The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-03-06

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The Act Abolishing imprisonment for
Debt-Some Incfdemts Connected with
the History ofits becoming Law.
The Bill abolishing Imprisonment for
Debt. received the signature Of the Cover
nor On the last night Of the session, and is
now law. Some Of our readers may not
be acquainted with the history Of this meas
ure. and we therefore propose to give it a
hurried review, q
At the fifth session of the Legislature
the Hon. WILLIAM A. DAVIS, then repre-
senting the city Of St. Paul in the House
of Representatives, presented to that body
bill to abolish Imprisonment for Debt, Of
which the present law is in all essential
points counterpart. Though pressed be-
fore the attention of that legislature with
signal ability, it was, through the indifer-
ence or prejudices Of its members, indefinite
ly postponed and defeated. 1t met then
the opposition Of portion of the lawyers
of the Territory who fatten most on the
grosser inhumanities of the law. The mea-
sure was favorite one with Mr. DAVIS,
and from the decision of the fifth legislative
assembly he took an appeal to his constitu-
ency. In October last he was again pre-
sented as candidate by the Democracy !;
and the question whether or not free men
should be held liable to incarceration in the
jails and prisons of the Territory in expia-
ton of the crimes of poverty and misfor-
tune, was made by him and the party a
prominent issue in the canvass He was
triumphantly returned to the House, and
among the first days of the session set him
self about to redeem his pledge to the peo-
pie.
The bill which has now become a law was
introduced by Mr.. DAVIS, at an early day,
and passed through all the forms of legisla-
ton, except having received the signature
Of the Governor, some week or ten days
before the adjournment. During that time
until few hours before the close of the
session, it remained in the hands of the
Committee on Enrolled Bills Various at
tempts had been made to secure its present
alton to the Governor without success, I'M
til it became apparent to the friends of the
bill that scheme was on foot to pocket or
destroy it, and thus deprive the people of a
Just and bene6cent law. After long time
spent in search of the bill it was at last
tracked to the pockets Of the Hon. D. F.
BRAwLEY, Representative from st. Paul.
When approached on the subject, and re-
quested to procure the Governors sigma
ture thereto, as chairman of the appropri.
ate Committee, he refused !; affirming with
an oath that the bill was in his possession,
and should remain there After this, the
gentleman who introduced the bill and who
felt himself especially responsible to the
people for its success, made like demand.
The Honorable gentleman coolly assured
. him, in answer, that he had not got the bill;
and it was not until the falsehood was fas.
tened upon him that he acknowledged its
possession, nor until threatened with per-
sonal violence, that be could be induced to
perform his sworn duty, and lay it before
the Executive, by whom it was promptly
approved. "a
We have alluded to the circumstances
connected with the passage Of this bill, in
the first place as an act Of justice to the
Honorable gentleman who framed it, and
who has striven for its success, through two
sessions of the Legislature, with an industry
and ability in every way commendable f.; and
in the second place, to give our readers an
insight into the character of one of the peo-
ples's representatives, and the kind of out
RACES which are openly attempted in our
legislative halls This Mr.. BRAwLrY, dur
ing the canvass up to the meeting of tic
Legislature, and through the greater part
Of the session, was m avowed warm friend
Of the principle involved in the law abolish
ing Imprisonment for Debt. But, operated
upon blythe ssnss influence which induced