The recorder, or, Lady's and gentleman's miscellany. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1801-1802, 1802-10-13


the happineis, and rhe morals Of the
people.
ighas been iaid, that obvious as tFis
confederation may appear, it viii not
occur TO majority of men: THAT they
will go on buying as long as they are
tfuited, and that this law will have no
other effect than to reduce them TO
beggary. If this be a correct reprelen-
tatlcn of my fellow citizens; if they are
'ndeed 70 itupid, as nor 20 know when
they are in a broad way which leads 10
Certain 1eitr,l6fion, they indeed prefenr
that group which proud unieeiing info
lent arittccracy delights 10 call : iwinilh
| nrltitude Detected be The rhoughr.
This idcs, degrading as il IS 10 the
people, is. brought forward by true
republicans, and it has been adopted
lately Ike many Others, merely becaufe
II had been adopted before They
iurciy forget the ihult which they offer
10 the cauie which ehey efpouie, and that
they di!hoaor the character of the pee
pie, by making laws which tell them
thar they have nor ienle enough 70 take
! care OF rhcmtclves. No principle is
| more imPoiitic, OF more decidedly
F. ariitocratical, than that which dictated
tins objection, and which gave birth TO
! the laws THAI interfere in the private
| concerns OF individuals, by refraning
| credit, injury, and gaming. &c The ma
"tural etforrot, every individual to better
" his own condition, when uttered TO
"eXcrC itie}f with freedom, and tecurity,
"ls 10 powerful principle, that it is
alone, and without any aiiiitancc, not
"oniy capable Of carrying on the 1ociety
TO wealth and PROPERTY, bur OF fur
g mounting 4 thoufand impairment OBJ
| itructlons, with which the folly of hui
man laws too ofrehincumbes5 ies opera
! tons"
There is another CONFEDERATION ofareat
importance in ibis dGcufion. 1t is an
| eltablihcd opinion, at leaf, among wri
! ters, thar virtue is the BATS Of a republic.
Its the great principle which gives it
energy aad perrnanencc. Surely then
II Is Ihe high and in1ifpenliE1ic dasy Of
the iegiilarnre, even in conformity to
| thoie republican principles, Which they
10 much revere, co announce In their
laws none Dur the puroit doctrines of
Ju,ticc and morality. The virruous re-
pletenratiyes Of i free people mould ne
yer peak out IN the iublime lsa7guage of
liberty and virtue.
SInforgunately for as, our laws are noe
Untitled to iris high cncomiurn. In tbs.
commonwealth man NAV purchafe
ico2 dcres If land, and if ne can keen
bis perional properly ottr Of the way Of
Ihe ihefiH, he may retain the land, and
hld defiance TO ks creditor. ia man
IS indnlGcd Tor fore account, for more
than twelve months, the creditor mutt
depend on his integrity for payment.
Could a more eft6ttral plan, Tor the
lcdu@t.on Of mankind, and the ftlbyer-
fon Of morality, be coaccrrsdf
When this lnbje6e IS confderrd Il, ire,
relation 20 trade, IT Wi appear no lefs
interettlng. What eye5 comDlainrs NAV
be made Of the er-di. allowed II our
donneltlc lnretcoueie, it is certain that
N our foreign tfaniactions, want Of
confidence iii the merchants and traders
OF Virginia, has an influence 10 lefs de-
clied than Pernjclous. This poinr merits
attention Of all who wiz we'll 70 rl7cjr
cou1uy.
Tiiere are four things in the com
MERGE OF tfs commonwealth Which de-
icrve to be ihveltigated.
4. That great and increafing pro-
portion OF or European goods come 10
Is from New York, Philadelphia, ard