The New Hampshire Gazette

LONDON, November 30.

At the quarter sessions of the peace held at Kingston upon Thames, for the county of Surrey, which ended on Saturday last, 500 prisoners were discharged from the King's Bench Prison, New Gaol, and Marshalsea, on the compulsive clause in the late act for the relief of insolvent debtors: when fathers compelled their sons; sons compelled their fathers; brothers and sisters compelling brothers and sisters; and bailiffs compelling those that employed them, &c. &c.: there being no power given by the act to swear the compelling creditor to the justice of his debt, or to make him attend to answer any questions. But it appearing to the court in four or five instances that there were frauds, the prisoners were remanded back. One instance was very remarkable: A person in the borough had undertaken, for a sum of money, to get a prisoner discharged; for which purpose he lent a man a bank note of 20l. which man immediately lent the same to the prisoner in custody, and which note the prisoner immediately returned to the first lender; yet the middle man, who only passed the note from the lender to the prisoner, compelled him to appear to a debt for 20l. though the bank note was returned at the time pretended to be borrowed.

One prisoner, whilst waiting in court to be discharged, had his pocket picked of seven guineas; so that the thief here learned a man of conscience; as he was not willing the prisoner should swear he had delivered up his all, while he had so much money about him.

A few days ago a certain tradesman in Rotherhithe, intending to take the benefit of the compulsive clause, made over his effects to a female companion, whom he believed he could trust, till the affair should be completed; but in his absence she took time by the forelock, and married a jolly tar: so that when the white-washed man returned to his house, he could not get admittance, as there was nothing there that he could claim as his property; and thus he found himself, though in one sense unfairly, yet in fact fairly cheated.

It is very evident that the compulsive clause in the late insolvent act has caused trade to decrease, by enquiring into the different manufactures in Spitalfields and other places, where there are many hundreds of weavers out of business, and have no lawful method to maintain themselves and families, the masters not making goods, being afraid to sell them on credit at this hazardous time. It is supposed that ninety of every hundred cleared have been perjured, by taking their oaths that they have given up their all, when they have assigned their effects to some of their family or friends; some from a roguish disposition, and many seduced, perhaps, by the perjurers of others, and the easy manner of getting rid of their debts.

'Tis feared that many who have taken the benefit in this fraudulent manner, will be the persons entrusted with the secretion of their effects, or future quarrels and animosities have their concealment divulged, either from malice, or the benefit arising to them for so doing, and the criminal suffer accordingly. To prevent which, perhaps a pardon to those who would give a faithful account of their state and effects at that time concealed, for the benefit of their creditors, might be the means of saving many of His Majesty's subjects, restore, in some measure, their lost reputation, and recompense the injured trader.