The holding of any person to service or labor under the system known as peonage is abolished and forever prohibited in any Territory or State of the United States; and all acts, laws, resolutions, orders, regulations, or usages of any Territory or State, which have heretofore established, maintained, or enforced, or by virtue of which any attempt shall hereafter be made to establish, maintain, or enforce, directly or indirectly, the voluntary or involuntary service or labor of any persons as peons, in liquidation of any debt or obligation, or otherwise, are declared null and void. (R.S. § 1990.) Editorial Notes Codification R.S. § 1990 derived from act Mar. 2, 1867, ch. 187, § 1, 14 Stat. 546 . Section was formerly classified to section 56 of Title 8 , Aliens and Nationality.