V' '"TV:
7;&i j
vhVVll' -" r-"::",V- " '! - " ' FRIDAY, Fte$EUARYj4r1823' f
ON 1MPIUSONMKNT FOR DEBT.
IX fTTATB OT THE V, ff.- JA3T 182o. ,
Mr Jnhn;nnV of.Kj. delivered 'the
frllovic remarfcon the,bill for abo
' h'cK'n' Irr.rrionment for Debtj
' if ''5 esvr to convince my own mind of the
T iore v of . abolishing imprisonment forT
,. M, I fer,- han by ' comnmnicatinj: my
r;ff. s to srry convfction to the bosoms of
otVTs. T m conscious that public speaJcinif
r ortc: -but. on this important sub-
jf ct. : ! h come my duty to present to the
citA mr sen'mehts." ' "
of a "creditor to. imprison his
nV'tor. ?s the only cae in tliefTnited States,
where, amon?, fVeemen. one citizen has Jepal
nthnp'v to deprive bis co-eqnal fellow-citi-2pn.
at discreMonof the riffht of personal li
bprtr. It constitutes an awful exception,
boMi in our civil and criminal code, which, in
jrv hi:mhle'opinian. is'Vppnpmant to the spirit
of the constitution. In the case of minors, it
l true, the parent hns a limited control over
child the.-ffnardian over his wartl, and
the masr, over ' his apprentice ; but this
potrer w necessarily given only on account of
the trmorit' ofthe subject.
V hen the years of infancy are past, and
jrwn aa;ns to the aire of freedom,-our laws
rerr.r ? his personal ,-lfberty too sacred ta be
anpihilatetl by 'Jns .own voluntary act. If a,
r?n. hy solemn - contmct, binds himself to
cr-e another, even if the reward of that ser
Tire is paid at its commencement, the con
tract is voil in law, and cannot be enforced.
A dilute to perform the service, will only
' r.ihi-ct the person to the payment m money
cf the smount of damajres incurred ; but th
frivrer does not, exist to deprive him of his
freedom, nor to extort: his personal service
i w?thout his own conseht. Personal liberty
Isnot rermitted to enfer into the contem:
, platan of either party, as any part f the
eons'dera'ion for the fulfilment of the con
tract, or the penalty for Us violation. ' You,
rmst coniif'e in his honor, or look to,h:s ef
fec's for relief if he deceives vou. . Anactioi
for drrspre alone. can be sustained ; , for, how
ever K-rong-your .claim may be to his personal
service, the "principal is deemed too danger,
cus tn he tolerated in a fere government, to
" prrr.it a man, for any pecuniary considera
tion, to impose of the liherty of bis eqviaJ.
nt, in cases of debt, our present law, re-
ganlless of the honesty or the misfortunes of
the debtor, gnves to the creditor this sove-re'g-n
power ovet.his person, a power too sa
cred to he abridg-ed by hi own act, to lodge
him in prison at dii-xretion. You ' vest the
enditor with the prerogntiye of heaven,
without imparting" to him its attributes of
-Tight 'ousness- or mercy ; the power to exe
cute veng-f ance where there is no crim,e, and
to. nfiict punislunent without trial or proof
ef guilt.
, l et us examine whether there is any solid
foundation on wl.ich this barbarous practice,
this anomaly in our laws, can find support. I
wH! advance it, .as an incontrovertible princi
ple, that poyerty is no crime i nor is a failure
to fulfil a pecuniary engagement, when pre
vented by misfortune, in any degree associ
ated with guilt. The victim of penury is a
pmper object of sympathy and benevolence.
Iffhtreis a spark of divinity remaining in
fallen man, it inspires this sentiment, ami the
revelation of God's will to his creature con
firms it. A striking-' illustration of thU is giv-
n us in the miraculous interference of hea
ven on behalf of a poor widow, recorded in
. the okl testament. Her husband had been
a ighteous roan, though reduced to insol
vency.' After his death, an unrelenting cre
ator, like these for whose malicious pleasure
th:s law xists C was threatening to sell lier
twn-sons into' bondage to pay the debt. of
their deceased father.' She cried to a pro
phet for advice." Moved with divine com
passion: he raised a crv to heaven in her be-
Jalf, and the . Imighty interposed, by increas
ing her only remaining store, a solitary cruse
of oil, into an abundance equal to the relief
hlchher necessity demanded Had pover
ty been a crime, in' the sight of (od, she
would not have been rescued from its conse
quence by a miracle.
