The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-14

means, affords nojoys compared with the lit
tic acquired with honor, and the consolati
ons OF a generous and noble spirit. Mr.. Ola.
stead pursued that which he had acquired
after suffering. and secured by a noble mag
namaiity. He abandoned the more enlare-
eu pursuits of commerce in which he had
Before been engaged; and behold the con-
trast!
Mr.. Olmstead's brother retired-ten years
ago with an ample fortune, acquired in
the business abandoned to him.
While MIR. Oimstead himself, pursuing his
own property, has wasted near thirty
years ofhis life, and thousands of dollars,
iaw Proceedings-and in the decline
OF ms lie, with scarcely a dollar to sus-
tam him with the DEGREES of the law.
ana the voice of justice on his side he
hnds his property in the state treasury Of
Pennsylvania. and the militia threatened
10 be sailed out, to oppose the restituti-
ton OF his property and to resist the SUI
preme law of tie land.
as fellow citizens, is the brief but indis-
putaD'c statement, of the position in Which
yoa are placed, by a long course of iniouitv.
IN Which you had no participation, but which
you are now called upon to release the state
from the rcproach Of. The money of an in
divldua' is In your custody-you li?ve no
riSnt tolt, nor to any OK it-and YOU are now
placed III that position, which will render il
impossible for you to stand neuver Justice
ana public law the rights of property and
the principles of the government, all appeal
to y'on and you win rescue two amiable and
respectable ladies, from a situation, which,
'tough thcy nave no concern, but as being
Tue news OF Estate officer, and having dis
charged themselves from any individual
ciaiIh, are yet placed i'll a situation, that can
not but be p~erpleXing and frcm which the
justice OF tina state should have long since re-
ies~ed them.
1he law OF 1903, IS a blank paper-therc
IS not &cQurtin the country, with a sense OF
Justlc2 or law, that would not so declare it. a
vocation OF the constitution of the y. States
III t"|a seFerai respects
indcpenden. cf all Questions of copst;tu-
tIonaiity. what will be said Of a sta.e that
viii sanction a privation of property to such
an a'h0ani--and yet frame laws in every ses-
SION which send miserable wretches to
saw marble, Tor acts less heinous--and
oiten the result of need, or of vicious ha-
bits?
Is there 4 man in the Legislature who would
IL ms own property were converted into cash
and deposited for security in the state trea-
sarY is there any man who would not say
1t was a robbery to appropriate i. to state
er? Wv"
morality is as much an Obligation upon a
legislator: as upon any other man and it is in
Vain that penirentiaries are erected. IS the
authorities hold uD such exam
pies Us the case of Oimstead has exhibited
Tor thirty years.
This, gentlemen, is plain English Won
VIII md wretches enough to indicate any
orfany acts of oppression which
men vested with hozoer or hatroueee NAV
indulge in; it is due to your characters and
10 the character of the state, and an indie
pendent press, not to blast at inioutv. not
to conceal y connivance, from the ewes Of
men IN power, the character of events upon
whlch they have to act /; and upon which thew
avoid acting ; with honor or witbout
Mr.. Olmstead has shewn a due respect for
tue legislature the following is a copy Of
which he presented to the leeisla-
.ire Ill lG07-S; what order was taken on
ms memorial at that time is not within our
kno%leaGe D.; but. lie appears to have had as
mach right to complain of legislative NEGLECT
OF the iaVu's delay.
Inc whole case of Mr.. 0lmstead has been
before the legislature, in a printed pamphlet,
IS we understand, accompanying the memo
RAJ OF which this is a copy....4urora.