The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-20 00:00:00

of Suits, and Sums awarded, being a continuation of the
Returns of the former years."
Mr. PEEL hal not the slightest objection to the pro-
duction of the Returns. He acknowledged the subject to
be important, and deserving of serious consideration : but
he could not admit that there Was any ground of reflection
on the Government. It was often very difficult to foresee
all the consequences of a wide and extensive alteration of a
law. The rilht of arrest for debt had been changed from
101. to 201., and it would be but proper to watch the effect
if this alteration before any other was proposed. If it
were found in practice that no great inconvenience had
arisen from the alteration of the law, this would be a
much better ground of future proceedings than any theories
or interference a priori. lie was inclined to think it
would be preferable to refer the subject to a Commission,
than to bring in a Bill at once. The consequences pre-
dicted from legislation on these subjects were not always
found accordant with prophecies. Nothing could appear
more equitable than the principle of the Insolvent Debtors'
Act, as the debtor not only gave up all his property, but
even his future gains, until he liquidated the debt from which
he claimed his personal release. The Hon. Member, how-
ever, must be aware, that even in the working of the In-
solvent Debtors' Act, great frauds were committed, and
the sums actually recovered hardly, on an average, ex-
ceeded a farthing in the po;lnd. This operated to the
great destruction of that fair confidence and credit between
man and man, which ought to exist in the transactions of
life. The Legislature ought to be cautious in interfering
in such subjects. In saying this, he was not giving any
opposition whatever to the motion ; and he would further
say, • that if no inconvenience had resulted from the recent
alteration of the Law of Arrest, the principle might be
further.extended

The motion was then put and carried.
INSOLVENT ACT.

Mr. lIUME, in rising to move, according to his ❑otice,
o!,scrved, that the present Insolvent Act was altogether
opposed to the liberty of the subject and the general interests
of society. He thought it would be quite sufficient if the
Cessio Bonortun were acted upon. It surely would be
enough if a debtor was permitted to give up at once all he
passessed, without being compelled to pa,s his days in a
prison. He therefore moved, " That an humble Addret,s
he presented to his Majesty, praying that he would be gra-
ciously pleased to lay before the House an account of the
number of Warrants of Arrest for Debt, whether upon
mesne process or in execution, in the counties of Surrey
and Middlesex, in 1828." The Hon. Member also moved
"for an Aceount of the Money which had been under the
management of the Insolvent Debtors' Court since its esta-
blishment, and of the Expences incurred by the said Court."
—Ordered.

Upon the motion of the Hon. Algmara, several Returns
were ordered for Ireland ; also, a Return of the Number of
Persons confined for Debt in England and Ireland.

Mr. ROBERT GRANT Raid that the whole subject o
arrest and imprisonment for debt required revision, but
that, when such strong statements were made as to the
total inefßciency of the Insolvent Court, he felt it but fair
to remind gentlemen that, in a treatise on that Court, pub-
lished by a Barrister who was well acquainted with the
subject, those charges were as strongly denied, and the
denial was supported by facts.
Mr. LOFT said a few words, which were mainly in
support of the motion of the lion. Member for Aberdeen.