Riches carry influence into every society,
'ealth is power. But analyfcc merit, and it
w found to consist in. virtue, in honor, in be
neTo'ence. It is . fundamental principle in
our institutions and a uni.orm sentiment in
soaal life, that the worth of, e ry man de
pends alone on his mental endowments and
his moral qualitits r and 1 believe there ne-
L
Ter has been a' criminal codeeithern an
ent or modern times, which denounced do-
verty as a crime, ;There exists, in most com-;
munities,a pride of property, under the in
fluence of which the rich will refuse to asso
ciate with the indigent, and evt-n imbibe
sentiments of superiority over the laboring
Class of society. This spirit, thank heaven, I
r ,css preiiominaninthe United States than
an' Othl ff-mriTl rf tK oUMCo.llnrnoll'.'
V . Mic ynuuiuijuuim.
jjt even here it ia not utterly exploded; yet j i
"iis rain, this domineering, this purse-proud ' .:
among the few creatures who possess
JJr "tvC7 to stigmatise poverty or ' ?
Eren'irl i. T, "T".T ' 5U"1-
CI "faco. m h S blood V code, with ail Ins .
ftnnlT m. search of crime, .that he. might .
Luiro x. . , : r v
iMWS mafce no distinction bttw.xt the
A '.T rf"' .-improvement in w,,wuuni oi ages, ie.i ane f
f hnnot -if .'u.L . vteni lie made still more cnmnlpfp 'Tsfc-i i
J Ki prospects are bl isted by the Un-
. tJ-tn accident, which rends from him in
ions mo-
lv . r iroin meemDraces ot msiami-
DmK- 7"t6'-v lu -"ir.iiio iucii,,' wjiere
.wjiiiw' K. a u.'l nrann. ...t... "
Irom the murdtrer
-ycac-rim f 7k J
vi ' w, u uonest gains oi mar
muiS)ears must at this' unpropi
1 . - ' pwsiuus, vue revenge pi a vroaicuye 3nmt. j entprinciDlesbf national strength: and to die
cend the pardoning power of1 the govern
ment ; and neither the tears of fiis wife, nor
the cries of his helpless children can restore
bim . tbthem, nor his industry to their sitp
portf till the vengeance of an incensed credi
tor shall be satiated. : . ' ' ; 'r,
f Jt will not.be deemed that imprisonment is
a punishment; , and what is the language of
theJaw when applied to the criminal code ?
It is better fhr ten guilty men tr escape than
for one innocent person to suffer,; This doc
trine of mercy is extended in these enlight
ened days, and the sentiment is-' universally
spprobated.ttlrat it is better for ninetv-nin J
guilt v r persons to escape than thafr one inno- lJ
civil code, these humane maxims ate most
cruelly violated "by vesting in the creditor a
- discretionary power over the body of tKe
debtor without proof, or even a chargebf
. frond or dishonestv. Mv obiect is to protect
; the innocent and punish the guilty ; and, to !
effect both of these purposes, guilt must be i
made manifestby conviction ion an impartial j
trial ;4 and not; presumed against every ap-,
, peftrance . of fact. As the law now exists,
guilt is presumed, but not : proven ; and
though we admit the fact that a debtor may
'be guil y of fraud ; By.' concealment, or con-,'
' vevance of nronrtv w ithout valuable con-i
. , j. ,
fsideration, we do also know that he may be
I unfortunate, and vet honest. : ! '
u e have not yet read of a monster so bold i
in cruelty, and so regardless of the esteem of
mankinrl. ui in ivnnr tlr 1icrri:itlriii tn rlinih i
innocence. Caligula and even Nero, profess -j
ed to punish guilt a!one. Though without!
; trial, and .without proof, thev sacrificed t!ieir;! and his gardens were exchanged for a coffin j the accused hafa right to bad, except in ca
i subjects, yet thev pretended to have the sc- ! and a tomb. Such 'rrtavi be the lot of him i pital offerices ; 'and even then it is allowed,
crev Knowledge ot some crime to jusiny meir ;
cruelty.f But an appeal to facts' I will" prove
that inability to meet necuni,irv emrayements
does not furnish tnima facie evidence of fraud. !
