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Editorial
October 6, 1790
Gazette Of The United States
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
An editorial cites data from Philadelphia's jail showing 406 debt imprisonments from 1780 to 1790, condemns the practice as feudal tyranny causing vice and misery, and advocates for a law placing credit risk on lenders unless secured by real property to promote labor and honor.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
From the Journal of the Keeper of the goal in Philadelphia, it appears that during a period of ten years, viz. from 1780 to 1790, 406 persons have been confined therein for debt.
The reflections that crowd on the philanthropic mind, in contemplating this account, are painful to the highest degree: Vice, misery and distress, in every form, are the wretched effects of this remnant of feudal and aristocratic tyranny. It is astonishing that amidst the numerous improvements which are daily taking place in legislation, the abolition of this barbarous custom has not been effected: "to prevent the supposed necessity of throwing the body of a fellow citizen into goal for debt, let a law be passed which shall place the risk of credit wholly upon the lender of money, or the seller of goods, unless real security be given for the debt, in which case nothing shall be demanded, or taken, but the said security: By means of such a law much extravagance would be prevented; labor would be increased; honor and character would be cultivated, and become estimable, for these would be the only means of obtaining credit without real security: It is certainly worth while to try the experiment."
The reflections that crowd on the philanthropic mind, in contemplating this account, are painful to the highest degree: Vice, misery and distress, in every form, are the wretched effects of this remnant of feudal and aristocratic tyranny. It is astonishing that amidst the numerous improvements which are daily taking place in legislation, the abolition of this barbarous custom has not been effected: "to prevent the supposed necessity of throwing the body of a fellow citizen into goal for debt, let a law be passed which shall place the risk of credit wholly upon the lender of money, or the seller of goods, unless real security be given for the debt, in which case nothing shall be demanded, or taken, but the said security: By means of such a law much extravagance would be prevented; labor would be increased; honor and character would be cultivated, and become estimable, for these would be the only means of obtaining credit without real security: It is certainly worth while to try the experiment."
What sub-type of article is it?
Legal Reform
Social Reform
What keywords are associated?
Debt Imprisonment
Legal Reform
Philanthropy
Credit Risk
Social Tyranny
Legislative Improvement
What entities or persons were involved?
Philadelphia Jail Keeper
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Abolition Of Imprisonment For Debt
Stance / Tone
Strongly Critical Of Debt Imprisonment And Reformist
Key Figures
Philadelphia Jail Keeper
Key Arguments
406 Persons Confined For Debt In Philadelphia From 1780 1790
Imprisonment For Debt Causes Vice, Misery, And Distress
It Is A Remnant Of Feudal And Aristocratic Tyranny
Legislation Should Abolish This Barbarous Custom
Propose Law Shifting Credit Risk To Lenders Unless Real Security Given
Such Law Would Prevent Extravagance, Increase Labor, Cultivate Honor