The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-02-03
rRnr The Gate CITY.


K1oKuk, Jan. 81, 1860.
| MEssRs. EDnoas: To your "Gate" Of two
days ago, You mention the fact that bill
has bsen introduced into the Legislators Of
Wisconsin for the repeal Of oil laws which
authorize the collection OF debts hereafter TO
be contracted, by legal process; and that ONE
Wisconsin journal advocates the measure
/ wish you could spare the time to investi-
gate that question, which its Importance
merits for If you can and do, am sure
.your enlarged Republican ideas in other mat
ters will also induce you to advocate just
such a bill for fuwa, as the ono now before
| the Wisconsin Legislature.
| When first came to Iowa, nothing was
bars and CRATES of prison wall good and
honest men, for no other reason than their
failure in business and inability to pay their
debts. knew Of one case in this county,
where husband and father and good citi-
zen, laid six weeks or more in our county
Jail, because Of his poverty and the severity
of his creditors.
Imprisonment for debt in those DAYS Gre
ated no surprise, and little sympathy for the
victim with the mass of community, be-
cause they had been educated in the older
States to look upon such suffering with in.
difference.
Being member OF the Iowa House OF
Representatives in 1910, at an early stage of
the Legislative session introduced bill to
abolish imprisonment for debt, but failed to
secure it's passage-not more than one-third
OF the members voting for it. During the
same session. very good friend of one of
the members who had been chiefly instru-
mental in defeating my bill, was seized, tn-
ken from his family, and incarcerated in
prison, because he failed to meet some mo.
ney demand. This induced that gentleman
to investigate the subject more fully, and
caused him to change his views Of the ef6ca-
o. and necessity of Imprisonment for debt.
do then united in bringing forward another
bill to abolish imprisonment for debt, and
we carried il triumphanty through but ii
become Law in Iowa for some two or three
years thereafter.
The discussion on that question was not
only animated, bat excited, and partook of
considerable asperity of feeling and ex-
preston. The enemies of the bill denounced
Its advocates as agrnrians, Jewelers., enc
mics ct credit, advocates of dishonest debt
ors, DC. In my Investigations and reaeo-
tions at that period became convinced that
society would be advanced 10 It's moral and
social condition by the repeal Of oil force
laws for the collection OF mere demands.-
In other words, believe that mere money
credits should be matters Of honor not law,
since no man is compelled to credit another,
and no honest, honorable, worthy man would
be refused a credit which he needed where
he has q reasonable means wherexith to paw.
OF the elk thousand voters in this county.
will venture the assertion, --because, from
my personal opportunities for many years to
form correct opinion, fell that / speak
advisediy, that not over one thousand have
ever sued or been sued in our courts and OF
our farmers, who constitute perhaps one
bali of our voting population, am almost
positive that not one in twenty ever in their
life enter court room, except as witness
or looker-on Then, ms q matter Of distri-
butive Justice, where is the equity of taxing
the non-lisigating portion of community for
the payment Of the salaries of judges, bum
baifFs, and other instruments Of the law, to
settle the disputes Of their more contentious
neighbors.
Besides, there is nothing in oil community
which so much estranges aequaintances, and
stirs the bad blood of men, US matters of
| litigation between creditor and debtor, es.
pecialy where outstanding cross accounts
exist between them, and q groat many wit
nesses are called in to adjust them.
Let 81 laws for the prevention, suppress
sion and punishment of fraud and crime re.
main firm and be executed with vigilance.
Blu. may Heaven speed tho day when the
creditor shall look not TO the arm of the
sheriff and constable to dog down and hunt
out the property Of the debtor, but exclu
sively 10 his honor and Unborn manhood.
A SUBSCRIBER.
Remarkable Phenomenon.