The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-30
A CONCISE STATEMENT OF FACTS.

Relating to the charge against General Harri-
son Of "roting to sell White Men for Debt.n
The vote which has been the subject of so
much Misrepresentation was given by General
Harrison in the Senate of Ohio nj the session
Of ls20'2l. Previous to that time law s.For
the punishment Of certain offences therein spe-
cited" (passed February / L. 1915, } and had been
in forces This act defined and punished crimes
or offences considered less heinous than crimes
which were punishable by Imprisonment in the
Penitentlary: such as petty larceny house
breaking, resculng prisoners, and offences of the
like grade. These offences were. by this law
made punishable by fine and imprisonment in
rhe county Jail. This law also provided that r.
the offender refused to pay the fine imposed on
him by the court, and costs Of prosecution. and
the sheriff could find no property of the offender
that he could levy on and sell to pay the fine
and costs, then he should imprison the offender
IN the county jail until the fine and costs should
be paid. But it also provided that the county
commissioners might order the sheriff or taller
to discharge the offender imprisoned for the non
payment Of such fine and costs from prison. if
they were satisfied that he was unable to nav the
fine and costst II was found in practice that
the conviction and punishment Of offenders I'm.
der the act, added greatly TO the expenses Of the
counties, and consequently served to increase
the burden Of taxation on the people
Most OF these petty criminals had little or no
property, or adopted means TO keep it out Of the
hands of the sheriff, as to prevent eftectually
his collection of the fines and costs in,posed on
them for the violation Of the law. The result
was, that in majority of these cases the coun
lies had to pay the costs OF prosecuting these Of
tenders, and of sustaining them in prison thus
compelling the innocent to pay for the convic-
ton and punishment Of the guilty. AT the ses-
sion Of 1S20-1S2l, select committee was raised
in the House OF Representatives to examine
this subjects and report 10 the House what amend
ments, if any, were necessary and proper.t-
This committee reported bill supplementary to
the act above referred TO, the principal object of
which seems TO have been TO diminish the ex-
penses imposed on the counties by the prosecu-
fon and punishment of these offendersS
This supplementary bill was recommitted TO
the Committee on the Judiciary, and was after
wards reported back TO the House by Mr.. Nor
ris, Gate Senator IN Congress- with sundry
amendments, containing provisions for the pun
ishment Of certain additional offences. not CON
tanned in the original act and containing also the
obnoxious section, authorizing the sheriff to sell
offenders to such persons as would pay the fine
and costs for which the offenders were in prison.
for the shortest period of service of such often
ders. The bill passed the House, with this OBJ
noxious section in IT, by rote of AZ ayes to 2I
noes; Thomas Morris. late Senator ia Congress
Thomas Shannon, now Senator in the Ohio
Legislature W NtON. shannon. M. IT
Williams, late Surveyor General of the United
States, E. Whittlesey late member of Con
gress, among others voting in the affirmative
When this bill was under consideration in the
Senate, Mr.. Fithian moved 10 strike out he 10Th
section of the bill as 1t came from the Horse -
This section, as has been previously stated an.
thorized the sheriff to sell the services Of he az
fender who was imprisoned for the non -paymen,
of the fine imposed on him by the Court. and
the costs of conviction, 10 the person who would
pay such fine and costs for the shortest term of
service, and secured the offender from cruelty
or abuse from the purchaser, during the term
Of service, by giving him the same remedies as
are provided, by law, in the lease of master
and apprentice."T
This section was stricken out in the Senate
by a vote Of 20 ayes TO IL noes; General Harri-
son, Eli Baldwin, late Van Buren, candidate for
Governor OF Ohio, with others, voting in the ne
gatve.s* In addition 10 the privilege secured
TO the imprisoned offender, who should be una
bic to pay his fine and costs, Of being liberated
by the county commissioners, il they consider
ed il expedient, the bin contained when This
vote on striking out the selling section wns
taken, a section providing that the offender
might discharge his fine BY labor Oh the public
highways, at such rates ms might be prescribed
by the court passing sentence on the convicted
offendertt
From this statement of facts it clearly ap
pears