Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-03-15

,eviGon alter rey,iicn, tIey lave diiap.
pointed IN pratlite tic languire s2Ietta.
tons ofthci. gfsa,sa admirers. Every
expedienr has been i.ie3 To Pferefs the
praetice OF frauds. Stteaked, il ] may be.
permitted the exprsaisns as The Briilsn
Statues are, with blood, and il ] mlitake
DOT ;hofe o! France snd Spain are not leis
ie,e in ,h>lr penalties yet frauds arc
praeticed fucccistplly.
gentlemen imagine we lhaii NC,
cced better in this coun,ry- vain inafeo
will be their calculations. The lit'lz
experience we had gives US nahTg 10
hope BAT much 10 fear. 1t is maxim
of the common law, and which has long
been adopted by the REFLECTIVE natss
thar no man can be made TO scceie hial-
felf. Yet this law comp,lssau exami-
nation Of tie bankrupt on oath as 10 the a.
mouut OF property, ard whatever relates
20 his mercantile rranlae.ions.
#, fir, he bankrupt has cornInit'ed
fraud heis forced 10 conleis il ard tub
nit TO the punihnent OF the law, or 70
deny it aud efcape if poAible, the pu-
nihment by the commitiion OF perjury.
To what dilemma may the Innocent
bat unfortunate bankrupt be reduced
Misfortunes unnerve the mind, his re
collection fails him, his faculties are
difoldered and diRnrbed and ruin and
wretchednels fare him in the face. In
iuch a tiiaa,ion he is patsaPon me ro-
gatories- f lis anfwers arg eonlsadlc-
tory, AMI no wonder they ihould be 10
fer il is tie peculiar felicity Of but few
in time OF difficulty and danger TO be
felf collected, competed, and ieiene,
lu(pilions Of trald are entertained ana
tllould flr.her examination into his ar
fairs di{cover that he had not fully diff
cloird all his property, nor given all &C
| curate hiNory Of all his ,raniatSions, ne
is desmei guilty CT f:aud faeis and
citc rnaancts are sgaira him, his innc-
cence awaits him nothing, and he IS
doomed to feel the vengeance OF the law.
Injuries ard ;niul,s are sdded TO mis-
fortunes-I call upon tie gentlemen
from Delaware MIR. Bayagd) nc cham.
pion of The common law, 10 tell Us hc0
he can reconcile to hiaie!. this depar-
ture from the mia and humane principles
Of his tavoyi.e {yfem. Ho~ he can
iuhify in contradiction to that law, TO
max the wife awitnels againlt her hui-
ban
THIS law, Sir, ou,rages every. feeling
Of humanity, and tramples down every
principle and maxim of jufilprudence
which sinle and realon have approved and
ccnlscrased. This law violates and pro-
faues The fanauary Of love and triendlhip,
and tears the difcoplolate wife from the
botom Of her huiband to bear tei}imony
again!t him her feelings, affections and
duties relatively 10 herielfana to Ter huff
band, are at the lhook and mercy Of 4
law that would di(g.ace an inquifltion.-
IF her tulband goaded By the l}ings Of
adyerGty fhould deviate from moral prin-
cip.es, 10 that a htuation do you reduce
the innocent companion Of his misfortunes?
r. Che tcitihes to the fatt, her hutband is
condemned TO ten years imprisonment, is
condgued to the damp, fetid and IN
whoIefome cell Of jail, lhut up from the
wosli, and perhaps from her. ! trembl.
at the alternative, tremble in beholding
her in a crifs that would humble & dit
may the holaet among US.
Shall I 50 one The recording angel as
he wrote it down dropt a tear, and blot
ted it out forerer. / will conclude with
renalking that | am not only in favor OF
repeal for the reafous aligned, but D
Their reafons, which for want OF time |
lhall barely Incntion-fe. Became the
illolyent laws of tbe itates are better CAL
culated to attain the end propofed BY this
law. and beeauie they are equal in their
operation "a. Becaufe the law, in my