It may be received as! the evidence of mis-1
fort ie of the Want of foresight, or of indis-1
cretion , but our present sy
y.-a
m regards it in
the light of conviction of frimd, an
dehvers
over the body to the arbitrary decision of the
creditor. This is the essence rf tyranny. It
is a violent outrage upon the humane maxim
of the law, which presumes every, person in
nocent till his guilt is established upon cer
tain evidence ; and we have a grievous sin to
answer, for, in permitting a principle so sa
cred to be thus violated. ' '
Hut, it is said, that no honora- le man will ;
abuse this power. If this were the fact; and ;
if all men
were truly H onorable, mv feeble i
eupns xo-ciav would De worse tnan useless,
' IT It l .1 1 .
Btit. sad experience tells us, that even ho-i
norable men, so called, when lured ly the I
love of wealth, and made iiHp-esin their own'
cause, are not always erjtitled to confidence.
xu ot tarsus, when blinded by bigotry,;
though a learned, and' doubtless an honora-.1
hie" man, verily thought he did God service
in persecuting', the Saints But, admit that
no honorable man will jnisuse this power, are j
all creditors honorable ? Thev are not ; and ;
we arm the dishonorable with the
tyrant
rod, to scourge the innocent. j now prevails, is a mere shadow ; and it may
Millenial days have not yet commenced, ! Sometimes coerce the payment of debts if it
Satan is not yet bound, and manjii not re-i j j! should be continued. . If , this -s bqt a sha
stored to his pristine purity. The history of i ' dow, where is the, substance fled: and whv
the world shews us, that depraved man, sai -1
vage or civilized, is the same in every couri-! ?
try, and in every age," when placed under
the same circumstances ; and that arbitrary ; .
noWer cannot be safelv confi ed to anv hu-! :
man being. He will abuse it. For this rea-
I son, the constitution of tire United States !
has wisely imposed limitations upon the pow-'
cn ui .uiigrtM.-- c titiiiux, iiuj jiiie mc ;
freedom of speech, nor restrict the righs of '
. . ' m.. .... . n . . . I .1 r . At.
conscience
v ny tir.s muiiaiion; upon our.,
nower ? Iternuip it is liable to ahuse. Tht
wisdom and virtue ot'tJie whole riation con-1
centrated, are not sufficient to guahl against!
j the misuse of power without restriction ; and
t it should never be imparted unless indispen
I sioie. , jecessiTy requires tnai powers, and ; reson, a uegracung oatn. AS soon as one
' transcendant too, should be vested in the t creditor has finished his course Of prosecu
; government ; but they should bo confined ; lion, another commences , arid thus he is
; to -the government, and not transferred to j continually harassed, till his spirits are brb
j titizens in their fndividuaj character. j 1 ken ; his credit destroyed ; his prospects
It is far from my desire to limit the power , ! blasted ; his moral -influence sunk ; and fre
; of the creditor over the property of his debt- , quently he i compelled to abapdoiythe so
or. tt is the sacred -duty .of government toi ciety of his dearest friends, where he might
protect every individual in the quiet and ab-; have survived his misfortunes, but for this
; solute enjoyment ot hu honest acquisitions ;
" and it is'perfectly clear, in my mind, that our
laws should recognise an interest of the ere- i
, ditor in the possession of his debtor. If, in I
;,pasc ot dent, tne remeay. against inc proper-, ; -
ty is too limited, let it'he extended : give it u;
the greatest latitude but confine its opera- ;; i
t tion to that object, and do not carry it to r.i
personal liberty. 1 believe the power of at- j j
. tachment against property is already com- J
pieie,- w mi uhi.icw cauuiu bhuu uic;
; system cannot be perfected, let itjbedone. ?
