The native American., 1838-07-14
From The Baltimore Sun.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

The New York papers have been discussing
the propriety Of building, and the Common Coun-
Gil have been searching for site on which to
erect debtors prison, where the condition Of the
unfortunate debtor may be meliora,ed and COM
fort extended to him, as far as the Shylock who
holds him enchained, in his mercy may permit.
We have no business, perhaps, to interfere in
Their discussion, but must say that admire the
position assumed by the ''Slar;' that is, to make
the present place Of confinement as comfortable
as possible for the time being; and then 90 to
work, nor rest contenied, until they succeed in
expunging from the statute book, the law i'm
posing confinement as punishment on the man
who, il may be, by series Of misfortunes i'm
possible to have been averted, has fallen into the
hands Of souess creditor. We have vet to be
convinced that inability to pay an obligation is
crime; or that failure to comply with the pressing
opportunities of creditor, should subject the
debtor to the common lot Of felons.
We would not be understood as expressing
an opinion favorable to the debtor who fraud,t-
ienaty attempts to deprive the creditor Of his lust
rights-they cannot be too well protected; but
ii is those against whom there is no fraud al
ledged we would relieve. Lord Mansfield, one
OF the brightest stars in the galaxy of iurists who
have reflected splendor and honor on the Eng
lsh bench, once said, IL have encountered fiau-
dulent debtors, but where | have encountered
one fraudulent debtor, have met nine hundred
fraudulent creditors This is high authority for
contending that there re nine hundred chances 10
one that the creditor deserves the prison more
than the debtor, and il may be considered rash in
US TO dispute it. We think. however his Lord
ship made the proportion too great, though we
have no doubt that the preponderance in favor
OF the moral honesty Of debtors generally, is far
above that of the creditors. Our readers will un-
derstand that, in this connection, we allude to the
thousand and one artfccs frequently used to in
duce men to 60 in debt-artifices at the moment
conceived in jraatd, and inducements held ont
which the wary and crafty creditor never believes
tor an instant can be realized. Instances of this
KIND have come under our own observation, where
men have been induced to 90 far be-
yond their means, with the assurance that without
the possibility of DOUBT rich returns were in
store for them. The debtor enters into the specu.
lation with all honest intention te repay to the III
most farthing-he commences his career, and pro-
crosses not SO prospcrously as he was led to anti
cipate--he is falling behind, and the first man TO
pounce upon and drive him at once to ruin, is the
creditor who Just persuaded him into the specu-
iatlon-.hls troubles accumulate and his property
IS sacrltlced-the walls Of prison next stare
him in the face, and he finds too late that he has
been made the victim Of fraud and delusiye homes.
Who is here the fraudulent individual, the delu-
ded debtor or the designing creditor? This is
the history Of large proportion of debtors, and
is not an unlikely portrait Of most creditors.
We regret, Tor the honor Of our own State. that
a statute imposing imprisonment for debt still
constitutes part of her volume Of laws. During
the last session Of the Legislature, law abolish.
ing i passed the popular branch, but was de-
feaed in the Senate. We believe public opinion
demands that such law should be enacted, and
we trust that the press generally will advert to It
thus early that the attention of the people may be
called TO it prior to selecting their lawmakers for
the next session.
we may resume this subject again.