Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1836-09-29
GEN WM. ii. HARRIsoN.
RICHMOND. Semi. Is. 1896

Dear Sill acknowledge the receipt OF
your favor Hithis date. | have before heard
OF the accusation 10 which il refers. On my
way hither, met yesterday with young
gentleman Of Maryland, who informed me,
lha. vote of mine in the Senate OF Ohio had
been published, in favor of a law 10 sell per
sons imprisoned under judgment for debt
for a term of years, if unable otherwise TO
discharge The execution. did not for a
moment hesitate 10 declare that had never
given any such vote, and that if d vote OF that
description had been published and ascribed
10 me, twas an infamous forgery. Such an
act would have been Tepugnant To my feel
| ings and in direct conflict iIh my opinions,
public and private, through the whole course
OF my life No such proposition was ever
submitted to the Legislature OF Oho-none
such would for mumen. have been enter
tained-nor would any son OF l.er's have dar
ed 10 propose il.
So far from being willing to sell men for
debts which they are unabls 10 discharge, ]
AIN. and ever have been opposed 10 all imprI
Sonment for debt. Fortunately, have ii in
my power TO show that such has been my es-
tnbilshed opinion and that in a public ca
pacity, avowed and acted upon it, VIII
those no have preferred The unfounded and
malicious accusation, refer 10 the journals OF
the Senate OF the United States, 2nd session
I9ih Congress, page 325--il will there be
seen that was one Of the committee whiCh
| reporteda bill 10 abolish Imprisonment for
debt. When the bill was before the Senate,
| advocated lis adoption, and on lis passage
voted in lis iayor. See Senate journal, lst
session, ooh Congress, page l0I and IO2
Ii is not ii little remarkable, that if the ei-
( Tort am accused Of having made, 10 subject
men 10 sale for the non payment OF their
debts, had been successful, ] might, from
tho slate Of my pecuniary circumstances al
the time, have been the first victim. repeat;
the charge is vile calumny At no period
OF my life, would have consented 10 sub.
jjecl the poor and unfortunate to such de
graduation nor have omitted 10 exert myself
in their behalf, against such an attempt 10
Cypress them
II is sought TO support the charge by means
OF glTbled extracts from the journals of The
Senate Of Ohio The section Of the bill
which is employed for tbat purpose, had no
manner OF reference TO The relation Of ctedi
tor and debtor, and cOmld not by possibility
subject the debtor TO the control OF his crcd>
ior None knew better than the authors Of
the cdlumny, that The alleged section is ut,
ierly at variance with the charge which il is
attempted TO found upon ii and that 50 far
from proposition TO invest a creditor with
power over the liberty OF his debtor, it had
respect only to the mode Of disposing If pub.
lc offenders, who had been found guilty by
jury Of their fellow citizens, of some crime
against the Jaws OF their State. That was
exclusively the import and design Of The sec
lion OF the bill upon the motion to strike out
which voted in the negative. So you per>
ceiyc, that in place Of voting to enlarge the
power Of creditors, the vote which ] gave
concerned alone the treatment Of male factors,
convicted ofcrimes against The public.
Il would extend This letter to an INCOMES
nient length, TO go fully into the reasons
which led me at The time to an opinion in
favor Of the proposed treatment Of that class
Of offenders, who would have fallen within
lis operation, nor is such an expose called
for. The measure was by 70 means novel
iy in other parts Of The country. In the