The. whole property of the debtor is subject , ;
1 nic,' the1 utensils "of the farmer, and f perhaps,
in sofrie : instances, a bed for the wife and
i chiklrert to lie down and mourn, ! when all
'their other dependence is one, and the-pri t
son doors are Tjarred .upon , the husband and
fathr. .In one or twb of the states. - the real i?
property is also shielded ! from execution ;
but there are. very few exceptions to the ge-
;-xierairoicr; ; i , - j,-". v f
' 'In. . nf fraurt. the c.rerljnr Viqq h '
medy at common law ot in Chancery, arid-;
w r"T --uuwwu
Ifmorlprn exneiience can sntrmt n im.
the fittle that is reserved. -Strip the debtor r and the .political maxims contained in tlie
'Of eteiy thing that can.benefit the creditor j rDeclaratfori of; our Independence areiset at
man reduce his wife taliri dnnatiiral .widow-,
w.. u.iuiHtij wija.n, ry in-,
".'; : -. "" y- ".v. .. -
milr. Without one sontarv -fllrnntaor . tn, th '
. 'Hb poverty is creditor, except , the infernal pleasure of rfortunate debtor. '' -S W - A "vi.l
ui iiiik.Bcuuics v- ; j -. . to v w . n, 1uu.nu vii iiLon iicaresi uie iiean oi me un
a hue, as to i trans- atitymg the, mostdiabolical of; all human '; ; ; It isur tluty ta examine' into tjiecomutu-
1 1 rain if I injih.MHdMi..iiiim iiiiiihiiiiiiiii.ihi in..!., ihYt " -' 'mr miihit--'
Every person who eriters into a contract,
containing stipulations 'to be executed jn fu
ture, is sensible of some' hazard. In the - per
formance. The. events of futurity are be
yond the power of human controf. Not even
the angels of Heaven can gqvern events :
thy are, reserved to the Almighty himself,
who alon controls thif destinies of the Uni
verse, and directs the affairs of men. Should
angels enter into executory obligations un-
less bv divine instruction, , thev, as well as i
feeble mortals, might fail to compl)r with
their engagements. Contracts are always
reciprocally voluntary; and there is nothing
in their nature wliich can justify cruel and
barbarous remedies fof the injury sustained
by their non fulfilment. . ' .
The love of money is the root of all evil;
and while we secure to each, as frr as human
foresight can secure the ''enjoyment of his
wealth, we should be careful nof to increase
tljis love by artificial stimulants. Riches are
the idol of the world, arid ever have been ;
and we should rather seek expedients to
moderate our passion for wealth, than to. in
crease it. It is dangerous to society, and
ruinous to our souls. Kemember the 'rich'
man. His lands brought forth abundantly,
and his profusion-was his god. . W hile trans
ported with all the 'raptures of false devotion,
lu-lding a delightful soliloquy on the future
enjoyments whif-h his wealth would affi.l,
5ouj, take thy till, thou hast mucn treasure
in store for.manv yeaas,",the awful summons
shall thy soul be required of thee, and then
i ui uvaiii arresieu mm :. tnou tool, Tius nigiu-?
mv souj oe.requireo or iri
wuose snau vnese thinsrs be r
1 1 1 . T .i
His ' palaces
no uojus in connnement n s teliow-man tor j
the love of the same idol ; and the public !
body that jrives its lecral sanction, mav share !
with him the reward. The gospel incidcates ,
1 the sentiment of mercv tn our - debtors,- 'and i
' the dispcimtion of charity tq the poor. "Our
Saviour tainr-lrt his fnlln.is tn nrv fnr mr. i .
cy on ni other piinciple thn that of dispen-.j
sing it. . "rorgive us our debts as we for-'
givet uur debtors'." Tlie gates of Heaven j
were 'unfolded to receive Lazarus, la poor
mendicant on earth, while they were barred
agninst the rich man and his purple robes,
who refused him the crumbs that fell from!
his table. Vhi'levthese Tessons of divine in-!
struction teach us to moderaie our desire af
ter wealth, and to extend benevolence to'
the indigent, our laws encourage hardness of
heart "and avaricious disnositions ' bv anthn-
: ... A. 11. .
' , . ' i
uismg-us to pursue our armors with unre
lenting severity. Ve follow him with all
the angry riror of the- I jw. in hone to make
him disyorce some h-.dden treasure; hut the i
pursuit is unavailing. Upon the honest and : ;
unfortunate.- deerradation and ruin are the : ;
only and "certain conseouences : but its ef- f
fects on the fraudulent, are to nrndurp npr.
