The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-04-02

public in the form of petition. They con-
tain proportions of great Importance 70 To-
ciety.-As they are entirely new, the writer
will not pretend to fay, that they are per-
feet; but being prefented in this form, they
will attract public notice, and it is hoped,
will meet with patronage. 1t would be wife
to make great facrifices and extraordinary ex-
ertions to eftabliih Public Roads. Here
plan is fuggeited which requires no facriEce,
but will be embraced with aiacrity by all
thoie whom it will implicate.
To the H0n0madIe THE H6smbiy Of Virginia.
The Petition of fundry inhabitants of the coun-
ty Of --, fheweth:
THAT among the various objects of national
concern which have attracted notice, none ap-
pear TO deierve more or have received lefs pub
lie patronage than the efabliihment of perma-
nent roads.
The Establishment of public roads flch as
will form permanent communication between
commercial towns and remote parts of the fate
require public Interpolation, not only becauft
they ought to be made on the NOT futable
ground, andto be protected from the power
and controu Of the county courts, but ALTO be-
cau!e they ihouid be executed in manner and
with an expenie which will be too great for the
adjacent inhabitants. Il therefore behoves the
what
means iutficient retources may be provided
Among many which might be recommend
ed your petitioners now propofe to coutinc
themtelveSto one only and that is to rairc a
permanent revenue for this purpofe, by pro-
petition which will not only afford a new fub-
je6t for confederation, but one which will have
conliderable influence upon the focal relations
Of the community; asWill be explained by the
following calculations.
There are two descriptions of men who occu-
py active cations in life, and are necefary to
each other. Thefe are the borrowers and lend
ers of money. Tranfa6tions of this fort are i'm
portant to the general interefs of fociety, and
they therefore deferve public countenance.
The rate of intereff or the price of lending mo-
ney is now fixed by law at fix per cent. per an
mum, though the market price is much higher {;
but money holders would be fatisGed with that
hire if they could be fure to receive their inter
cit with punctuaty, or have the means of infor-
cling it by ipeedy remedy. IF fuch means ex-
iited It is likely that every man deferving credit
would always be able to hire the money which
he wanted at the legal interef, and fometimes
at lower rate; but unfortunately thefe means
do not exit, and this is intended to fuggeit re-
NEEDLES.
When fun of money is lent, the borrower
makes two arrangements the fri is TO fecure
and repay the principal at future period,
the other is to pay theinterei at particular times,
and this the lender endeavors to fecure by ne
ceflary proviiions he does not want the prin-
cipal but only defres to receive the intereft
Punctually according to his bargain. But if the
borrower cannot or will not comply with the
bargain in paying the intereft, the lender is O.
bliged to proiecute his action for the whole debt,
and then following the neceGary forms of the
court he viii be compelled to extort by the
power OF an execution, money which be does
not want, and which, when obtained he will
gladly lend to another of more pun6tuaIity up
on the fame terms. Whereas if the law had
permitted him to nforce the payment Of his
interef alone by fummary procedure the
principal would not have been dlurbed, and
perhaps toe ruin of the debtor might have been
averted. For remedy whereof it is propo(ed ::
That all debts whichmsy become due formoney
lent upon intereft ihall be regihered i'm the Of
fee of the Clerk of the REFLECTIVE county courts
or in fome other public manner in book TO
be kept for that purpofe, in which the rate of
interef, not exceeding FIX per cent. fall be ia
ted and it ihall be lawful for the creditor, If
the intereit is not paid, either TO himfelf or TO
his agent, or depofited with the Clerk within
ten days after it fhall become due, to apply TO
the Clerk for luminous for the fame, which
may be delivered to the fherif of the county or
make diftrefs for the fame upon the goods and
chattles the debtor in the fame manner "a is
ufually done with claims for rent, or in other
fummary proceedings,
1t is believed, if this mode of fecurine debts
for money lent and for recovering the intereh
fhould be adopted, that general benefits would
be derived to all parties, and that money holders
would be glad to lend upon good fscurity, when
they could be fure of receiving intereR in quar-
terly indictments or at other ftated times, or TO
enforce immediate payment if the debtor did
obferve punduality.
q tax OF one per cert. upon all debts which
may be regiltered in this mode fIould be mpo.
fed, to be paid to the Clerk of the court or o.
Their officer, at the time of registering, who
fhould be required to pay the fame into the pub.
lie treafury within three months after the re.
ceipt, fubjett to Pc"altiesin cafe of failure,
1t is reafonable that all perfons who are fup.
ported by government ought to pay fomcthinq
for that benefit. The money lenders, 10 thing,
are, are out of the reach of the law, but thi
propoiition will bring them within it's reach, ef
pecially mo OF. mode Of referring the pay
ment Of inte, eft, ilould be allowed As an ex
ample, le; II nc fuppofcd that one million o
pounds, by different contraSts Mould be lent