her own name for a period of not more than three years. (Acts 1866.)

Personal property acquired in the same manner is separate property, subject to her sole control and not liable for the husband's debts. Her separate estate is liable on any judgment in an action against husband and wife upon any cause existing against her at their marriage, or upon any wrong committed by her during marriage. If the husband desert her, or neglect to provide for the family, she may be vested with the rights and liabilities of a single woman, upon petition to Court of Common Pleas. The husband is not then liable for any of her contracts or torts. She may insure the life of her husband, the premium not to exceed $150, and may make a will. (Rev. Stat. 1860.)

Oregon.

The property of a married woman is deemed her separate property, and is not liable for the husband's contracts or debts, provided it be duly so recorded, She may exchange one species of property for another, and may sell any part of her separate property and retain the purchase money as her own; or with it buy other property to be held as her own. She may will her real estate, subject to rights of curtesy. Neither can testify for or against the other except in an action between them. (Gen. Laws 1864.)

Pennsylvania.

All property acquired or owned by married women is separate property, not liable for the husband's debts, and not to be sold, transferred or conveyed without their written consent. A husband is not liable for his wife's debts before marriage. She may dispose of her property by will. She may loan money and take securities from her husband. In case of the wife's insanity the husband may be empowered to manage her estate. When the husband neglects or deserts her, she has the rights of a femme sole trader. If the husband neglect to provide for her for a year or more before her death, or wilfully deserts her for that period, he forfeits all rights to his wife's estate. A married woman so deserted, may prosecute in her own name an action for libel; she may also recover her own earnings.

Rhode Island.

The real and personal estate of a woman before marriage, and that acquired after marriage by her own industry, or which may become her property, is so far secured to her separate use that the same and the rents, profits, and income

thereof are not liable to attachment for the husband's debts; and upon the death of the husband, it remains her sole property. In case of sale of such property, proceeds may be invested in name of wife and be held in same manner and with same rights as the property sold. The chattels real, household furniture, plates, jewels, stocks, bank deposits, debts secured by mortgage, which are the property of any woman before marriage, or which may become hers after marriage, cannot be sold, leased, or conveyed by the husband, unless by deed, in which the wife joins. Any woman may convey and sell any of her personal property other than that just described in the same manner as if she were single, except that she shall not transact business as a trader. Husband and wife must unite by deed to convey real estate of wife. Any married woman may make a will.

South Carolina,

A married woman having property in land, or a right of action, may appoint an attorney to bring suit either in her own name or joined with the husband. The husband has no control over such suit, except upon her voluntary consent, given in open court and duly recorded. She may act as sole trader, and as such may sue and be sued. The real and personal property of a woman, acquired either before or after marriage, is her separate property and not liable for the husband's debts; and may be bequeathed, devised or alienated by her as if she were unmarried.

Tennessee.

The interest of the husband in the real estate of his wife, acquired by her either before or after marriage, is not liable for his debts; nor can the husband sell the real estate of the wife during her life without her joining in the conveyance in the manner prescribed by law. The proceeds of real or personal property of a married woman cannot be paid to any person except by her consent. A married woman may by will dispose of any estate secured to her separate use. Property acquired by the wife, subsequent to separation from her husband, is not subject to his debts, nor can he interfere with or dispose of such property during such separation. When the husband has been adjudged insane, the wife may act as a single woman in purchasing and holding property real and personal, contracting, sueing, &c.; and such property as she may acquire while so acting, shall not be taken to satisfy the debts or contracts of the husband.

Texas.

All property, real and personal, of the wife owned by her before marriage, and that acquired afterward by descent or purchase, as also the increase of all lands thus acquired, is the separate property of the wife, but during the marriage the husband has the sole management of all such property. (Acts 1866.)

She may contract debts and incur expenses for the support of herself and for the benefit of her property, without the consent of the husband. The wife's separate property is not chargeable with the support of the husband, where he is insolvent and unable to support himself. The husband is entitled to an interest in all the profits of the wife's separate property, "except her land,” as community property. He has the control of the payment of community debts.

Vermont.

The real estate of any married woman, living apart from her husband by reason of his criminal conduct or ill usage, may, upon petition to, and under order of, the Chancellor, be enjoyed by her for her sole use and benefit. (General Statutes, 1863.)

Married women may devise, by last will and testament, lands, tenements, and hereditaments to their heirs.

