The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-19

!, been advanced be correct, but 7 am not vii.
; Nng to admit that they ale so.
Having briefly answered some of the ob,
!, ~jecuons TO the bill, which nave been urged BY
me gentleman from Richmond, and from
! Nythe, lwnl next enquire into the cape
laiehcy OF the measure-In my mind, Mr.
Speaker, there is a loud call from the poo
! pie upon US, to do something upon this sab
!ject; sneir distressesarc seen from the cen,
ire TO the most extreme parts of the COM.
monwealth-,hey have become clamorous
IN every direction, and when we consider
that Cur government must stand or fIl. by
TIE affections OF the people, the govern
meht ought certainly to administer relief 10
tnem, whea their d,stresscs cali for i, at our
hands. The people of his commonwealth,
haNc upol, more occasions than one given
the strongest proofs or their patriotism they
are. win!.iy TO submit 10 any privatIon short
ot absolute DESTRUCTION TO themselves and
theif lam " >; they Viii never complain of
any act OF their government. howeveroppres-
slVe IN It's consequences, provided, they ,hink
that the act be Il wise and necessary one
they are satisfied tina, the embargo laws, are
WISE and nrolcr measures, hnt whi.>t .siev
oelieVe TINS. they believe also, that me go-
VefIihent can io~iti;,ate some of their suffer
ihgs which those Jaws produce, ond | for
'S oi hti' W ~ tllCIi ttiC lGtlSt
sought TO be OBJ AIMED by the bill At tins
time, sir, scarcely one dollar can be raised
IN the country Tor amy property Whatever;
and whenever 1t comes to the hammer it
must gofor any thing that Spectators and
may Ill their hberaii,y choose to
give lor tt am disposed to adopt the bill
unael discussion, because l bGllsvc the in
terest oI creditors more than debtors, re-
Quires it-W henever we see q man whose
properly is sold by execution or deed of trast
1t may be taken tor grante1 that ne owes o.
tiier dcDts than theSe-And If we do not pass
some law on this subject, what situation will
You place creditors in! A owes & 4 ID E
aud +, debrs OF & 100 each one creditor is
lrigid, and commence a suit against A.
wiHist the otner creditors are willing to ia
duiSe as tar as possible--A has property e.
nouen 40 pay tnen all, provided he can get
seinelninS like Its value for IT, YOU suffer
gas une creditor TO prosec.tc his SUIT 20 "A
y dgipei't, and execution issues-!t is levied
uRon the whole of AS property and when
sale day arrIve5, no person can buy il Tor
want OF Of ~muney-the creditor attends and
forces the sane by bidding any sum he plea
ses tor the proDert9. and mus will eoa gufcr
A 10 he derived OF his who.c property, for
the benefit OF one rigid and unrelenting ere
ditor, who gets hVe times the amount of his
f +1~NN Va iOuI ok4lCl
creditors; vino, from the convulsed state of
our country, were mild aud accommodating
towards their unfortunate de0tor-vou are
taking care Oft the aVaricioas and Specializing
temper ard interest of one creditor, and YOU
lose sIsalt or tie rights and interest of tour
,otherSEHew who can be fortunate enough 10
get the brst judgment, makes an immense
SPECULATION !; whilst fifty others are forever
deprived of reliance for getting one shilling
in the pound tor their claims; and this 100,
because of their friend indulgence-Shau
we, with our eyes open and a knowledge of
the facts, thus mar trC pI aspects and pros
trqte the rights otnine creditors out of ten
/ will never give my assent ia such :.l or
der 81 things; 1 am for taking care of the
rights and interests of the great majority OF
CREDITORS | am not Tor rewarding the rigid
creditor by suffering him - speculate upon
the ruins OF al unfortunate deht ~; and in
order to do these things, | am willing to give
my vote in, favor of the bill. But the gen
tieman from Wythe (hIr. Sheffey) has told
Us, that if we pass the bill, we shall be in
world. tnttat% R@seeause we have just tod Tie
and that we could live within oafSciveS4
this is true, and If we adopt the bill before
US, the act will stand very consistently with
the regulations alluded to-
Iconsidcr this law as a mere municipal regu.
lStion, which we have ! right to adopt, if we
think proper, in order to enable US TO d. that,
which we have declared to the world we could
do, and in my judgement, nothing like inconsis-
tency cav be Inferred from the measure. What,
SIR, is the situation OF many ct our countryuien
al this time ! IL is l5uo syn 10 us all, that q porti-
o. Of our feiiow-CItIZens, are now in readiness,
according TO an order OF tie general government,
! t. take the field at 4 moments warning many
1fthesc men nave suits depending against them,
and they rely upon their own personal exertions
TO meet the judgments but if they are taken
from their daily employment, how will they DC
en- blcd to make good their calculations ! Wilt
be expected that they can fight The battles of
their country, and lave il in their power to raise
money from their labor besides ; And shall 1t
be said, thai whilst the soldier is in the field, his
little property is to DC taken from his family. and
his wife and ckiidren brought to beggary in his
absence =? God forbid that my voice should give
aid to sch measures. II we shall go TO battle
in the most prosperous state OF things, MI. Spea-
ksr, bur minds will be full ofthe most solemn re-
feciions, but under the present existing circum-
stances, let us cheer The spirits Of the. soldier, by
telling him, that whilst he is spiling his blood for
his country, his family shah be Guarded and pro-
t7cted. Taking the subject then, III every posi-
bic point ofview, l shall not hesitate g. give my
vote for the bill, and ii that vote shah be unavsil-
ing, can return to ny constituents, with q smile
on my cOuntenance,a and say, although you have
not been relieved, 1 have l4bored zealously in
your cause.
Mr.. ScDdLe's Substitute was lost bv a 1arre