Nourishment, he had performed wonderful Cures in consequence of supplying them
with Food and Nourisment." - Another Witness, who practises in Gaol as a Surgeon,
states, that "having been sent for to attend Two Children, he found them in a very
dangerous Way, without a Bed to lie on, and without any Kind of Nourishment
whatever".
There is always a great Number of Children in Gaol living with their Parents. In the
Fleet Prison there were 200 Children within the Walls, at the Date of the Return. Most
of them there idling away their Time, and none of them were at School. - In the King's
Bench the Children are stated to be in general badly cloathed, and worse
educated; and the Girls are generally debauched at an early Age.
In Addition to all the other Miseries of a Gaol, it appears, that innumerable
Instances might be given of Idleness, Intemperance, and Extravagances. Of 570
Prisoners in the King's Bench, it appears, that about 470 are completely idle; not
above 100 doing any Thing to support themselves and Families and of 202 Prisoners in
Newgate, 136 of whom had Wives and Children, only Nine worked at their Trades.
There are indeed Instances of much Industry among many of the Prisoners
but their Industry is generally employed in Smuggling, Usury, Lottery Insurances,
and all other Modes of Gambling. Of this many remarkable Examples could be
stated, [lbid.p.38-9]
Twee commentaren van het Comité zijn interessant. Bij het arrest on Mesne Process
schreef het "And the Whole has proceeded upon an Oath of the Party, which is not
received as Evidence, or entitled to any Attention at the Trial of the Case." En na
uiteengezet te hebben, dat in een bepaalde situatie een gevangen schuldenaar kon
worden 'transported for Seven Years' schreef het;
But Your Committee do not find, that Imprisonment for Debt is in any other Instance
made the Means of exposing Insolvent Debtors to Examination and Prosecution for
fraudulent Conduct of any Kind or Descripfion. Nor is a fraudulent Insolvent Debtor, as
such, the Object of public Punishment, [lbid.p.9+16]
Men zat niet gevangen, omdat men iets strafbaars zou hebben begaan. In deze zin
was men onschuldig.
Het in het rapport geschetste insolventierecht was, als men eenmaal als te arresteren
was gequalificeerd, nagenoeg volledig 'recht zonder onderscheid des persoons', en
nog erger zelfs zonder erkenning van de persoon. De 'Rules and Orders' van de rechters
en de regels van de gevangenisgoeverneurs dienden slechts om ieder dezelfde rech
ten en plichten te geven, dus om willekeur en exploitatie te voorkomen.
Vanuit particuliere zijde trachtte men iets aan deze ontkenning van de persoon te
doen. Hierover schreef het rapport:
In February 1772, a considerable Number of well-disposed Individuals formed
themselves into a Society for the Relief and Discharge of unfortunate Persons
imprisoned for small Debts, commonly called The Thatched House Society, which was
at first confined to London and its Neighbourhood, but afterwards extended its
Operation to the Country. Lord Romney was President, and Lord Viscount
Beauchamp, Lord Chief Baron Smythe, Mr.Justice Nares, and John Thornton, Esquire,
