Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-10-13

which the debt must be paid were dried
up. The debtor was requi,cd to stop
aud not work at ALL so that more gcner-
ally the creditors lost, rather than collec-
ted their several debts.
As a means of coercion, the law was n
palpable failure, il was to all intents and
purposes, entirely Inefficient greater
number of debts were lost than gained
by it. In the operation Of this law it was
sclfeyidcnt, that large sums had not
been and could not be collected under
it; if large sums could not be collected
under it, was there "A probability that
smaller ones might! They had not been
and there was no pr' Ibility they could
be. Under our present facilities o. cred
it, and under the existing laws of impris-
onment for debt, man was tempted TO
enter deeply into debt. lie could when
he chose abstain from labor, with GER
tainty that for n time he could live upon
that credit without labor. This IMPROVE
dence on the part ofthe debtor, operated
rs tax upon him, for the risk of him who
trusted was calculated in the plice Of the
article trusted, and when at the last re-
sort, the debtor was incarcerated he was
imprisoned for the article, the advance
and costs, all Of which were at the high
est prices. The law was equally injuri-
Gus to the creditor: he relied upon tie
body of the debtor as security-he plac-
cd the body of that individual in jail on
security which is valueless, perfect
moonshinc. lie deprives an individual
of his labor which is public property, and
in reality casts his own bread upon the
waters, with witness. The reliance
on which he trusts is dcccitlul. The
time had come in which we should wash
our hands of this impolitic law. We
should, and 50 should the debtor "carn
our bread by the sweat of our brow,"
which would lead men to industry, and
to earn money before they spent it. 1t
would awaken the indolent to Il ust sense
Of duty; and arouse them to cXcrtion
which might otherwise be slack. lfthcy
could not exist by the present system OF
credit, necessity would compel them to
be in the advance, rather than in the
rear. They would then punctually face
and met their bills. The ancient and
religious maxim was that man should
earn his bread by the" oihs brow"
and 1t was the better way that ones
bread should be earned before it was
eaten. The law placing Il man in jail
either for ii larger or smaller sum, was
mischicvous to all concerned, and un-
worthy free and enlightened people
For his own part he should deprccate on
every principle its endurance, and hoped
soon that the good sense of the comnun-
lty would put an end to the evil by a sub
siitution of more mild and equitable laws.
After some desu!tory remarks by sew
eral gentlemen, the meeting was ad-
dressed by JOIN c. PARK, Esq.
Mr.. G. G. GREENE followed and after
some Introductory observations proposed
an additional Resolution proposing in
substance that Committee should be
raised to prepare a memorial to be pre-
scented to the Gcneral Court, praying for
the total abolition OF Imprisonment for
Debt.
GEORGE BLAKE, Esq. remarked that it
was far from lis intentions to address the
meeting on the main question of the pas
sage of the resolutions at that time
They had been ably and cloquenlIy ad-
vocated, and he could scarcely submit
any remarks which wouldt tend to strength
en- the sound positions already taken and
advocated. 1t was subject CT no com
mon or ordinary interest The system of
Imprisonment for mere debt was a nov
city in common law jurisprudence. lie
need not remark that it was a lauduble
Il, T., al,
qurc into it. When law on its face
appeared unconstitutional it was essen
tlal to civil liberty, it was right inpos-
cd and enjoined by conscience and duty
upon us to examine it. Were the as
semblcd universe together, there could
be no variety of opinion that the law in
question was an anomaly in jurispru-
dencc. No such law existed South of
the line of New England. In England
there was no such law; they would as
soon think oipunshlng debtor on mcsne
process by death as by Imprisonment
Ii such law were enacted there, re-
belllon would be the consequence. A
law mprisoning a man without any pre-
monition would not be endured for day,
not for an hour. But here creditor or
rather man may imprison his fellow
man at his own whim and caprice, or at
his prejudice and spleen without tho
slightest evidence of any actual debt
This practice was never known or heard
Of at common law. But still law had
crept into being by usage, and possibly
from that long usage might he consider
cd legal by existing courts at tho pres
Cnt day III q wns i'm favor of the ndIi-