Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-05-18
by NIasser g. EiseIy,


of the people will be prolonged by giving iron
hearted creditors power Of nhic,ing torture on
their fellow men. But this will not pay debts
nor reflect very great honor upon the communi-
ty.
Mr.. Speaker, | desire to place this question
before the Senate in its true position. deny
the right of this Government to imprison its
citizens, unless they commit crimes. Fraudu-
lent insolvency should be severely punished,
because deception is practised--a false reputa-
tion is made, and property which belong TO o.
theirs, withheld. But shall honest insolvency
share no better fate Shall the thousand casu-
a'itles which men are liable to-events over
which they have no control, subject them to the
same puishment as the man who makes fraud
ulent assignment Certainly not. know
that Imprisonment for debt has been tolerated
in all the States OF this Union for a long series
of years; but know too that the genius of the
age revo'ts at the horrible practice, humanity
weeps over it civilization and Christianity re-
monstrate against 1t, and plead for its abandon
ment. Formerly the fire and the faggot were
used as instruments of torture by Governments,
but that day is past We look back upon those
acts of cruelty, as belonging to past age As
civilization progresses, Governments find tha.
torturng their citizens is not the best way to
govern them. Christianity which spreads her
benign influence around and about us, cries a.
loud against such barbarity. The Senator from
Washington Mr.. Craig has given the most ex-
traordlnary reason why imprisonment for debt
should be continued. He says Washington
county contains two colleges, where a large
number Of young men are brought together
from all parts of the country, for the purpose Of
education. These young men get in debt to
sundry good people in Washington, and refuse
to pay them, which he denomina,es a very sim
moral Practice" therefore it is necessary to
mprison them in order that they may be taught
"morality" These young gentleman should
certainly pay their debts; but if the people of
Washington hold out inducements for them
to come there and then trust them with their
property, they ought not to have the privilege
of imprisoning them upon the principle of "mo-
ra'ty." There can be but little morality in
this. hold in my hand the Cd Vol. House
Journal, 1923, in which find very inter-
esting report on the condition of the debtors
apartment of the Arch street Prison, in the CITY
and county of Philadelphia. The report was
drawn by Mr.. Gibbons, who represented ia part
the county of Philadelphia, and regret that
have not the pleasure Of his acquaintance. He
says, che, whose misery induces him 10 contract
a debt of few cents, has no appeal or stay OF
execution--is dragged from his work without
[ time or opportunity to advise his family of his
conference.-the is prevented from obtaining
! the means Of discharging his debts by his labor
and leaves the prison in a state of great des
titution, and with his moral feelings more de-
praved than when he entered" In the Ian
guage Of an intelligent prisoner, the Jail, al
now organized, is "direc, mandatory 70,
rogucs" Here is voice from the debtors a
partment, and it speaks trumpet tongued "di
rect manufactory for rog ues," and not TEN
pie were morality is taught. Some Senators
assert that but few or no pc rsons were imprson
ed under the old law. This, sir, question
The cold hand Of tyranny is never satisfied s.
long as 1t has power to exercise. While th
bill was pending before the Senate in 1912,
received letter from the prisoners confined il
the debtors apartment OF the county prison, urg
ing me to vote for the bill, which did mos
cheerfully. This letter, if | recollect righ,
was signed by 80 or forty persons.
In order to place beyond dispute the fact tina
a large number of persons were annually i'm
prsoned under the old law, beg leave to rea
some passages from the report already reierre
t to, which will present the subject in lnuc
stronger light than any thing can say.
r From an abstract of cases of imrrison me
+ on executions for debts under "ae do lar, TAX,
: from the prison records of the debtors depal
t ment, IN the city and couaty of Philadelph
i between the sst OF My and the Oath of Sc
i tembcr, 1880, It -.ppesrs that the total amou
:. OF debts, in forty such cases, was $23 AGA. u
e on when the costs were $40 20-making
Y. teal of debts and costs 500 60a. Among the
d. were debts of 2, 10, 25 and 37a cents Su
- persons are generally brought to prison il
or state of great destitution and misery-in ru
a and wretchedness" Yes, sir, the whole s
as tenn is one of "rags and wretchedness," OF m
N cry and woe. The whole system is founded
CO injustice, and is at war with the alienable rig
ts of man. Here is q system which impris'