Voices of the People

Nova Scotia House of Assembly Petitions and Correspondence

12 December 1805

Petition of Andrew Murdoch and eight others, prisoners in the Halifax County jail. "That Your Petitioners have been for a long time confined in this Prison for debt some of them for near three years and the most of them have not the means of Supporting themselves with the Necessaries of life. That as there is Yet no provision made for them by the Legislature many of them are frequently in a truly deplorable Situation the county making no allowance but fuel and Water and there not being even a Physician provided for the Sick unless a Prisoner has money he may die for the want of a little medicine or nourishment perhaps a Thousand miles from a friend or relative. That during the last two year upwards of one hundred and thirty persons have been committed to this Gaol for debt, several of whom have been for three days without receiving any kind of animal or vegetable food and must have certainly perished had it not been in the Power of some others of their fellow prisoners to have afforded them a small relief from their own little stock of provisions. That the Act of the Province of the third year of His present Majesty, for relieving insolvent debtors (whose debts are under one hundred Pounds) is seldom of any benefit to Debtors in this County, as they are generally not informed that to have any relief under the said Act they must apply to swear out within fourteen days after Execution, And your Petitioners humbly beg leave to mention that since the Month of June 1803 only three or four persons have obtained the Eight pounds of Bread per Week therein Order’d." Their situation much worse than that of debtors in other colonies and Great Britain. "That in this Gaol your Petitioners are closely and rigidly confined to a Room to the great injury of their health, and they are far from experiencing that Humanity, Benevolence and Attention which so eminently distinguishes the British Character in Europe above all the civilized National of the World. That Your Petitioners humbly take the liberty to suggest…that the situation of Debtors was preferable in Ancient Rome to their present lot in Nova Scotia, for altho’ the Debtor was there liable to be sold for a term of years to satisfy his Creditor, Yet no one had the power to confine him within the Walls of a dreary prison to pine away his days under locks and Irons to the great hurt of Society and the utter ruin of himself and family, but on the Contrary the person who purchased the Debtor was compelled to furnish him with wholesome food and Clothing, and his misery or Slavery was only for a fixed and certain time. Your Petitioners therefore, with the highest Respect most fervently pray that Your Honourable House, as the Great Guardians of the distressed and unfortunate, will take their case into your Gracious Consideration and Grant them the liberty of a Yard to walk in occasionally for the free air, and an allowance of food, or such other relief as in your Great Wisdom You shall judge proper and this they Pray not only for themselves but for the good of such unfortunate prisoners as may be hereafter confined in this most dismal and Wretched Mansion." Signed. Overleaf. New Brunswick "There are Six other prisoners in this Jail who could not with propriety Sign this Petition, as they have obtained the liberty of the Yard by Security given to the Sheriff, Viz. Col. Blanchard & his Two Sons, Capt. Potts, Mr. Nathan Parker and one Adam Wamboult but they are ready to certify the Truth of our Statement if required at any time."

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 12 number 33