In an excerpt from "Debtors' Prisons (2)," Samuel Johnson argues that detaining debtors in prison only because they owe money is both immoral, and unwise for both economic and humanitarian reasons. He uses pathos and logos in order to convince British lawmakers to end the use of these gaols and no longer allow creditors to imprison their debtors. Johnson establishes with his audience that he has a higher knowledge than them by giving them many specific facts about the impacts of debtors prisons on society. In a substantial amount of this excerpt, Johnson appeals to the humanity and emotions of his readers. He uses phrases like, "Thus perish yearly five thousand men, overborne with sorrow, consumed by famine, or putrified by filth,,,(55-57)”