The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-21 00:00:00

MARYLEBONE VESTRY.

(THIS DAY.)

IMPRISONhIENT FOR DEBT.

The vestry met this morning, and on its being moved, that the mi_
nutes of the last meeting, relative to the clauses being retained in the
Marylebone Local Courts Bill, giving a power to imprison for debt,
be confirmed,
Mr. H. "Wiir.sox moved the non confirmation of the minutes.
When the subject was discussed last week a resolution for
retaining the clauses he objected to was carried by a majority
one, but as the present meeting was more numerous than that
of last week, he felt it his duty to broach the subject again. If he
succeeded in his motion for the non-confirm.ition of the minute
he should then move the resolution lie brought forward last
week as a substantial motion. He wished a distinction to bo
drawn between the fraudulent and unfortunate debtors. Persons
who, when they went to prison were good, arid honest, and moral-
minded men, frequently came out the most dishonest, profligate, and
immoral.—(Hear, hear.) No good object was achieved by imprison-
ment for debt. After a man had been imprisoned, he did not
become a better member of society but a worse. He believed the law
with respect to fraudulent debtors was not sufficiently stringent, and if
this minute should be now confirmed, he would then move a resolution
as a substantive motion, recognising the principle of imprisoning frau-
dulent debtors.—(Bear.)
Mr. JAWKSON seconded the motion. When he first saw these clauses
in the Bill he was perfectly astounded. It would be an anomaly in the
proceedings of a reformed vestry to run counter to the avowed feeling
of the public, which was decidedly against imprisonment for debt.
The inhabitants of every town and Corporation throughout the king-
dom had expressed a strong opinion against the demoralising effect of
the system of imprisonment for debt.—(Hear, hear, and cheering )
If tradesmen trusted persons not worthy of credit, they ought to lose
their money. Greater power might be given to the Insolvent Court
to punish those who contracted debts fraudulently. If the obnoxious
clauses were left out the Bill would pass the Legislature, but if they
were retained there was a great risk of losing the Bill, and the parish
would be saddled with 4001. or 5001. expense to no purpose, and which
would have to come out of the parochial funds.
A VESTRYMAN said that until he was satisfied poverty was a crime
he would never santion imprisonment for debt.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. KENSITT trusted he should be able to convince every per-
son of common sense of the wisdom arid propriety, and humanity of
retaining these provisions in the Bill. The Bill was for the purpose of
providing cheap, speedy, and efficient justice; but if these clauses were
not retained in the Bill, dishonest persons who bad neither goods nor
chattels wculd hold the poor creditor at defiance.—(Cries of " Hear.")
The man who gave credit ought to have some security. He had been
in business for twenty-eight years; he had lost 11,0001. in debts, and
never imprisoned more than four men In all his life, and therefore he
did not advocate the retaining of the clause from any want of humanity.
There was more cruelty in taking a bed from a wife and four or five
children, than in imprisoning a reckless profligate husband.—(Cheers.)
The moment those clauses authorising imprisonment for debt
were taken out of the Bill, the Bill would become valueless
in point of efficiency. It was not until certain dishonest
and fraudulent persons received a particular tap on the shoulder, that
justice was done to the credulous and confiding creditor.—(Hear, hear.)
He should, therefore, certainly vote in favour of the minute being
confirmed.

Mr. HOVENDEN said, that without the vindictive clauses in the Bill,
the creditor would have full power to go against not only any existing
property the debtor might possess, but against all forthcoming property ;
and he should most certainly vote against the clauses,— (Hear, hear.)
Mr. POTTER would rather that the Bill be thrown to the winds, than
that those obnoxious and infamous clauses should be retained in the
Bill.—(Hear, hear.)

Mr. YOUNG said: there would be no practical difficulty in the way of
distinguishing between the honest and dishonest creditor, and he
should, as he did last week, vote for the expulsion of those clauses.
Mr. GLAZIEtt was in favour of the clauses, because he thought they
afforded the honest tradesmen the only means of compelling payment
of a just debt.

Mr. HOPE (Magistrate) wished to ask if the Clauses objected to were
expunged from the Bill, and the Bill was consequently lost,
whether the debtor would not be subjected to much greater
irnprtionrnent than he would if the Bill were to pass with those clauses
in it?

Mr Ginsosr, Churchwarden, would vote for the confirmation
of the minute.—(Hear, hear.) There was a eass of men who
figured in life as gentlemen, music masters, dancing masters, and
others, who were most of them honourable men, but a few of whom were
of intemperate habits, and were not so, and a great many of
whom put up at hotels, and contracted debts from day to clay. What
remedy had the hotel and inn-keeper in such a case 9 The
party had no goods, but:the creditor knew that his debtor could be
tound at certain places and at certain times, and rather than be impri-
soned for one hour the party would pay the debt. The same
observation would apply to those who let furnished lodgings. He was
opposed to imprisonment for debt, if any equivalent substitute could
be found, but he would not take away from the honest tradesman the
only protection he at present had.
Mr. H. WILSON replied.

The motion for the non-confirmation of the minute was then put and
carried by a large majority.

THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY.)

NESVGATE AND LEADENHALL.

Meat was in very good supply, of all kinds of town and country killed ;
quality fair generally, and prices much about the same as those of this
day week. Not much left unsold. Beet; 2s. 4d. to 3s. 6d. ; Mutton,
2s. 4d. to 3s. Bd. ; Veal, 3s. Sd. to 4s. Sil. ; Pork, 33. Sd. to 4s. Bd. ; Irish,
3s. 4d. to 3s. Sd. per stone of albs. Poultry was in very good supply.
Of Game but very little at market; in fact, it is now nearly out of sea-
son—prices of both rather looking upwards, and some quotations very
high. The following are the prices, for each of the different descrip-
tions enumerated :—Goslings, Bs. to I as. ; Tame Rabbits, Is. 6d. ;
Pigeons, Is.; Turkey Potts, 55.; Fowls, 4s. and higher; Chickens, 3s.
and higher; Pea Hens, 10s.; Leverets, 38. to 55.; Ducklings, 4s. and
higher; Wild Ducks, Os. 6d. A large supply of Eggs ; a good trade,
and prices rather higher.
HUNGERFORD MARKET.

Vegetables show an improvement, and secure more business. Prices
the same as Covent.gardcn. ln. iiay and .Clover-n© variation. Up
price of Meadow Hay UBs., that of Clover 115 s. to 117 s. Fish in fair
supply on the whole:; Turbot 55., to 18s. and 19s. for large; Soles 9d.
to Is. for small, and 3s. per pair for large; Lobsters, good ones 2s. to
4s. each. Meat, supply good, and quality unexceptionable; trade
lively ; Beef 61d. to Bd.; Mutton 7d. to 84d.; Veal 71d. to 9d.;
Pork 6id. to Bd. and 81. d. A fair business appeared to be doing in most
of these departments.