The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-30
TIE MON.


We observe that several OF the Marya land papers
urging The proprety OF aboshng Imprisonment for debt
by The Reform Convention OF that State, in session
Cases are frequently occurring, which shock the feelings
and awaken the resentment OF all well disposed indie
vduas, OF abuses perpeated under this barbarian lac
for il is relic of the barbarian ages, and is foul dis
grace to this enlightened and philanhropc stage OF the
worlds progress in improvement Old men are dragged
10 prison for paty debts OF few dollars poor men,
with large, helpless families share the fate and
if the hand OF benevolence be not extended to their
lief. they may rot in the dungeon along with the yes
elons Such blot this the legislative system of
Maryland is dishonor the memories OF those cnlight
sned and tolerant men who founded her institutions and
breathed into them the most generous spirit Of the times
Were they living they would Indignantly blot this
from her book The great genius Of the age
baeed by fraud and then the imprisonment is not in
hiced for the debt but for the fraud regarded dis public
crime The property OF the debtor should of course be
subject the discharge OF his debts and if he be honest
the power OF Sbyloek creditor should extend no further
over his person Such system us that of the Roman
Twelve Tabesand that permitted The arrest for debt Of
the dead body of the great Grecan patriot and hero,
Mitades-now stands rebuked by the voice of the
this voice of benevoence and OF Justice We hope not
Mos, Of all the old States have absolutely subsan.
italy abolished imprisonment for debt unless in the case
of fraudulent debtors; while every new State, with
scarcely exception, has introduced into its constitution
the most peremptoy inhibition against such imprison
In nothing has the tendency Of modern aneoraon
been marked and beneficial than in this very par
tcula One of The fundamental safeguards of free gov
eminent is the protection il gives TO life, liberty, and The
pursuit of happiness This manifesty violated by cast
ing an honest but unfortunate debtor into prison, and
consignng him. and all who depend his exertions for
subsistence, TO hopeless misery and despair. Let not
be said in sXenuaton that few creditors cold booded
and hard hearted enough 10 take advantage Of this
power. Experience shows that they do daily
prompted by interest revenge. most fragrant case
of this kind recently occurred in Massachusetts SINH
lar one lately in Baltimore, of old man. The annals
of debtors PRISONS" from time lmnemoris, are guted
with the victims of brutal and fendsh malignty and
cruelty How far have modern phianthropists i'm.
proved on the ancient laws which allowed the debtors
body to be in pieces and divided among his creditors
or the dead body ITSELF which should be sacred in the
eye Of man. be levied and withheld from the grave
to satisfy the rapacty OF CREDITOR if permit homes
men TO be imprisoned for indefinite periods, and thus no
only deprive them OF all means 10 ray their debts bu
s,ife life. and hope, and ambition in living tomb to
geher' When the laws encourage the contraction Of
debts by facilitating the credit system, and then vs
misfortune with the penalties as it crime
wha, can be despolic and unchrsian in human
government We hope this system is rapidly approach
ing its close, and that il will soon be universally re
garded as little less delestabe and inhuman than we now
regard the bloody coae OF Draco, the more infamous
DEGREES OF Caligula.