The rents, issues and products of the real estate of any married woman, and all moneys arising from the sale of such estate, and the interest of the husband in her real estate, is not chargeable for the sole debts of the husband. And no conveyance of such estate of a wife, or rents and profits thereof, by the husband is valid unless the wife join in it as prescribed by law. But the annual products may be attached or levied upon for any debt or liability of the husband, created for necessaries for his wife and family.

A married woman may have the life of her husband insured, and the net amount at his death shall be payable to her or her heirs, free from the claims of his representatives or his creditors, but the premium on any such policy of insurance shall not exceed $300.

All personal property and rights of personal action acquired during coverture, by inheritance or distribution, shall be held to her sole and separate use. (Acts 1867.)

A married woman is qualified as a witness in any civil suit or proceeding at law or in equity in the following cases :-first, in actions upon policies of insurance of property, second, in actions against carriers, third, in all matters of business transactions had and conducted by the woman as the agent of her husband.

Virginia.

The husband of an insane wife may, upon an order of the Circuit Court, sell real estate and release her right of dower therein. But the court must secure to her the same interest in the proceeds. If the husband die intestate and there be no issue by her, the widow has the personal property which he had from or with her, and which he has not disposed of, if his other personal estate suffices to pay his debts. A married woman is incapable of making a will except to dispose of her separato estate or in the exercise of a power of appointment.

Wisconsin.

The personal property and real estate of a married woman, and the rents and profits thereof, are not subject to the disposal of the husband, but are her sole and separate property. (Rev. Stat., 1858.) She may receive, hold, convey, and devise real and personal property, as if she were unmarried, and her rents and profits shall not be liable for his debts. If the husband neglects or refuses to provide for the support of her children, she may transact business and collect her own earnings and those of her children, free from the interference of the husband. She may insure the life of her husband, the premium not to exceed $300, and the policy shall inure to her benefit. The marriage of a femme sole executrix or administratrix extinguishes her authority. When a husband and wife are impleaded, if the husband absent himself, or will not defend the rights of the wife, if she apply before judgment she may be admitted to defend.

2. SYNOPSIS OF HOMESTEAD AND OTHER EXEMPTION LAWS OF DIFFERENT STATES.

Alabama.

Household and kitchen furniture to the value of $150; $50 worth of wearing apparel to each member of the family. All family portraits, books; one gun, one loom, two spinning wheels, one saddle, three cows and calves, twenty sheep twenty hogs, one horse or mule, one yoke of oxen, one cart, all poultry; five hundred pounds meat, one hundred bushels corn; one thousand pounds fodder, twenty five bushels wheat, one thousand pounds oats in the sheaf, twenty-five bushels sweet potatoes, all the meal on hand, thirty pounds wool, two hundred pounds lint cotton, one hundred pounds ginned cotton, four hundred pounds seed cotton, all cloth on hand, all tools or implements not to exceed $200 in value, two plows and gear, two hoes.

Homestead-three hundred and twenty acres, not to exceed $500 in value, all burying grounds.

To a Mechanic-an additional exemption of $200 worth of stock. To one not owner of more than $500 worth of property exempt, one-half of the salary or wages of such a householder not to be less than $25 per month, shall be exempt.

In addition to the property already exempt, there shall be exempt after February 1867, $1,200 worth of real estate, including the homestead and $1,000 worth of personal property.

Arkansas.

To a Householder—two horses or mules; or, one yoke oxen and one horse or mule; four plows, four hoes, two axes, one wagon, two sets gear, two cows and calves, two spinning wheels and two pair of cards, one loom and apparatus, yarn and cloth for family use, twenty pounds hemp, flax, or cotton for each member of the family; one sewing machine, ten sheep and their wool, ten hogs, all the wearing apparel, two beds and one additional bed for every two children, with the usual bedding and furniture, one bureau, one looking glass and table for each room used by the family, the curtains, pitchers, and bowls for such rooms; one dining table, one cupboard, sufficient table furniture for the family, one dozen chairs, all necessary kitchen furniture and cooking utensils; fifty bushels corn for each horse, mule, or yoke of oxen, ten bushels of corn and five bushels of wheat, or one barrel of flour for each member of the family, one hundred and fifty pounds bacon, or 200 pounds pork for each member of the family; the family library; one thousand pounds hay or fodder for two horses, all groceries on hand for family use for one year. All books, maps, charts, globes, and professional apparatus belonging to teachers and professional men generally.

Homestead-of one hundred and sixty acres of land or one town lot, with buildings and improvements thereon. (Rev. Stat. 1867.)