Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1810-03-05
FOR THE GAZETTE.

Mr.. SHIRLEY,
If ARIsTIpEs' had attemptedto demon
strate the fallacy of my objections to sys-
tenn of bankruptcy it might have been ne
cessary for me, in reply TO have adduced
some arguments in their support. But so
OBJ iously do the Dlost serious evils, MENTION
ed IN my communication, result from the a.
doption of system of bankruptcy, that he
has thought proper TO pass them over with
out comment. shall therefore in this pur-
sue my former method of reasoning, with
out particularly noticing the subject matter
of his communication, or the manifcstly un-
charitable spirit in which, it was written
If know the desires of my own heart, they
are for the relief Of the untorrxaate poor
And will venture to hazard the presumption,
that, let Aristides' go as far as he will, to
accomplish SO desirable an object, zuiH go
further. Yet cannot, in conscience, adgo-
cate a law, which will enable the dishonest
to practice villany at will with IMMUNITY.
True the law has it penalties-but their be-
ing enforced depends entirely on the oath
OF the person taking the benefit Of the law
And is it not Obvious that the person, who
is base enough TO conceal, from his honest
and bona dde creditors, property, which in
tttulAy OSiOlxS " VIII at lnC SdIilC
time cover his turpi;ude with an oath. Were
such law enacted, that class of our citizens,
who are insolvent, would be very small,
conn AIRED with the number, that would take
advantage Of it--When the national bank
rust system, was IN operation many became
bank upts who have since accumulated
wealth, sufficient, at least 10 discharge their
debts (whether from concoursc of for
tunatc events, or from a carital concealed,
| az, unable 60 say)--but the disposition to
remunerate their creditors has been want
ing--Sonie few instances there are OF men,
VINO. after having been declared bankrupts,
haye repaid their creditors-And these are
TIE men. for whom such q law might with
safety and proprIe,y be made.-The propos-
ed can (if considered real bene6t) is not
a equal law-It does nor afford equal adj
vantage 10 difierent classes of citizens.
The merchant, the trader, The Spectator, are
TO receive all its benefits while the poor
farmer who is equally INDECENT and deserv-
ing, may be harrasseds and oppressed with
out remedy-The boor labolver, how is he
assisted by this law II, Aristides' doubts
the truth Of nv assertion, that the whole
nation was convinced Of the inexpediency
and impoicy of the national bankrupt law
and requires other proof, than the universal
sentiment ofpeople uninterested and unpre-
JUDGED, every day expressed would re-
fer him to the doings of the national legisla-
ture in 18O3-He will there perceive, that
there we've but thirteen in the House of Re-
representatives. opposed to its repeal and but
twelve IN the Senate. Was ii Virginia that
effected such unanimity in Congress- No,
It a thorough conviction that the law was
radically and intrlnsically base-The SOUTH
ern States were no; more heartily Disguised,
than the northern. Ii was a member from
Massachusetts, that first moved its repeal
1t is true that tbs English have tor many
years endured system of Bankruptcy,'-Bu
this circumstance will have but little weight
when placedin competition with that of our
own nations having made al experiment of
the measure and found it deficient. 1t has
been urged that the experiment made by
orr own country was not affair one. Be that
as it may it was a convincing one The
law was TO have expired by It's own limita-
ton in about Is months, when It was repeal
ed but so overwhelming was the current OF
popular opinion against 1t, thai it became ne