The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1816-09-25
ll0tsceitanp.
From inc london Traveller.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
Zo fde Edifor Of the Traveller.


liable paper, have to request of you to lay
before the public through that me dun, the
following remarks, which I hope, will make
such an Impression and such an impression
only, on the minds Of tho public as am do
sirous should be made namely, ofths truth
Of imprisonment for debt being founded on
principles irrelevant with tho duty every one
owe. to God and his neighbor, consequently
prejudisial to society, and therefore ought,
without hesitation, TO b relinquishcd.
avn, Sir, yours very respectfully,
ta7 t4 VERITAS.
can In no way be conductive to good, either
public or private. The two great comman-
ments, on which hang all the law and the pro-
phets, form one entire standard, 70 which
Shall be brought for trial every work with
every secret thing, whether 1t be good or
whether II be bad" To have, therefore, re-
course 10 measure that is founded on prin-
eipies irrelevant Herewith, cannot be accord.
Ing to sound policy, and consequently ought,
without hesitation, 10 DO relinqmshed.
"'Whom God hath Joined together, let no
man put asunder;' this forms the basis on
which is ESTABLISHED the solemn contract Of
marriage. imprisonment for debt IL ths &C.
casion Of ,his ssacred injunction being violated;
for in every ins,snce where the prisoner ID
married, It separates, with iron hand, the hus-
band from his wife, and almost as uniformly
the father fsom his children. And as it Is
matter Of notorioty that those separations
dosolats, in proportion to the length Of their
duration, every conAubisl endcsrrneut, every
parental Election, and tho observation Of ev-
cry domestic obligation, by presenting to the
degraded husband and forlorn wife and chill
dren, scenes Of temptation 10 in6del.y towards
each other, 10 withstand tho pesnicious influ-
snce OF which but few have fortitude Of mind
sufficient. Who could imagine that any per
son, placed in more hsppy circumstances, If
he allowed himself to contemplate bu, for
moment tho bsncfui consequences of these
melancholy facts, would venture TO contend
that imprisonment for debt is any other than
rcpugnant to every thing eompor,ing with
sound policy, and that il ought not, without
hesitation, to bs rclipquishcd
"it does not appear TO me necessaryto give
any particular detail of the numerous instsn-
ces which could hors furnish of such i'm
prisonmcn, being the occasion OF corruption
cf morals and habits, Of a species, too, tho
mos, dctesablc FOR woeful experience has
long established the truth and though this
truth, like many others, has been hitherto
neglected 10 this country, yet l do not fear
that IL will rsmain much longer 20 entirely
dsrcgardcd.'
"If il should be said, IN reply, that tho oc-
casion, In the first instance, OF ouch corrup-
ton is not Imprisonment, but tho debtors
own previous misconduct and tha, If impris-
onment for debt were done away with, every
just demand, before long would be unsatished,
1 would ask, according to whst policy 10 it that
the previous misconduct Of the debtor should
be punished BY that which has the certain
tendency Of rendering his future course of
life irretrisvably bad And il misconduct be
the only occasion Of such punishment, how is
1t that the misfortunes, too, Of so many should
DO made alone the occasion Of imprisonment
or how c0mes there to be no difference put
between the unfortunate and the culpable
Surely tho principles and conduct Of person
that becomes insolvsnt arc not, on tina, ac-
count, to be considered 40 being unworthy Of
future preservatioa, and therefore TO be Civ
en- up to tho loulcst die and as TO every Just
demand going unsasshed, il imprisonment
wero done away with, that is not in the least
degree probable, imprisonment being on 20
occount the most certain method to be adopt.
ed Tor the recovery of debts, for from either
tho rapacity OF the attorneys employed, or the
desperate stsic to which the debtors and their
families become, by this diabolieal measure,
reduced, rendering them desperate, not more
than one fourth Of the amount Of the demands
for which debtors are Imprisoned n this king
dom, Is ever paid over TO their creditors.
"ln what way, then, can Imprisonment for
debt DO considered as at all compor,ing with
sound policy, seeing il fails in the very pur-
pose for which it's had recourse to Itrends
ssunder every tic Of domestic affection, dslu. |
ges the moral world wi,h foods OF the mos,
deadly corruption, dsgrsdes and punishes in-
Discriminatory the unfortunate with the spend- /
thrift and frsuduen,, and throws the m ia the
wsy Of almost inevitable ruin 70 every p.ineil
pie Of honesty aud decorum.
: "No other plao, I an persuaded. and so
must DO every one that has either SEQ, or