Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-02-14

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

Frsn the Detroi, Morning Post.
IMPRISON MENT FOR DEBT.
Yesterday morning, in the House, Mr..
BuEL presented the following resolution,
VIII ON was unanimously anl without debate.
adopted:
..Reso'pcd, Tint the C,nnitec on ths
revised cole, be instructed to report, as soon
n, practicable, what portions uf the same, n
any, conflict with THE IMMEDIATE ABOLITION
OF IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT"
The work is thus fairly commenced, and
we are glad to add, by a dsmorahc mem
Der. Mr.. Buel is, by the devoted and IN.
telligent attachment to the rights of the peo-
pic which he has manifested thus far IN the
present SECS lion, Obtaining for himself an
honorable aud high standing. The public
have been kept out of a rfsorm fof years,
which their united voices have called for.
lhe matter is now definitely before the
House. and in the hands of the very man
who will attend 10 it without delay. Mr..
M'CLELLAND is the Chairman of the Com.
ml,tec on the Revised Code he l., unless
his sentiments have been misreprcscntcd to
Us, in favor 0fthc abolition of this excrescncc
from our code. On Saturday This gentlenia,
pro, ,oSed the following resolution, which was
adopted
"Reso'rsd, That the Committee OF the
Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the
propriciy OF ins'ructlng or Senators. and
requesting our Representative in Congress,
to urge the adjustment Of Imprisonment
for debt, in all civil cases coming within the
Jurisdiction Of the courts Of the United
States"
Oar legislators are slli ;iently acquaint-
ed with the public pulse in Michigan. to know
that sooner or later, Imprisonment for deb
MUST BE ABOLISHED. The earlier, therefore.
it is done, the more To the honor of the
state. We are well aware that the recog.
nition of the principle in the Revised Cole
envelopes the whole matter in deep embar
rassmcmt. Bat this is u powerful reaso'
why 1t should be gcappled with al once
Delays are Dangerous" always, and woll,
be especially so in thu present case. The
/. whole subiec, oight 10 bc definitely aud for
ever settled at this session.
We nave written thus much upon IN,
presumption that every member Of the lie
g~islaiure is in favor oi abolishing imprison
neni for debt. At this late day, when the
!. large majority OF the civilized world Ina
secuted it-when England, a monarchia
government, has, as recent arrivals inior'
rs bIotred it from its statutes when q larg
number of the $ atcs of the Union have U
polished i;--when the most ~dis'iuguiShe
lawyers aud pIilanlhro. lists in the worl
I, have expressed their opinions against IL
when, in short. the sovereign peo.'l he, who's
1 SCI wants the Legislators arc, hive w'lled !
Iestruction--ye canno. i'm tgine there ca
he ONE who wollJ for n ino ,,cnt sustain !
Ii would be I'M in suit 10 sappo'c such a
;, anomaia until the ~clcarest evidence was "a
- ducel.
~ OHIO has taken W the question. Go
!. Vance, in his late message, has spoken
it in tho strongest terms. The following
= an extract:
sIinuisonment for debt appears Il ha'
attracted the attention. of the benevolent al
:, humane porlioa OF society throughout Nv
-, ~ government advanced IN the SC ne OF
v,l,H iinl. That It is a relic OF barbari'
81, rhat o,gtm tn be- struck Ga n the 20 lie ~
>, vilzal nalioaS, is what | have long b lt
-. cd. IL the observations that ! have be
able To mike upon :his su CT, | have q
yer discovered that il has bien carried Il
n. cvccu'ioa bu OIL two pricciplcs "f acl'"a
i, ii, frst. 10 CRAFTY mlhcr. AMI Tie ss;oaI
force he Griofti the ua Toriaa tie oa' Of 50
Zen ,co,eni fricnl, wio scoah not sre an
tc3a iini1n;e. TiD perh,ps hid seen bel
iys. inclrcerdtsi in tie prison hoiie,
-. Yo,r a,,en;io. is earnestly solicited To !
vn .abicc,, under n belief that the year Ii
sn val close the periol in our state hIsio
.a when, to be unfortunate and in debt, |
'oi criminal o.Ftnce."
Tae portion in italics contains in a
900 words, the whole truth.
We sad--aud 50 will the community
watch MyioasIy for the report oriha Ca
49,. man of the ca nnitice, and the subsequ
-. action OF the House.