Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-07-25

man among us, that can behold a scene like
this and not melt into pity, cold and dead must
he be. and dull and heavy must be the heart
that throbs within his bosom. The timely ar
rival Of the mother, operated Like a panacea
on the siekncss-strickcn youth; her kindness
gave him new hopes, and new life. and we re-
ioce in being enabled TO say. that he Is rapid
Iy recovering.
Trials Of the heart like these. ars not un-
common in Rhode-Island. nor will they cease
to be USUAL so long as that remnant Of feldal
tyranny, imprisonment for debt, is adhered to
by our Legislature, and the people; and We hope
III Heaven. that VIC may live to see the day,
when our present policy is eradcated, and u
more liberal one established on a permanent
and imperishablc basis.
| The most odious OF all the features, in our
| present plan for the collection Of debts, is
| that, wh ch gives 10 the creditor the priv-
lcgc Of incarceratns the person Of the debtor,
! SO long as it pleases him to do so, il he will
but pay one dollar per week for confinement
the legal fee required for his board and lods-
ing
This odious and repulsive feature, equally
inhman and unjust. unriahtcous and disgust
ing, is productive Of the worst Of consequent
ces, and opens the way for cowardly revenge
to crafty its appetite. II Is no uncommon
thing, that unfortunate individuals, have been
imprisoned in our Jail. by their private enc
| mics, who TO slako their thirst for revenge,
have purchased mp demands for a mere trilc,
caused them to be sued, for the sake Of impris-
oning the body of an unfortunate debtor; and
then with a cold bloodcd feeling, at which
savage would revolt, they have for months
paid the required dollar, kept thoir victim in
confinement, deprived him Of the means of
gaining an humble support for himself and
family, and robbed him Of all he held dear
the fond attentions Of his wife, the care ses of
his children, and his LIBERTY.
An instance of similar kind, occurred some
three or four years ago, the facts Of which are
well known 10 us, and to many individuals Of
this community, and We shall relate it, to il
lustrate the barbarity Of our code for the col
lection Of debts. A gentleman of respectable
tensve business in a neighboring State, but
who in the course Of the vicissitudes of trade,
became unfortunate, 10 enable himself to sup
port wife and six young children. visited
Rhode Island with a small amount of property,
invested in merchandise, and contemplated
establishing himself in business in this vicin-
ity. Bein: acquainted with him, and pleas
ed with his manners and his gentemanly
departments, we became attached to him, and
the more so. as he frequently repeated TO us
the sad story Of his misfortunes. He had not
been here long, before one Of his distant cred
itors aware of the nature Of our laws, and sup
posing that he could extor the money from
him, sent a demand to this place, and ordered
il TO be put in suit. The agent made known
to the gentleman that he had demand
against him, which it was necessary for him to
cancel, and called his immediate attention to
its liquidation. The debtor expostulated, urg-
ed his inability to cancel the demand, and So
licited the indulgence Of the agent, who, in re-
ply, informed him that his orders were conclu-
sive and peremp'ory, ,and that it was beyond his
p er to afford him any indulgence and ad-
ded, if the demand is not Immediately settled
the law must have ts course, You know the
rest. The gentleman finding that no alterna-
tive was left, delivered the property then in his
possession TO its original owner. and was COM
mittod to jail. At the expiration Of week,
he took Tie poor prisoners oath, and expected
TO be released, but to his astonishment was
told that ten dollars had been left in the hands
Of the iailyr for his future confinement. Com
misseratng his unhappy condition, and being
fond Of his society, We often visited him, and
s'rove in our feeble way 20 divest his mind of
IFS melancholy iorcbodings About ,he time
that the fen dsllars had become exhausted, we
were in bis room, when the agent appeared;
and as the gentleman supposed he came TO re-
lisve him, ray of joy besmed upon his coun-
tonanrc; he anticipated happiness, and hastely
enluired Of the agent, if he had come TO relieve
him from bondage The agent gazed upon
him with downcast eye, and replied, Sir, it
| is my painful duty TO inform you, that came
not to restore 70 you your liberty, but to place
thirty olars in the hands of the keeper, for
your future confinement. Despair now took
possession Of tho unfortunate debtor, he spoke
not for some time, but at last bursting into