American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-12-19

hill TO abolish imprisonment W. 1885,
MIR. Johnson Of Ken. rose, and SAID thai ne ns.
,;r.n notice few days since tina, he woua ASK
i.aye 10 introduce bill Tor the abolition OF ihp'a'
snnn,-nt for Debt. He hoped, in now iulhling ms
snaagement. i, would not be considered an inttu'
,;no II he DELAYED the Senate with lew oriei ~
,,odnc,ory remarks. If he had entertained single
Ionh, a, 10 The claim Of the subject 10 attention.
either as regarded principle or expeoiency' nc
should not have been confident, or SO FerseVe.ng
in pressing this measure upon INC oeha.e. ne
subject had already beet agtated, and met the ap
nrobat;on Of majority Of the body But on Tor
m.r occasion. time was not afforded Tor maj DC
c,.,on Imptisonment for Debt had no advocates
amonv The generous and enlightened portions OF
our citizens: it had no advocates among inc seher
gu, and benevolent classes OF mankno' ~ Any
country Nor had it been considered oy sucn me"
other Than barbsrous custom since inc Gays %
Cr-.cr and Rome, when debtor and his whole
eamly w.r. sold into slavery, for the satisfaction OF
/ d,bt which Il was out OF his power 10 discharge.
To Mr. ]. Imprisonment for debt seemed as nor
rble as the Spanish In9usi.ion They were Dom
uniu.ti6sbe before God and man nor was the IN
onI,ition more disgracefu to the Spanish Govern
ment. than was the barbarous custom oil imprisoh,
inr harmless debtors, in this tree and enlightened
country. He believed imprisonment Tor deot hau
caused az many signs and tears from the wretcheu
sufferers under its infections, as the inquisinoh-
ih,t MIGHTY instrument; Of the baseness and power
/ oftvranny and nothing but deep-rooted preludice
lin ,he mind. Of the People had pefpetuated u 10
enliehtenrd and liberal Government
Ii had been his unhappy fate to see a Tree man.
who had fought for his country-a man who was
not meant by nature for a slave, but VINO was oorh
to the possession OF the liberty which ne iosca-
walking detected, through the public street. PR
.oner. attended by petty officer, because ne had
forfritrd his bond and was unable TO meet an obi
ua,on made with honest intentions. By some y
might be supposed that II was not IN inc power o.
Congress 10 change this system: out II would mol
be sufficient for him TO so home TO his constituents
who had ennobled themselves by entirely aooishihR
: Imprisonment Tor debt, and say that there were
in,uoerabe difficulties to obsruc the passage OF
ri. hil that. great as the evil confessedy was,
there was no remedy within the reach OF Congress
This would not be satisfactory Tor he had never
$ reed in any newspaper, and had never heard from
, .ny politician, or even from stump orator, one
sentence, so lar denying The inherent freedom o.
: man, as in any manner TO advocate Imprisonment
for Debt
had lately accidentally fell into his hands, he had
read a description Of a monument erected 10 honor
az The benevolent Howard. Why was monu.
ment built 10 his memory? What had he done 10
merit such distinction? He visited and cheereu
the prisons of the unfortunate he allevisted the
dstresses Of individuals torn from ihelr friends oy
!. the mercle,s provisions Of the law. And such
monument would never have perpetuated his mem
ory. had not Imprisonment for Debt been acknow.
lodged as violation Of the principles OF humanity
i Should il not, then, if .ueh conduct was applauded
in the subject Of monarchy, be approved and I'M
: ita,ed by free and generous People
Mr.. ]. said he did not intend to so at length
into the subject at present; and he relied on M
venerable friend from North Carolina, (Mr. Macon
r. and other Of his fellow Senators, whose opinions
.u:.. ans assI
him 10 hereafter discussing the merits OF This bill
:, He should close with few more remarks. III
= looked upon imprisonment for Debt 10 be equally
" a violation Of the Declaration OF independence ant
. Of the Constitution, as would be the erection OF al
a. established religion It equally violated the pTln
cipe, for which fathers shed their best blood
:" II violated the rights Of man, as defined by til
charter Of our liberties, By claiming him in solitude
~ and debarring him from the use OF his locomolis
- mowers; and he asserted that this system OF I'm
q prisonmsnt had its origin in judicial usurpa,lor
ia He would go no farther back than to its origin
i England, 10 prove this position In remo'
y. period Of the history OF that nation, u would B
- found that the Courts assumed thu power OF irnpI
- onng the body on mesne process. and although ii
ro right was continually restrained by Parliament,
i. at length became authorized, by long practice az
by the Government.
-, This barbarous custom, which had been COPE
II by u. from Eng land had its origin in usurped poy
"a er. Should this country, then, go on to sanctt
ia. IL? Would it not rather be bu, acting accordir
i,s 10 the dictates Of justice and humanity TO abolish
entirely? In the course Of the proceedings
a would be assumed and established, that philanthr
or pic and liberal minds had in every age denounc
nda il, and that wherever it existed. i, suppor
,ol by an arstocrscy at war with rational liberty. al
,av by the cruelty of hard. hearted creditors. Hsto
an would show that il had iomenteo dlsconents, viii
ter, ended 10 revolt anu oioou s"eu QUO = wou'o
and SHOWN 70 oe 10 u,'er so'a'ioh o. me hoy nc''
sec. lures oh "e o.ner ha"u, m"uu ne es'a"i'sn'
mo-, that where Imprisonment for Debt had been abb