Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-02-15


baslardy was then passed
The House adjourned to Monday af-
ternoon, at 8 o'clock.
Monday. Feb. -.
SENATE. There being no business,
the Senate ad Iourned TO 10 o'clock Tues
day morning.
/ TIoUsE. Mr.. Barber offered reso.
luton, providing for the House having
an evening session, passed.
\ Several commune ailons from the
Senate were received.
An net concerning crimes and punish
ments, passed to n second reading.
| An act declaring what IL real aud per-
sonal estate, in certain cases, passed.
An act regulating water mills, passed.
/ An act Ia establish the several jail
Yards within the several counties Of this
State.
\ The bill after a shot debate, was laid
on the table 10 await the action 0i the
House on the poor prisoners bill.
EVENING. An act for the relief OF
poor prisoners was taken up.
An amendment was proposed, provid-
ing that unless n man make an assign
lment of all his estate, real aud personal,
within three days after his commitment,
1t may be attached by his creditors, on
mesne process, notwithstanding he may
be III the State or county and after the
expiration of the three days, The credi-
tor NAV attach the rea and personal es-
tate, notwithstanding The debtors com.
mitment.
MIR. King opposed the amendment,
on the ground that il was introducing an
entirely new provision into our laws
lie SAID the general provisions of our
laws had been found favorable to the
collection Of debts, aud there were few
States in which debts were more surely
collected or more punclualIy paid
w nh the new provision introduced com
pelling II man to make an assignment
within thirty DAYS, or be committed to
close prison, he thought the bill went far
enough.
Mr.. Branch said that the effect Of this
amendment would be to make every
creditor wait ill the expiration of the
thirty days-and then have his sheriff or
deputy standing ready to pa, on an al
tachmcnt Ii would make great confu-
sion and difficulty.
/ Mr.. Cranston hoped we should moi
adopt the amendment. 1t would make
great change. You can neither legis
late men into honesty or prevent them
from being dishonest. think, generally
speaking, it we take these laws as they
come from the committee, we shall do
better than to alter them. Every one
we have altered We have made worse
than it was when it came from their
hands, and worse than the old law.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Barber moved 10 strike out thirty
days and insert sixty, as the time within
which a man should make his assign
ment.
Mr. Brown thought thirty days would
be short time IN some cases.
I MIR. Cranston said, there was not SO
mgch Of this going TO Jail by persons who
had property as was supposed. There
was generally very little money made
out of men after they went to jail. He
hoped the bill would pass as it was.
( The amendment was rejected.
4 MIR. &. +. T,lIinghasl moved, that the
provision allowing the creditor to keep
the debtor in jail by paying a dollar a
week lor his board be stricken out.
Mr.. Reynolds thought This provision
was retrospective, and ml,Inged upon
the previously acquired rights Of credi-
tors.
Dir. T. Whipple said, ,hn, the credi-
tor never had the right, though he might
have had the power TO keep the debtor IL
Iail when he had no property, and he
hopes he would no longer have the power.
\ Mr.. TIllInghast said there was mo-
doubt oi The power Of the House To meet
this provision. II affected old debts
contracted previous to 1899.
/. The section was stricken out.
Mr TillInghnst offered an ame ndme nj
providing for the administration Of the
poor debtors oath, by the court, without
commitment
MIR. TIllioghast said that as the law
now was, n debtor could take the oath
after seven days commitment, The