Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-10-24
sosroS, Oct. 10.

Eos1oS, Oct. 10.
Public Meeting. ::Eaneu Hall was again crowd
ed to Overlooking last evening by our citizens who
are in favor of a5ohshing imprisonment jor deof;
and more respectable meeting, in point OF cha
racter. AZ we'll as numbers, was never convened
within its walls. The chair was taken BY A. II.
Everett. Esq at the hour appointed, aud the de-
hate, were commenced by Charles g. Lorlns'
Eso in a speech, which, so far as we heard It,
was distinguished for its sound and practical good
sen.e, He was followed by William +. Otis, Esq
who made a very animated address. dwelling al
most entirely upon the uncons'tu'iona'ity OF I'M
nri,onment for debt, in the United states. HIS
areumen, was drawn from the established principe
of the English Law. that no man can De inpr'soh
ed. except upon presentment, indictment or ORR
oin,, writ and az debtor was neither presented
nor condemned by his peers, and as there was 10
such thing in this country. as an original wrlt'-
that being entirely an English process. requiring
the signature and seal Of the kmg,--he Inferred
that Imprisonment for the misfortune assigned was
neither legal nor constitutional. But it Is not in
our power to furnish any abstract OF the arsu'
ments.
Edward Everett. the member in Congress from
the adjoining district of MIddesex. also address
ed the mee,in. in an animated and eloquent strain,
and was received with great enthusiasm. lie re-
minded them of the indignant appeals which had
been made in that hall, When the matter under
discussion related to affairs in Europe, or to what
they considered the expressions OF the General
GovegRuent, and Of the effect which had been
prodt I'd when all they could do was by the eS.
preston of an opinion; and reminding them that
in the present case the power was in their own
hands, and that they could act as well as resolve;
he called upon them TO 90 with their grievances
to the polls, remembering that if they suffered
the law 10 remain six months longer on the sta
tue books, the fault was their own, and they de-
served to suffer by its oppression.
1t was expected that Mr.. Webster would have
spoken, but not being able to attend the meeting,
he sent paper, containing his views upon the
subject, which was read by the chairman. TWAS
written in the usual concise manner of MIR.
Webster, and we presume the sentiments 1t ex-
pressed were those Of nine tenths Of the whole
community. They were, briefly, that the dish"-
nest debtor, like any other criminal. deserves
punishment, but that ii is ridiculous as well as
iphuman, to imprson an honest man for his pow
erty.
The meeting was also addressed BY Messrs.
Parsons. George Blake, Desrand, and MIR. B.
II. Norton, who was speaking when we left the
Hall. We have reason to be grateful to the gen.
temen who volunteered to awaken the attention
of the public to this subject. and we congratu-
late the public upon its having now received an
impetus which will be sufficient to carry 1t
through, to the desired conclusion.
Serious Accident-On Saturday evening. about
| O'Clock, most dangerous explosion took place
at Mcssrs Morris & Cummings Bolivar Boundary,
in Anthony street, between Elm and Centre.sts
The workmen were employed in pouring the mol
ten iron into large casting frame, to form an
anneaIing kettle for Messrs. Phelps g. Peck, OF
about six feet in depth. and Of about two and a
half across; about 5000 lbs. had been run in when
the vent by some means became choked; the rar-
fcation of the air below the earth Gas the casting
frame was buried about six feet of course pro-
duced an immediate and tremendous explosions:
the building was shaken almost to falling, and SIX
men were injured. five not very severely Out
of the 5000 lbs. of iron run in, not 100 lbs. can
be found. At the moment of the explosion, one
of the workmen was upon the point of raising the
door Of the furnace to let out more melted iron,
but the shock prevented him land most provldeh-
tally, from so doing, for~he explosion threwtwo
men Immediately under the mouth OF the furnace
from whence the burning fluid would have rushed,
and, of course, instantly killed them.
IN. T. Standard.
We understand that fatal accident occurred to
one of the Pilot Line of Coaches owned by
Messrs. Stockton s. Stokes. at or near the two
mile stone from Baltimore: this morning. one OF