The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-04-14

1o per cent? month t5s1rLsty st, rs sopipit
the able work Of Benthstn on ufury. Let us.
refer to the r1port on isanf, by NJ. Turrot. the
albeit minttcr thu FrauceS ever poficIed;
whole great principle wssth7t. Of freedom Of
trade and whole great reforms were 70 well
ca'cc'a'edto .r-~e''- ~ 7hnf.s of the French
government, that. IL ,nry had bern fuili,is n,iy
pur'ued, they would u,oit probably have pre-
vented the Preach revo'utou.3 He has iiiur.
trated this truth in the mott affecting colours.
4" M. Turgos Jays the Marquis de C0rdoteet in
h,s h/f oil that great man." had anoth-r opportunity
oil dipaymg hi. zeal for the freedom o trade or ra
ther Tor that uttiee which demands that every
fhoud be permitted the free ule OF MS lawful proper
ty Qor however ufeful may be the freedom oftratle
II has an argument on it's eide Gill more unanfwerabls
than its uty)"-f This liberty is neref!aty becaufe
the interef of moneymul naturally he regulated by
the amount OF the profits of each fpecies Of COM
meree, by the riks to which that commerce is expo
co. and by the greater or les degree Of credit due
the borrower. -" The liberty of making loans upon
what terms men pleafe, is natural conirsuence of
the enabii!hment OF property aud very moderate
ihare ct understanding Efficient to difcover that
though the lender may, by exaetng too rigorous con-
c's'ons, how hiyfef be wanting in humanity, yet
ne cannot be guilty of violation either of law or
lus'ee'by exercpg his natural right Of difpoing Of
sewn property upon what terms he peaes. 1.-THE
Duinei OF law IS, TO tx price only where it 6ax moi
Sfsg or t'4ld not be fixed by particular eon,raas1
Let US not however run wild with this Prin-
c'pte OF liberty. Let us not too far extend this
want OF political interference with the affairs
Of individuals,
Can any one doubt that the prefent defects
OF our population, of indizi1uaI erterprize and
wealth, exacts greater interference from the
government, than would be required under
more advanced ftage Of fociety? In a word,
thatthere are certain general infttutons, whichit
ha l.,s.A
ianetion 1t nor by its refources to fuppiv with
ipirlt if mot with money ?-Such as Schools,
naVlshb'e Canals, and roads sc. We ihai
conhne our remaks to the laft Objects. Is it
p"thole to refiIt the claim which tbey have up
on our notice alta time, when Pennfylva-
MA IS making fuch large appropriations for
their accomplishment
We are great agricultural nation. The
earth is the great fource of our wealth, and of
that republican fmplicity of manners, which
keeps alive the fpirit of a dign'fed freedom.
surely then II we encourage commerce, we
ihould, If poliiblc attempt TO nourilh this great
nurie of our PROPERTY.
Many are for lavifhing entenfive fums on the
defence OF our fea ports and towns. Some are
tor building large navies for the defence of our
merchant ihps. And fl,all we do nothing, if
sve can, for agrio ulture?
But can zoe, is an important queftion? Can
our government promote the interefts of agri.
culture F.? And boev?
We do not demand any direct pecuniary en-
couragement. We do not expect that the lie.
g'ilature :hould cltabliih Boards of agrcu-
tnre diitribste premiums prohibit the Gull
tivation of one kind of grain, and encourage
another.-But the true kind of ENCOURAGEMENT
which 1t iholAd give to the farmer, conliits in
clearing hlsway to market aud thus dim
mining the expence Of transportation, and en-
HANGING the value of his produce. 1t is, in one
WORD, by improving the roads, and opening the
navieabie waters, that Legislature can mott eff
fectualiJ adv nee the interelts of the farmer.
Slch arrangements ought to be confided to
the tate rather than to the general governments:
therefore we dfapprove of that paflage in the
Prehdcnts meffage 10 the lah Congrcfs, which
recognizes the idea of bringing E" the great pur-
poles OF the public education, roads, rivers,
canals and fuch other obi etts of public improve
menr within the constitutional enumeration of
federal powers" Such fyltem is not only
lsis adapted to the very purpofes for which
it is dehsned than rate fyftem but it is pro-
duttive of Capitalization of ftate powers.
Thefe objects are beft to be promoted by ef-
tabliihing companies under the fantton of the
legislature; which will at the fame fubfcribe for
certain number of ihares, and which thus
advances fome of the funds towards the accom-
IP'''N'' vi tioiS ouJcSt6 W WHICH private CD
tai may be Inefficient.
This is the fyftem which has been generally
applied 10 the Havigabe waters: But not to
roads, The plan generally purified in Virginia
Is To conhde their Improvement to the neigh
| boring farmers.--The whole fate does not con-
tam more than two or three ihort turnpikes
1t is time, however, for US to profit in thefe
retpeets by the experience of Europe and the
Ne~-Ehgiand hates.-We refer our readers 10
an ehdy on our laft page which contains vo-
lupe OF argument on this fuhject.
| lLet his return to the fame able work from
winch we have already made one quotation:
"Of all the methods of defraying the ex-
pence of the public roads, "fays the MARQUIS
dc Condorcet" that which M. Turgot was de-
iirous to eftablilh is the mott equitable, becaufe
the contribution is paid by thoe to whom the
roads are mott ufeful, and in proportion TO the
advantage which they derive from them; it is
ALTO the leaf burthenlome, beCaufe The roads
colt iefs, are better made, and require lefs re-
pairs; and laitly, it is the moit beneficial be.
cauie Unread of being like the Corvss an actual
flavery and fource of miftry to the people, it
offers them pay, which wife administration
may dlttrioute and proportion to theif emer-
gencies."
! The principle of thefc companies ought 10
he, that they ought not to be TOO brir,ilSeed
An cilay which appeared in the hrf volume
OF the Enquirer on irredeemabie laws from
the pen of a very able JUDGF, fulliciently
proved that thefe inltitutions ought not to- have
, fuch an executive monopoly as to prevent the