Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1810-01-29

Communications.
FOR THE GAZETTE


ton. Civilization bcgat laws wnereb, -
mutually bound themselves 10 he ro,..n nSa
The intention OF civil compact W.
to restrain the licentiOus and Drotac,
unfortunate to guarantee to lis mems
liberty and security. Security is property
and personal liberty. In repubEcan NV,
of government, and more especially II on.a
tie laws, rlshtecusly administered, give !
all, equality Of rights.
The object in this communication i !
deduce some facts in themselves incon,,o
yertzble, and conclusive reasonings fro
those facts, why an insolvent act. in I'M
Common we2lth, would not only Be ,r,.
and salutary, but very just and neces,sr,
measure. Although the national bankrn,
law was very lmperfectly administered and
the effects Of the debtor were almost whnI
ly absorbed in the expences of the comm.
sion, yet, even from law thus shorty gnd
badly executed, we can recite instances
productive Of such consequences as will NJ,
fail TO afford delight to every feelinr apJ
\ humane heart. Men IN wretchedness and
despair, borne down by the oppression of
misfortune, have been raised To afluepcs
and plenty, and have now become member,
useful to themselves, their families ana
community. Nor are these instances soil.
tsry-hundreds nav be produced within
our own ken and instead Of their remain.
ing pauPers Of parish or a tax On the pub.
lie, they have by their induSty and enter.
prize pus sufficient ID store to secure from
indulgence and want and the inseHsibility Of
needless world, those who may hereafter
become their dependents, their widows &
orphans. Had not relief been graciously
extended by the national bankrupt law.
what would have been the condition oF
these unfortunate men and their dependan.
families The father might have the libsr-
~ to ask aims from door to door. Tie wild.
ow and orphan destitute and unErovidet,
must become the charge Of your towns u
OF your charitable institutions.
In point Of utility and justice we produca
the following reasons. When 4 mans sf.
fairs are involved and threaten a state Of
bankruptcy, The avaricious and unfeeling
creditors, ever watchful and ever Jealous
or fearful, is sure to be the first and FORE
most to deal the death blow to the strugg.
hing victim. He seizes on all goods, chat
tells and estates-he is secured principle,
interest, and accommodating costs. This
keen eyed mlser exuts in the ascendencs
he has gained, and having thus bounced on
his prey, Proudlg bears il off, sneering al
Ais credutous and unfortunate neiphbor.
who, with more confidence, more feeling
and humanity, loses every dollar Of lib
equally just debt Dark as is this picture.
such IS the world, or such are certain mem.
bers of it. The injustice and INEQUALITY of
the law of attachments must be obvious to
every one. 1t destroys confidence and
leads every man to suspect his neighbor,
and this want of confidence has been lie
destruction " many solvent man, possess
ING more than sufficient in the ordinary
current Ut business 10 satisfy I'll ms debts.
lie wants ready cash-it is whispered that
nc IS embarrassed-lt flies like wild fire
me alarm spreadS-an attachment is issu-
ed-hIs credit destroyed, and lis effects
sold under the hammer Of an suctioneer. AZ
malt their true value.
A bankrupt law raises thos, who have
iallen, and saves many who would otherwise
drag out an uncertain and anxious hfe IL
places on just and equal footing every
credltor-the NAN Of feeling and HE miser
divide and share alike "A debtor becomes
lnSolVent, he is so declared by the. law-he
makes, under solemn oath or Aft malion,
surrender OF every thing real or personal,
under penalties the most Just and severe,
u he does not make tul and fair disclo-
sure Few there are, we trust. who would
be guilty Of the most abominable perjury
| rather than to pay their just and honest
debts. II there be any, such, the law may
be 50 constructed as 70 detect and punish
But admitting that there are those. who,
regardless Of their present fame and their
eternal welfare, should attempr fraud Of
TINS sort, still this cannot operate a. III ar.
gument against a law, which. TO saw the
least, would benefit thousands of men of
honor, integrity aud principle. where it
would shield single rogue. An honest
man VINO needs the benefit of such a law,
VIII never complain Of the seyerity Of its
pchaltles-the more severe the letter, and
Tess liable to abuse. Protect the honest and
unf9rtunate-guard against the urprlnc.
pied and wicked.
Can any thing be more iniouitnus or I'm,
just than that one creditor Snould seize IN
all the property of debtor, TO The intire
exclusion Of all the others 1T Il maintain.
Ell that an insolvent act. equally - protect
the creditor from fraud. and IN. debtor
from oppression, would remedy this yerv
great evil zrhoHy. If law ~ This kind ii
our own state has heretofore been consid.
cred mexPedlent-If the former general
prosperity OF It's members rendered it IN
necessary, such is not the case now. OyE.
ing to the unprecedented calanities of the
times, growing out Of our foreign relations.
and the undue practice IN our BANKING sys.
TEN, evh has accumulated IN evil. unul
not tew, but very considerable portion
OF our fellow cIuzens have, from causes IN
foreseen and unavoidable. been 50 reduced
u their estates, that their credit has been
destroyed and they stripped IF every thing
they possessed; and yet, on account ofrle.