Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-11-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS u, 1916.
To the tIRGINIf LEGISLATURE.

OLNlLEMEN,
| am happy to see the Delegate.
of the Good People of Virginia oncc morn :,
SeSson-fou meet at a time when all is neace
on our borders, and n0ta breath To disturb rho
surface OF our foreign relations---when we en-
Joy nor Only tranquility abroad, but the res
pect0f all the world. The same calm reigns NJ
nome. Not one tomahawk is raised in Tie
west not one alarming measure of the gene
raiSovernment, to raise our vigilance or our
fears. VI o"i
But, though these blessings exist is tberapo.
thing 10 interest US? Nothing to engage our AZ
tention! Nothing 10 call forth the powers or
me talents OF the General Assembly $50 far
from this being the case we are told ON ali
hands, that this is one Of the most importo a'
Legislatures, which ever sat within those walls
That questions are to be submitted which
deeply affect the prosperity and the RIGHTS of
tnepeopie-and that all eyes arc upon You and
all hearts are interested IN tberesnlt ofyourde
hDeratlons. The measures have been named
as Wen as freely and publicly canyasscd VIII
II, men, be presumption in me TO follow in t.iis
track OF investigation, and to touch, with "a
pa pen, a few of TIE questions which are ex-
pected to come before yOu? | ha.e 10 other
apology TO make for this address. tan tl,ot
am Virginian who deeply feels for the pros
perity OF his native State; and that he has paid
some little attention to the matters, which ne
discusses. He wishes to throw ont hints--not
TO dictate measures.
The first question which meets us. is the one
winch brought You together.--But three DAYS
the Banks by more summary process To nav
specie, Will be ripe for execution viii you S,tS
pend this law, gentlemen? or will YOU Ietitshare
lts tate In examining any act of vour prede
HTSlssors, i should speak with great Difference.
Inc most OF theirmeaSureswere conceivedinS so
noDle motive, and calculated to produce so
lnuch dement,, that am sorry to differ from
tnein OH any one question:. Can [ fOrsret that
me session OF iol5-l6 has commanded not on
~ the gratitude of our own citizens. but the
respect OF every other State that il was their
public spiritwhicl laid the deep foundation,
OF pubic Improvement that il was then. who
estapiished the Fund for Internal Improve.
ment, 10 open Roads, Rivers and Canals ,
fiey, who commandeda correct survey of the
state, and Map to be made then. who ap-
PToprIated so munifcent sum to the Literary
fund, tor the benefit of Education then. who
contributed ground for Muse,uus fbe,, who
directed the Public Property to be preserved
and ornamented? they, who arrested the mad
scheme OF Thirteen Banking Institutiops. al
ready associated in the face of the law. and of
the erlbarrassments which accompanieJ ouY
circulating medium they, who voted ont tIIe
scneme OF areilglouS Incorporation !-Butitis
not surprising that they should have falleninto
some errors, amidst the services which they
rendered-The wonder is. that they sbouId
have made so few alses.-Yet. their great
anxiety to purify our debased circulating me.
dunn, and to relieve both The pri yate and fine
public debtors, betrayed them into some erro-
neOus calculations, and induced thcmto resort
Banks INTO specie PAYMENTS This was nm.
der an impression, that our Banks vouldbe A.
pie to comply, and that other Legislatures were
ABOUT to adopt the same expedient --But. ex-
Perience proves them to have been ,nistak I'm in
Doth these respects. They were NOT sufficient
lyaware, that the Banks on the sea board form
cd one gredt system, whose parts sbouId move
harmoniously fogether. They were NOT aware.
that the Bank Of the u. States wonId make
great drains OF the specie in the country. and
that its second instalmcnt Womb fall Inc Ia Ia.
nuary. "
You will find, that the Barkshare made great
enVI,s 70 comply with the law; that they have
cut deep into their dealers and drawn in an
immense amount Of their paper that bv the
ISL OF January, they wiiln0t have more on than
tue amount OF their capital; that they hayenof
Only drawn IN their pdger. but received a large
proportion OF specie that the Farmers Eank,
iOr instance, which last Winter conId show bu.
niue more than : 800 900 will i'm a few davs be
ape 10 produce million of specie-,Tbns pro
wing lt every respect their disposition 70 co-
opeIate m me views Of the Iegislattfre and
comply with the laws Of the aul
trust. then, Gentlemen, that Won will weigh
,ncse matters well; that YOU will not placp the
inanhs, III whose STOCK The State has s6dccp ~
lluterest, W worse situation than the other
3tlS Dalihs mat you will not permit tie
stOckhOldcrs OF the L. SIS Bank 10 din fbeir
hands into our vaults, aud draw their install
pHpiS from our resources but that Won viii
suspend the law until tho other banks WILDE 81
q a. SITUATION 10 comply with their cnasrcments.
ne ISL Monday IN July seems to be the period
nAc' an Dy q C0nventiOn Of the principal
sirable pufposc.
hrt. Z 'ae been hin;e0 (that some &c the