Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-10-06
RIcmMoNp, Sept. Is, 1895.

GE
before heard ofthe accusation to which
It refers. On my way hither, | met
with a young gentleman from Mary.
land, who informed me that q vote oil
mine in the Senate of Ohio had been
published, in favor of a law to sell per-
sons imprisoned under a judgment for
debt for a term Of years, If unable 9th.
erwise to discharge tho execution. /
did not for u moment hesitate to declare
that had never given any such vote,
and that it a woe Of that description
had been published and ascribed to me,
It was nn infamous forgery. Such an
act would have been repugnant 10 my
feelings, and in direct conflict with nv
opinions, public and private, through
the whole course ofmy life. No such
proposition was ever submitted to the
Legislature of Ohio-none such would
for a m have been entertained
nor would any son of hers have dared
to propose it.
so far from being willing TO sell mon
for debts which they are unable TO dis
charge, ! am, and ever have been op.
posed to all Imprisonment for debt
Fortunately, have il in my power to
show that such has been my established
opinion ; and that in a public capacity
! avowed and acted uT on It. Will those
who have preferred the unfounded and
malicious accusation, refer to the Jour-
nails OF the Senate Of the United States
Cd Session, 10th Congress, page $685.
it will there be seen that | was one Of
the committee which reported a bill to
abolish Imprisonment for debt. When
the bill was before the Senate, | advo.
Gated its adoption, and on its passage
voted in its favor. See Senate jour.
nal, LIST session, Goth Congress, pages
10l and 1O2.
1t IS nc a little remarkable, that If
the effort am accused of having made
to subject men to sale for the non. pay.
ment of theirdebts, had been successful,
might, from the state Of my pecunia-
ry circumstances at the time, have
been the first victim. | repeat the
charge is a vile calumny. Al no peri
cd ofmy life, would | have consented
to subject the poor and unfortunate TO
such,degradation ; o have omitted TO
exert myself in their behalf, against
such an attempt to Cypress them.
1t is sought TO support the charge by
means Of gnrbled extracts from The
journals Of the Senate OF Ohio. The
section of the bill which is employed
for that purpose, had no manne OF re.
ference to the relation of creditor and
debtor, and could not by possibility
subject the debtor to the control OF his
creditor. None know better than the au
thors Of the calumpy, that the alleged
section is utterly at variance with the
charge which it is attempted to found up
on it, a that so far from a PROPOSE ton to
invest the creditor with power over
the liberty Of bis debtor, it had respect
only TO the mode Of disposing OF public
offenders, who had been found guilty
by a jury of their fellow citizens, of
some crime against the laws Of their
State. That was exclusively the inn
port and design of the section of the
bill upon the motion to strike out which
| voted in the negative. So you per-.
%ceive, that in place Of voting to enlarge
the power Of creditors, the vote which
| gave concerned alone the OF malofac.
tors, convicted Of crimes against the
public.
II would extend the letter to an in.
convenient length, TO 60 fully into the
reasons which led me at the time to an
opinion in favor of the proposed treat.
ment Of that class of offenders, who
would have fnllen within it's operation,
nor is such an expose called for. The
measure was by no moans a novelty in
other parts of the country. In the
State Of Delaware, there is an act now
in force, in similar words with the sec
ton of the bill before the Ohio Senate,
which has been made of late the pre-
text of such lnsidious invective. Laws
with somewhat similar provisions, may
probably be found in other of the
States. In practice, the measure would
have ameliorated the condition of those
who we're under condemnation. As
the law stood, they were liable under
the sentence to confinement in the COM.
mon Jail, where offenders of various
degrees of proAigacy-ages, sex, and
color-were crowded together. I'm.
der such circumstances, it is obvious
that the bad must become worse, whilst
reformation could hardly be expected
in respect 10 any. The youthful offen-
der, il might be hoped, would be re-
claimed, underthe operation ofthe pro.
posed system; but there was great rea-
son to fear his still greater corruptiona-