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

fht7 t&f y ~ w fttC 0potf TT
and il so, the time is not far distant whe
voice will be raised, ia tone not 10
misunderstood, 70 which they will listen;
mean tho voice Of the people Of this STATE
who will use a language that cannot be mis-
Interpreted. Then, sir, you will find gen
temen on this floor who will not only lis
Ten while such principles are promulgaie,
as are contained in this bill, but they vii
vote for and enact them into lap-spre1
them on the Statute books Of Tho State, ant
fasten them indekbly on the institutions 0
the country.
while the foregoing was being said, tn
members all returned to their seats, who
with several strangers in the gallery, were
listening with profound attention, which
apparently, induced Mr.. NC. to proceed.
Sir, (said he,) | have not brought for
ward this bill as an idle dream, 10 vast,
the time Of this House unnecessarily, o.
to make myself conspicuous, as has beer
charged by honorable members on thi.
floor. | have brought it forward because
believed It was true in principle, and i
so, could be reduced 10 practice, and would
result in great good TO the human family.
am not welded, sir, to the details of
this bill, 10 some OF which many persons
object. The principle is all contend for,
and lam prepared 10 accept any amend
ment which will improve it, and make it
Of greater utility to the people of this
State, and more agreeable 10 members of
this House; and | call upon members to
propose such amendments, and moi smo-
ther the principle, if they believe il true,
because they do not like the manner pro-
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 lha, 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 10 pay.
The next proposition in This bill is, that
public officers shall not give over a 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 surh ohcers-and Tor 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
actas administrators and guardians, and
for any bad conduct, or deiacation, shall
be trealedas public defaultng 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
ly, sir, the idea cannot be seriously enter
famed that the members Of society ought |
not 10 be bound in proportion 10 their re.
specive abilities for the laithfnl conduct of
their agents; and it would certainly be
better that each member of every society
should pay a fair proportion on account of
any misfortune or calamity, as in case of
q defaulting officer, than one or two mem
bers Of such society should be hopelessly
ruined. When we advocate any other doc.
irine 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, but would
seriously ask them by what principle in
nature have females been deprived Of ci.
vi and political rights2 By none, sir; tits
usurpation, iyrannical usurpalon, that de- {
Prlved them Of their rights, and when
proposition is made 10 surrender what we {
have unjustly taken, il becomes subject S
Of rIdicule. Had this been the law Of the I
land Tor the last ten years, think you, sir, {
there would be that wide spread ruin, strife, t
dIscord and misery, which we see pervad. G
ing the whole and--men driven by pecu, i
my oiSttCsc3 WI dCCuhDt Vi tnt COUlThClS | .
and conduct Of others, 10 dissipation their ?
wives 10 despair, and their helpless chill
dren in want Of bread, 10 be reared up t
Without intellectual, and often moral cul- }
Iarei No, sir, had this been the law of c
The land, these guardian angels of the 0
'leruer sex would have prevented all this II
devastation and ruin, the contemplation Of n
sh,ch causes humanity TO shudder. Il
lMr. McCaughn was here so much at. c
ec'ed he could not proceed for some il
ime. v
Mr.. Chairman, hope, if the House will d
not pass The whole Of this bill, or 50 alter b
y amend it as 70 make il acceptable, they a
KY at least, pass the two first sections
lhls, alone, will do great good, and by g
mother session, the people Of the State "
an decide whether they would have the i
'alance. desire no man TO vote for the "