|
|
Description and Holding Information
|
|
|
1824, Society for Relief of the Distressed. Petition against imprisonment for debt
|
|
This document is eight pages of a petition and draft bill presented by the Society for the Relief of the Distressed, but there are no publication
details. The Society protested the practice of "imprisonment of the body for debt" as contrary to the Constitutional right of the person being free from
unreasonable seizure. The Society sent a draft bill that established a system we would recognize as a bankruptcy court: assets listed, creditors
submit bills, assets apportioned among creditors. If a creditor thought a debtor had withheld or squandered assets, the debtor could be sued, but on no
account could the debtor be imprisoned for debt, only a criminal act. The General Court ignored the petition and bill, so the Society voted to make
both documents public and thus bring societal pressure to bear. (Digitized from a microfilm copy of title originally held by the Massachusetts State
Library).
|
|
|
Title:
Imprisonment for debt : petition of the Society for the relief of the distressed.
|
|
|
OCLC Number:
1381147805
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available Volumes
|
|
| Name | Fiche Count | Online | Paper Backup |
| Vol. 1 | | Yes | No |
|
|
|