attempt miscarried.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

CASE OF THE INSOLVENT DEBTORS.

Of all the subjects, which, in the course of this session, fell under
the cognizance of parliament, there was none that more interested the
humanity, or challenged the redress, of the legislature, than did
the case of the poor insolvent debtors, who languished under all the
miseries of indigence and imprisonment. In the month of February
a petition was offered to the commons in behalf of bankrupts, who
represented, that having scrupulously conformed to the laws made
concerning bankruptcy, by surrendering their all upon oath, for the
benefit of their creditors, they had nevertheless been refused their
certificates, without any probability of relief; that by this cruel
refusal, many bankrupts have been obliged to abscond, while others
were immured in prison, and these unhappy sufferers groaned under
the particular hardship of being excluded from the benefit of laws
occasionally made for the relief of insolvent debtors; that the power
vested in creditors of refusing certificates to their bankrupts, was,
as the petitioners conceived, founded upon a presumption that such power
would be tenderly exercised, and never but in notorious cases; but the
great increase in the number of bankrupts within two years past, and
in the small proportion of those who had been able to obtain their
certificates, seemed to demonstrate that the power had been used for
cruel and unjust purposes, contrary to the intention of the legislature:
that as the greater part of the petitioners, and their fellow-sufferers,
must inevitably and speedily perish, with their distressed families,
unless seasonably relieved by the interposition of parliament, they
implored the compassion of the house, from which they hoped immediate
favour and relief. This petition was accompanied with a printed case,
explaining the nature of the laws relating to bankrupts, and pointing
out their defects in point of policy as well as humanity; but little
regard was seemingly paid to either remonstrance. Other petitions,
however, being presented by insolvent debtors, imprisoned in different
gaols within the kingdom, leave was given to bring in a bill for their
relief, and a committee appointed to examine the laws relating to
bankruptcy.

CASE OF CAPTAIN WALKER.

Among other petitionary remonstrances on this subject, the members were
separately presented with the printed case of captain Ge