Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-03-04

voice will be raised, in a tone not to be
misunderstood, to which they will listen;
mean the voice of the people of this State,
who will use language that cannot DC mas
Interpreted. Then, sir, you will IND gen
tlemen on this floor who will not only lis,
ten while such principles are promulgated
as are contained in this bill, but they Wit
vote for and enact them into LGD-Spread
them on the Statute books Of tho State, and
fasten them indehbly on the institutions Of
the country. -,
while the foregoing was being said, the
r,an,bers All returned TO their seats, who,
with several strangers in the gallery, were
listening with profound attention, which,
apparenily, induced Mr.. MIC. to proceed
Sir, (said he,) have not brought for
ward this bill as an idle dream, TO waste
the time of this House unnecessarily, or
to make myself conspicuous, as has been
charged by honorable members on this
floor. have brought it forward because
believed it was true in principle, and if
so, could be reduced to practice, and would
result in great good to the human family.
am not welded, sir, to the details of
this bill. to some OF which many persons
object. The principle is all contend for,
and am prepared TO accept any amend
ment which will improve it, and make il
of greater utility to the people of this
State, and more agreeable TO members of
this House; and call upon members to
propose such amendments, and not smo-
Their the principle, if they believe it true,
al IL
posed in this bill to put it in practice. The
first two sections of this bill propose only
the abolition of security between indivi-
duals in their private contracts. Surely,
gentlemen will not deny that every person
should be liable, in his own person and
property, for all his own acts; nothing new
is here contemplated, and all that is here
proposed is TO prevent those who get no
consideration from liability to pay.
The next proposition in this bill is, that
public officers shall not give over few
individuals, as security, for the faithful
performance of their duty, but the people,
who elect them, shall be security for them
so far as defalcation cannot be made good
by such officers-and for their misconduct
they shall be put to hard labor In The peni-
Tertiary.
The next proposition in this bill is, that
the members of the Boards of Police shall
act as administrators and guardians, and
for any bad conduct, or defalcation, shall
be treated as public defaulting officers, and
the people who elected them make good,
by taxation, any defalcations to estates OF
widows and orphans, which would protect
those helpless and unfortunate members OF
society from the possibility ofloss. Sure
~, sir, the idea cannot be seriously enter
tanned that the members Of a society ought
not to be bound in proportion 10 their re-
spective abilities for the faithful conduct OF
their agents; and it would certainly be
better that each member of every society
should pay fair proportion on account Of
any misfortune or calamity, as in case OF
a deiaulting officer, than one or two mem
bers of such society should be hopeleSsly
ruined. When we advocate any other doc
trine we lose sight of that social principle
on which we profess that our government
is founded.
The next principle contained in this bill
is the clause that prohibits gentlemen who
have wives becoming security in any case,
without the consent of their wives. Gen
tlemen smile at this doctrine, butt would
seriously ask them by what principle in
nature have females been deprived of CT
vii and political rights? By none, sir; it is
usurpation, tyrannical usurpation, that de-
Prived them OF their rights, and when a
proposition is made to surrender what we
have unjustly taken, it becomes a subject
of ridicule. Had this been the law of the
land for the last Ten years, think YOU, sir
there would be that wide spread ruin, strife
discord and misery, which we seepervad.
ing the whole Iand-men driven by pecu.
mary distress, on account of the contracts
and conduct of others, TO dissipation, Their
wives TO despair, and their helpless chill
dren in want Of bread, to be reared uE
without intellectual, and often moral cul
ture2 No, sir, had this been the law o.
the land, these guardian angels of th'
sterner sex would have prevented all this
devastation and ruin, the contemplation o
which causes humanity to shudder.
Mr.. McCaughn was here so much af
fected he could not proceed for som,
time.
Mr.. Chairman, | hope, if the House vii
not pass the whole of this bill, or 50 alte
or amend it as to make it acceptable, the,
will, at least, pass the two first sections
This, alone, will do great good, and b.
another session, the people Of the State
can decide whether they would have the
balance. | desire no man to vote for The
bill, or any part of il, contrary to thei
judgment and sense of propriety; but
am so fllI,- ;, ,r,,,, 4 i e -. ...,,L - :,