290 THE BEE, OR Feb. 23, 



14. Bj this mode of procedure, the per/on of the 

 debtdr would be free, unlefs where he had been convift- 

 ed of a crime. But it is bj no means intended, that he 

 Ihould be thus freed from thofe debts that {till remain 

 unpaid, after all his effefts have been fold. Thcfe 

 debts, while iindifcharged, fliall remain a burden upon 

 him, and upon his heirs, in all time to come. Nor fliall 

 any individual creditor be compellable to grant a dif- 

 charge of his own particular debt, by any mode of pro- 

 cedure whatever, unlefs he Ihall choofe to do it volunta- 

 rily and of his own accord. The law which at prefent 

 exiils in England, by which the confent of a certain 

 proportion of the creditors, necefTarily grants a dif- 

 charge from the whole, and that law in Scotland, 

 which in certain circumftances grants a general dif- 

 charge from all debts, having been only adopted 

 to mitigate the feverity of our law refpecting imprifon- 

 ment, and being evidently a great infringement of pri- 

 vate right, and liable to confiderable abufes, ought to be 

 entirely abrogated as unnecell'ary, were the fyftem here 

 propofed adopted. For the fame reafon, it would feera 

 proper, that all fanftuaries for debt, ought alfo in this 

 fenfe to be done away as unneceflary, and liable to abufe ; 

 and general a6ls of infolvency could no longer be ne- 

 ceflary, 



15. In every cafe where a bankruptcy is incurred, 

 and a furrendry of effefls of courfe takes place, the 

 fame regulations that now are in force, for bringing the 

 efFefts to a ready fale, and dividing the produce equal- 

 ly among the whole creditors, may Hill fubfifl till other 

 regulations fliall be devifed, that may promife to be 

 more efficacious. 



16. But after a bankruptcy has once taken place, 

 and a fubfequent equal dividend been made among the 

 creditors, though the claims of each of thefe creditors 

 continue to be good againft the debtor for all the unex- 

 tinguiihed parts of their debts ; yet no one of thefe 

 fliall have power to bring on a fecoud bankruptcy for , 