. . . i !
jury and corruption without procuring relief
to the proscuton
It is said, that imprisonment for debt, un-
der
the mild execution of the law which
does it blush to appear? If the law is sol
barbarous that honorable men are unwilliner '
to execute it then, for the honor of the counvl.t
try, I beseech you blot it out of your civil .-1
code, and suffer it not tb exist frr tlinso wlm :
are so lost to honor, as. to --make it their re-'
sort. But the history bf its practice proves
that it is more than a de:td letter. It is the ;
Trvn 'a n ri . I A - , . .
.jrnv ivu aim uic poor man 3 terror, - in
cities, where the density of population ren-1
ueia uir cu: more visjDie, tneir. prisons are !
n-ci swuiuijr a g-ooi roan in aaversm7 is
pursued by a 'combination of creditors, each
with a separate demand, to procrastinate the ;
period 'when he hopes to relieve himself ,
from a loathsome prison bv the onlv leral i
legalized cruelty ot which he is made the
victim t
The object of government is to secure ni
in the enjoyment of our rights, and to truard
inem against every violation, unless forfeited
by crime. Life, liberty, andithe pursuit of;
happiness, are unalienable. 'In What manner (
is the personal liberty of the citizen shielded j
by the constitution ? , The writ of habeas i
corpus cannot be suspended unless, in timfs 1
vi vim war . or joreign invasion the publio
safety may require it.. Every freeman is se
cured in his person, , his house, his papers,
jand ejtects, against unreasonable ; searches
and seizures. No person shall be held to
answer for a capital, or other infamous crime.
by
unless on the presentment or indictment of
a grand jury, "'except cases arisiner in thelandj
and naval forces; No man shall he corrinell-
ed to testi'fV immcf K;if l ti, .l
shall enjoy the' right of a sneedv and .public
trial by an impartial iury-to be informed of
nature oi tne accusation -to be .confront
I wjtli '( u ' i
process to obtain his witnesses and to have
i hese are some ot
in the constitution,
w smcp pcrauuai liDertyirom encroaenment.
Pm ; K .0,',.f r ja4
where no discnminatiort is made between in-
MmpenM i..l-'n:u'uu:i.'i'l,.' m t-.." j . . -
raged innocence is punished the . roorait
law aisregaraeq. the precepts' ot the gospeli
put iii .ucuanc? ; an iDJS you uO TO ODtaifl me
wiA'r-au-- ',pa : -. -
rih and nrpscrvR them. -Do thev consist Jn
numbers in riches, in' the rSalubrityI.of,the,
climate and richness of the soil, m comrnerce
in manufactures, in agriculture innternai
" improvements These, compose only a part
oi tne elementary principles or national-power."
In addition to these1 there is k moral
power which is more jmpbrjant to preserve-
and without1 which Greece could not havjs
repulsed their Persian inyiiders-Rome qouljj
riot have conquered the world ; and the Uni
ted State's could wot have-sustained their in
dependence against a foe SQ powerful, This
moral power, which is -so importantO' the
prosperity, of tetery - nation, consists in4 the
love of hDerty-devbtiori to cotintry---iri Jiigh.
minded, honors le, gallant, magnanimous
and Virtuous .;jfeelingsr'v ''Nothing'; selfish or
sordidnothing avaricious or effeminate.-r
To preserve tlfis moral power in its greatest
purity and vig!r, every citizen should be se4.
cured in the pursjiit of happiness, and pro
tected from violence. He should never be
'degraded unless he has been guilty of crime.
Equality of rights should be preserveu ; tne
law should carefully avoid giving one citizen !
a control over tjhe personal liberty ot another.
Even in criminal prosecutions n6 freeman
can be arrested for a moment, unless the ac
cusation is supported by the oath of a com
petent .witnes, defining the .trime arid de
scribing the, .pjersom.-", Self-preseryation and
the most obvibus dictates , of reason,, point
out this course! : In case of.giiilt, yotv. ope-'
rate upon the person,- arid friot , the property
of the criminal.! Corporeal punishment alone
can satisfy the friolateOJaw.-V-In. these cases
j a v.; - . - , -
uiu.ess uie guui is ic iwim. u
snmption stfo. But how is it with the
poor debtor, when punished by imprison
nient ? You.. dt not require the oath of the
'' party; thathel has good.-, ground to befieye
there has been
k fraudiderit , concealment or
conveyance -,f oronertv i but, irr the hrst in
stance, the creditor may Issue his caV sa.
