The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-14

l e>f~ va
his rents?
IS. The man who lives by the hire of his
slaves and the faithful paymentof that hire,
what is to become of him? He. like the mere
landlord, who lives by the payment of his
rent, is most frequently AN infant-incapa
bic therefore, of any excrtion 10 derive a
subsistence from other sources; these are
doonft by your bill to starve.
1NsIln short, where is the man i'm society
who will be protected by your bill, save on
ly the farmer, who has the means of SUBJ
~slstencc within l,imself? Rut will even hehe
pro,ectedi If the debt which he owesis
above T. $50 he will not since his merchant
Creditor by means Of the assignment of his
paper to foreign creditors, will produce Il
Reaction upon the farmer himself. and sub
Ject him eventually to the bolt of the federal
court. Nor will the farmer, whose debts al
together amount to ( $50 be more safe these
debts will all find their way into the same
hands lists of these debts will be publish
ed; delicacy viii not hinder this-The frs
blow is given, in this law, by the farmer him
sell: ne must rot be surprized to find it re-
turnrd-These debts will ultimately be uni
ted into one, & find their way into the federal
court. The farmer himself, therefore, will
not be protected and all this havoc and de-
ISOLATION are for notl. .ig!
q SSSiS WI SlOCtudtlol dEG-NCu
about toopen Already the market is glut-
ted with paper 10 be shared. You are about
TO encourage this laudable trade-Yous send
out under this bill ten thousand bonds with
sapiess suretles. to whet the appetite of spe-
cuiators.-What a repast are YOU spreading
TO them-What n cloud of Kites and Nul-
lures will speedily hever over you. They
are the only men who will eventually profit
b! this law I; and who will they be?-The
monied men that is, British agents who
have filled their pockets BY the aid of fele-
raj executions, and creditors of other states,
who have had the command of the Same
doom your own state to ruin.
vi. The bill is in viola tiCn c: the fede-
raj constitution: it Intermediates With deeds
OF trust, and forbids the fulflment of the con-
Mr.. w. read the 10th sec. of
the 1st article of the constitution.
:" No state shall enter into any treaty, alli-
ance, OF confederation, grant letters OF marae
and 'reprisal (; coin money emit bills of c,e-
dit, make any thin. but geld and silver coin
a tender in payHeut of debts pass any bill
OF attainder. eT host fucto law, or law i'm
pairing the obligation of contracts &c. &c.
Does not the bill in ycurhandimpair the ob
legation of contracts? A owes d debt to b,
and contracts with him that unless he paws
- o'SH NoIs ~ w WatoII lC. UNIV ~ y
property for hal purpose, shall proceed OIL
notice to sell that property and from its pro-
cee.is Pay the debt The deed is obligatory
tor three purposes. l That the debt hal be
paid: 2. That it shall be paid by a given
day and Sdly. That if not SO paid, the
trustee shall forthwith proceed to sell and
pay r:-but in steps thc legislature, ana by
a law, declares, that as to two out of these
ehree purposes, the contract shall not be OBJ
lgatory-to wit, as to the payment by the
DAY agreed on /; and as to the sale on the e.
vent OF non payment by that day. The deed,
indeed, shall stand as security for the even
tuai payment of the debt; and as to this So
Itarv purpose, the obligation of the contract
is suffered to remain unimpaired but as to
the other two purposes, it is not imhaired
merely, but totally a6oLi5htd. MIR. w. ask
ed how gentlemen could reconcile a vote in
favcr OF this law, with their oath to support
the Constitution of the u. S.-Mr. w. here
introduced a commentary on this section CT
the constitution from the pen, he said. of one
of the most sound and penetrating states
men, that ever overlooked the great course
OF human afffrs-he meant Mr.. Madison -
Ut goes to shew his impression of the right
& policy of such Il bill as that i'll your hand,
aostracted from the constitutional prohibit
on.
"Bills of attainder, &c host facto laws, &
laws irnpa!ring the obligation Of contracts,
are contrary to the first principles of the So
ciat compact, and 20 every principle cf sound
legislation. The two former, arc exDre S.
ly prohibited by the declarations prefixcd TO
some nt the state constitutions, and ali of
them are prohibited By the Spirit and scope
oi$ these fundamental charters. Our own
experience has taught us, nevertheless, that
additional fences against these dangers ought
not to be omitted. Very properly, there
tore, have the convention added this con-
stitutional bulwark in favor of personal! Sc.
curity and private rights and ] am much
deceived. if they have not, in So doing, as
faithfully consulted the genuine sentiments,
as the updnubte1 interests of their consti:u-
ents. The sober people Of America, IRE
weary et the fuctuating policy which has
directed the public counCils. They have
seen "ith regret, and with Indignation, that
saddcn changes and legislative interferences,
III cases affecting personal rights, bccnnc
jobs IN the hands Of entcTprizing and innu-
cntiai SPECTATORS and snares to the more
industrious and less, Informed part Of the
CjmmunitJ. They havc sec too, that one
legislative interference is bat the link Of A
long Chain Of fcpeiit:ons every subsenucnt
interference being naturally produced ~
elects of the preceding. They very
rightly inter. therefore, that some thoroIyn
reform is wanting, which viii bari,i spe-
on public measures, inspire a re
neral prudence and industry. ard givca no.
gular course to the business of society.9