Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-06-02

II. H. MEANS, Pres't-
VIM. H. WOODWARD, Sec.
SELLING WHITE MEN FORDEBT.
To the Cincinnati Advertiser:
| sIR-ln your paper Of the 18th instant,
ven other members of the late Senate and
myself for supposed cote given at the
last session, for a passage of law to
"SeH debtors in certain cases. If such
had been our conduct, | acknowledge that
we should not only deserve the censure
which the writer has bestowed upon US,
but the execration of every honest man IN
society. An act of that kind is not only
opposed to the principles of justice and
humanity, but would be palpable vioia-
ton of the Constitution fthe State. which
every legislator is sworn to support and
sanctioned by House of Representatives
and twelve Senators, it would indicate a
state of deprayity, which would fill every
patriotic bosom with the most alarming
anticipalions.--But the fact is, that no
such proposition was ever made IN the
Legislature, or even thought of. The act
to which the writer alludes, has no more
relation to the collection Of ''debis" than
it has to the discovery Of longitude. Il was
an act for the punishment of offences"
E against the State; and that part of It
r which has so deeply wounded the feelings
of your correspondent, was passed by the
House of Representatives and voted for
by tire twelve Senators, under the impress
: sion that it was the most mild and humane
mode Of dealing with the offenders for
whose cases 1t was intended. 1t was
| adopted by the House of Representatives
/ as part of the general system of the
: criminal law, which was then undergoing
; a complete revision and amendment. The
e necessity ofthls is evinced by the following
II facts: For several years past 1t had be-
n come apparent that the Penitentiary sys-
It tenn was becoming more and more bur-
Y densome at every session; a large appro-
.. priation was called for to meet the excess
- of expenditure above the receipts of the
u establishment. In the commencement of
! the session Of 1920, the deficit amounted
d to near $4,000.
'r This growing evil required the immedi.
ate interposition of some vigorous legisla.
ic tive measure. Two were recommended
! as being likely TO produce the effect: first,
- placing the institution under better man
8 asement; and secondly, iessening the
" number of convicts who were sentenced
n for Short periods, and whose labor was
m found of course to be most unproductIve.
of In pursuance of the latter principle, thefts
Nv to the amount Of $50 or upwards, were
,h subjected to. punishment in the PenitentIa-
n, nv, instead Of $40, which was the former
IN minimum sum; this was easily done.--
~ u But the great difficulty remained TO de-
~ tern1ine what should be the punishment Of
ng those numerous larcenies below the sum
nd Of $50. BY some, whipping was propos'
lal ed by others, punishment by hard labor
in the country jails, and by others, 1t was
,nt thought best to make them work on tht
;as highways. To all these there appeared
o. insuperable objections: fine and inPrison
r. mept was adopted by the House of Re
lol representatives. as the only alternative ant
cat as it is well known these vexatious pilter
ate ings were generally perpetrated by tn
IAN most worthless vagabonds in society,
hig was added that when they could not pa
inG the fines and costs which are always pa
inc of the sentence and punishment, their Sc
vices should be sold out to any perso
who would pay their fines and costs fC
them. This was the clause that W;
passed, as believe, by a unanimous vol
lof the House and stricken out in the Sci
ate, in opposition to the twelve who haN
been denounced. A little further troub
in examining the journals would ha'
shown your correspondent that this WI
considered as substitute for whippin
which was lost only BY single vote in t
Senate, and in the House. by small N
ority, after being5once passed.
| think, Mr.. Editor, have said enou
to show that this obnoxious law would +
have applied to "unfortunate debtors
sixty.four years." but to infamous offt
ders, who depredate upon the property
their fellow. citizens; and who, by
Constitution of the State, as the princil
of existing laws, were subject to involl
tary servitude. must confess had
very sanguine expectations ola benefc
effect from this measure, as it would apl
to convicts who had obtained the age
maturity; but had supposed that a '
man or youth who, convicted of an
fence, renamed 10 jail for the payment
fine and costs imposed, might with gr
advantage be transferred to the residel
of some decent, virtuous, private fam
whose precept and example would ger
lead them back to the paths of rectitu
I would appeal 10 the candor of y
correspondent to say whether, if tn
were an individual confined under the
cunstances | have mentioned, for VIII
fate he was interested, he would not g
" see him transferred from the filthy
closure of Jail. and the still more FL
inhabitants, to the comfortable mansion
putin some virtueus citizen, whose admoniti
ID at would check his vicious propensities,
lgust whose authority over him would be
more than is exercised over thousand
orm- apprentices in our country, and Il
al bv bound servants, which are tolerated in
and as well as in every other State in
~. I - Union. Far from advocating the G5Om
'lisll bic principles attributed to me By your
omas respondent, think that Imprisonment
u, be debt, under any circumstances, but
VIM. where fraud is alledged, is at acdr tUiL
'etary best principles Of our Constitution
com ought to be abolished.
cor am, sir, your humble servant,