Skip to main content
View PDF

MVB Senate remarks on debt imprisonment, 4 January 1828

Mr. VAN BUREN said that the proposition of the gentleman from South Carolina related to the Judiciary, which he conceived to be one of the most important branches of our Government. Great difficulty had been found in adapting the process of the United States’ courts to the judiciary system of the States. It had more than once been proposed to pass general laws on the subject. But, whenever this had been attempted, it had been found impossible to reconcile any one general system to the dissimilar usages of the several States. The law of 1789 adopted the State process as the rule of the United States’ courts, under certain restrictions; while the proposition, now made, would put the process of the United States’ courts wholly under the direction of the State courts. Mr. V. B. here enlarged upon the difficulties which would attend any change of the present system, either by extending or restricting the powers of the United States’ courts over their process. Mr. V. B. also complimented the Senator from Kentucky, (Mr. Johnson,) on the zeal and ability with which he had prosecuted his important and philanthropic measure, and expressed a hope that his honorable exertions would be crowned with success.

Images for this document are currently unavailable.
Source: <em>Register of Debates</em>
Collection: N/A
Series: Series 5 (1 January 1825-3 March 1829)