ana conhne his aeptor n gaoi m uic eanic
manner as if hej had been regularly, arrested,
tried, and cbnvcted of crime , by art impartial
jury. If the dejbtor be innocent you, can ne-
manner as if hel had been regularly, arrested,
ver recal the punishment; nor hs he any
redress for such barbarity
The creditor may derive satisfaction frorii
the hone of exacting- payment from; the
friends u d rela
ions of the unhappy sufferer,
seal his destruction, and re
In this way you
duce his family jto extreme misery. .Stimu
lated bv a vain hope and entertaining a sus-
i picion, the ofTsring of avarice, the unreleiit
i I ing'-creditor putsues his victim already re-
duced to want itnd wretchedness. The le-
gitimate fund, tpr the payment of debts, is
composed of the real and personal property
of the debtor. , both are visible and tangible.
' ----- .j . I- -I-!
The real cannotJbe removed; ana tne, per
sonal property is subject to execution wher-
ever it can be found. But this does not sa
tisfy the law. Tf he body must klso be sub
ject to executibn, although the imprison
ment of tle body pays no part of the debt.
I would say, fraud deserves punishment ; but
the prosecution Ishould be based upon the
oath of the party who makes this accusation.
And instead of "presuming guilt, require its
manifestation by an impartial jury, v Then
the punishment jfV! Id
tion of the penal; code.
of the debtor is Sconve
fVila be iunicted as a viola-
W'hen the character
rted into tliat of the
criminal, then itfvould be legitimate and pro-
per to demimd bail to compel his appear
ance ; because the vengeance of the law is
to operate upon he person of , the individual;
if convicted of guilt. I . '
To permit an unfortunate debtor to be
confined in prison is immoral and criminal in
the goveitiment.? The i-remedy prmided by
law for the creditor against' tive, property of
the debtor is conhplete itMefectiye, make it
.' perfect. To clothe the -creditor with the
. transcendent and despotic power of imDri-
t sonment without feveh the allegation of fraud ;
; is a monstrous usurpation n the part of the
Government, and violatory of the theory as
f well as the practice of our political system in j
; every other department. Upon, thejfrattJi
! lent debtor the capias ad satisfaciendUni, by,
; which the body is Jarrested, ' has'riO effect
his mind is not alarmed at the iron, dobrs of
the' prison ; his heart is not torn to pieces by j
"will not disclos4 ; but! will iind means to
conceal, his hidden treasure, until he relieves
himself from Confinement by tlie due course
f .f Ia.C tSum anill WlM .A.'ATlt- flmtn nr,-tvYMr
I
Ul Iftw. . i will,, wvu . mv .inj
by imprisonment I but you must resort to le
gal and equitably remedies, by which. coiW
ceaied effects, or property fraudulently trans
ferred; are made siiable to execution to' satis-
J VllU wiimiiMf ' ;.- .
' When you arrest
nest man, and cast
pepts are blast edj ind
ed, as the plants and
poisonous tree of Java
but the debt remiins,
ins: ' in riianitude his? future anticipations
are overspread with clouds,; his credit is in
iure'd, his usefulness to society iiimp Jred-
the peace of his ffamih is Uiterrupted and ,f
while confined in prison, he leases belling !
liim a wife with weeping eyes and a bleeduig-
upon a carciui exanui
tions of this tremeridous
. rr -: . . r . if 1 il... - J.''l I I
al liberty, l ean see
can see no salutary e
departure froVn bur freeinstitutions.
ty is not enriched, because, the
1 rrk-nlAvTiMkvtf
extort trom tlie. fraudulent his' jll-gptten trea-i
sure, oecause ne nasi .i
the reach of hia credit
latum to kAUfcly; loVernincnt, becaieit wai l i
-' 4 fi.- f.-t e;'f .:j ' . !;
the unfortunate and ho- alJHed"ten plehqe V and unbrJ . :
him into prison, his pros- , .topay,Caughtiiim bvihe th-
his hopes are wither- H past ,um -tritor prison A i v : - t
vegetation destroyed f - r.'-PTftVAthie;hurtuin mind i f .
Of the Bohou Upasthe4 wow pm; cenainin jts-ph)CTess. xWirKt . ?''
Uie botiyisconfinedrlforenciuie . -
and is hourly Jnereas-ft eDie, than7; to seekredress 'bv- ti;? v t";
lauon oi xrre opera-j; "v w iw , tuc principle this bill -J , '' j
pbwerVver person-H though. a gjatf.jvtrsity ot'sentMeW ! V-.; '
nothing' to justify it I j? exht w ;reg4rd d tirellimitatlons ard cbiidi- - ') ' I
:fiect tojexcusethis Weat ! Ktiohs upon which it shall nissl l- w.it '-.-!
au-eaqy put u peyondii oanaejeperienceto put it int effective" !
or.l : ? it does not bene-J ppferatibii?. In adbbUri a mensureao inif.
I fit th nAtn h(ene ' untKniit'-Athia wft'-r .1 t ton tn,hn' l'iki.'.v:.'i 'Ui-U-.'.l'I'l.r' il-1 '..',)' '" !
the honesVdbtliruUsurren
j tyP But tpucR hoiihis ahcient custom, is the R should prepare ihmslKlv''sacViniV r
j language of sohieTbe; sime;lngtage was j !Tvidual views 'and technical modihatiwis; i'gr-..i '
it held during the blutionrjr bpnfikt in1:- H the;purnbie bjir.uiutiife.as a'nr halant.lC;' ' -.. V
cbnsecratebv ages.. Tyiarits and i despots
jiaa goverueu ine woria ; k ne same language;
miht be' held in relation to ythe holy;ihquii
sition, : which has existe : tot centuries'past.
IPiejwime lariguag'e if applicable to the union
bf church and state,, which had existed from
the darkt a&eif antlqliity, yheh . the l)tfc
phic Chfeuttei'ed its ; respoqses'tq the sUr
rouiiujiug uauuiis. ; otwiiusianqi.iig mis ap
disfranchise no citizen for his religious tenet
-We burrt.nbwk
lucniyev we are nappy m.ineconYcuon)
that-we are ias nowerfnl -In toVrntiiio : in ill
peai iiriuciiuiuoniyiOj anuquiry, ruiere is a, r . yfi,
totals reyolutnn Qiete paKiculaTs: excepiN 1 :K
upbrt;thebjectridiytJnde I ,
carry no reheioui heretics to the stake' WiCI r :;.'l
cases, eirror of flpiriiori .where ' reason ts left-' ' r
free to repmpat it. 'H haVe ,the ; happiness tcfcViC ;;
bejieve; that we should i,haye no cause, of reW -V
greti'if from this day to ; the-erid of rime ' nb T v v
freeman coud bemprisoped for debt; in the ' V
United States of America.' The human mirid ) x' ::
.unfortunately is ' jnciiued to siipe'rstidon, fa,
riatacism, and tyn'ny-lrjie;'eaTlv history of vr
this 'country! proves" the fact i arid haoriv .ton X -:h
the human race that the general diffusion of ' v -
j knowledge thet freedom werijoy and thei V' 4
1 protection given to eaWvfndividiial generallri i
stays the hand, pfrpersccntidtt; anid deprives? 4' y
j of its terrprs the spmtfdesptitisn Whefi; ; r "
; the Saviour of men came to break: "down tb "
partition wall bawe'eritheew ;afid the GeH-r v -;
tde, he was reproached with ha virig v rotated 7 ' '
; the Sabbath; when he restorecrthe blind' roanj1.' ' v-;'
to his slghtwlieri he gave, life and. strength 'v ' !
;t0 the withered hand,.wben he;cuTed the '
' infirm :feniale; andTwheri.thepalsiednmb '
j , were restored by the powers of;hislwbrd t'4';'A
but he rebnked hispcuserS anil toW.thetn'
ii tneorpxen or sTieepwere to falririto itpii) r2 .
: on the Sabbath day, they
Would think it re V ;
. cnuie xo mi mem oul
t them out There Js riot part bf ' Hi
qx oipuT Saviour iiioTG lovely arid ? V 1 j '.',!
iy:pf iriritation; thanthat in whichi -j', ' I tt
f tne coaracter
,' more worthy
he relieved the poor in distress ahd afflictibri;
iic cuuuren or misrQnurfe . It weVhojidvo- -cate,
tins measure s&irlieve that we liavethi
memorable example, before us for ibui iniita
uon m giving r rener to unforronate debtors,
I j hope we may not he Vstigmatited :. with art ' :
attc mpt to lessen' trie letimatetf und xf the '
creditor, but to prevent tJhylocktjt5m;takiriff '
ji puunu vi ucsu, wntn, py unavoiqabr';ac
cedent, the demand could not bepundtiiallyi -,t,
discharged.5 :-x ; jx. t ;, f.t . . !
It is a fact notorious in tfc ; WstoryvoT' all 'i ;
nations, that the arbitrary and bnnrMitrvil-!
power which has berfv vested inthe creditor ,y "
has convulsed to its . centre almost -e veiy
community ; ;and'tlat;all .nations have beettV ''P
compelled to resort f to harsh arid temporary: l
expedients, or to d6ptmefpefmanent' r: - -
het; to save them Vevplution aod civil A'
war I thus, perfornun the saJutary ,opera '
tion of the .aafetyjalve in regulating the tre-' ' ?
mendous power of steam, i :?.'.' V1 .:. "'.-' -.'
, v . iKitcu uic iusiory oi tne evils an. ' : ' . t
irig from uncontrolled ppwet iri the hands of ;.;'v'- . i
i ".reriitore : trrvm, ln l...tU i. . .. - ,1
j; present timest ''-il;;-:?',-. ,!.. r--..
t In France, said Mr. J. wnich contains thirty " ;
thousand of Irmabitantsi imprisoiiraent for "
debt has been abolished and we have it
;.1!1,dtb;;thatit has pro-..
duced the most salutaryffect upon the pW
! perity of Uiat nation., .This odious system '.
was abolished by the Napoleon t Code: yet
1 5r imaginations are haunted with the dreibV
. fill consequeuces !of t its abanddrtbent. De 1
istroy this systerh,-and .the pound of flesh
cannot be denrided. We are taught to'
beheve it more mini cult for a.camel to ro '
through the v nf h noi.'ii ' ...
-o r - Jiviurei ujan tor a ricn ''
man. ta enter into 5lhe;kjngdom of heaven:
It is a melancholy , truth' t for In v d- V
"V,f rv ."utwMiBu uie, oner, ana retired:
with , a orrowmkheait. Unfortunately jbr
the i human;racweiplace Ado hio-h rfn MtJ
rrmt'e 11 n; nn i?rxi-tAUi ,7.. t'r ' . TV'-
" "r. " vjr 4ui2iuions j and we are
unmindful of that reward which is offered t5
the benevolent heartj when aU nations shallf '
be gathered toarethn when the
shall comelrf all hia glory, and the' holy an-' !
gels wiUi tern, the . language will be;' ConW :
g - v -u.cr.uii lent uic Kingdom'
aW clotiied ti e; I was sick, and ve vi-i
, I wdl forbear to repeat the oemmciatibn
rgainst those whbrefused thee: charities of
, htenor dwell upon the doom nftt -ll ' V.
j wbo heenrgiVen a cjebt oi 10,0001
vlentsbut jhe-same clay xneth9 fellijl'' v-
II tiring -iMr ti niki .. JLi.. . t t ' ' '
J"" : w. U3Jrls i our, tm is the ae . - ,
oi stigaupr he
the inquiry into tb orobrier th,- " '
sure; wuU goh and
be doubtiul. :; l wU iot indulge a doubt, fbr
one sohtarvi mhTherit. tSf. jl: .
of Uie Senate wdl yield' an uuqaiiified a2
ti' who )e ' willii to support ti
;.'7- s :f.,Vir.. T v7'' F ''.,? -'. ' . t
ther xtLr-
1
4-
i -
V-tt.!!,-.
t ; SocferH 'It4WsujMc!difficulii'e ui' relatibn t : -
victim jsde i Kf 4etails.VThrincipie is Sacred ; an Mv -
vltdoe.8?rioty-'.it;WUtnbtbel:'8a .
I e ld tifiw j lack; khb wledge, andVwi f ' :
t t
n
f
1 I V i-
k
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