Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-14
From the Albany Daily .adrertissr.

ing the affairs of this country, anon!
acn Of intelligence in Great Britain
The fact is the more surprising, be
cause this ignorance is very often dis
played about subjects, knowledge d
which might be easily attained even il
that country. la looking over the de
bates in parliament in the year 1911, II
a very excellent periodical work, : Ths
Edinburgh Annual Register" we could
not but smile, at seeing the following re.
mark made in debate in the house of
lords, by jealous member OF the oppo-
sition in that house; Earl Stanhope--
:. Is not AMERICA said the noble lord.
s religious !? Yet there, there is no es
tabished religion; there. there are rs
tithes. In the state Of Connecticut. if a.
ny man gives boud to clergyman, ne
suit upon it can be entertained in court
Of justice and for good reason, because
it IS the duty of a clergyman to instucl
his flock, ard make them good Il hencs
men; and if he had succeeded in doing
SO, no such suit would have been nece5
sary: but on the other hand, having fai
ed TO perform his duty, he could have NJ
right to be rewarded"
We believe-so strange an idea nevel
entered any human head beside his lord
slips. What wonderful system of laws
that mus, be. which would prevent man
from recovering his debts, until he hat
previously established the scheme Of hu
man per!eotabliity, 4 made all his debt
ors honest. 1t 10 to be regretted that his
lordsbip did not reterfo the code OF laws,
or the book. where this extraordinary
statute could be found. 1t would be Il
very amusing spectacle to attend the tri-
al OF suit brought OH bend given to q
Connecticut clergyman, where this spe-
cles of defence shaald be set up. The de-
feH,iant's plea, we presume must sub
staDtiaily be- That he was parishioner
of the plaintiff, and one Of hls religious
and therefore il was cor
di'i0n precedent on tie part OF the plain
tiff to be pesfnrmed, that, previously TO
demanding payment Of the money ia the
bond mentioned, he, the plaintiff should
instruct the defendant 10 the
duties o. honesty, integrity, justice and
conscience, and make MIN to become
thereby, perfectly honest, just, and dis
posed to fulfil all his contraCts-put that
the plaintiff had So entirely tailed Of per-
farming his duty ii tiis respect, that he,
the defendant, ever had been, now was,
and was at all tilaes hereafter likely to-
be. rogue, dishonest, UNJUST, and un-
not disposc 10 pay his de5t-s
on any part thereof, and pa tlcularly the
debt now before the court: aid therefore,
he prayed to BE dismissed, with costs
On demurrer, upon his iUrdship'S law,
we cannot see but th!S peA aust De heiuI
sufficient.
1t is astonishing that nan two dc
grees above idiocy ,cpuld Dc led to bf.icYet
in such ridiculous idea as this. Hc hAdE
better consulted with LIS brother demo
Gratis OF that state, concerning the cha-I
rscter and circumstances OF the Clergy. |
,.ey vault have told him, that Instean
ii being tbus ouuawcd, & DISTINGUISHED |
hey had !oEg considered them a. a HE
dlchy, governing Inc Affairs Of a poor
state, with almost as mac6
lespotism, as the Pope OF Rome ever did
NV part o! his domiHons, and instead
,eios incapable Of recovering their bonds,
Tat they ned tic iulabilants oil the state
y 5onas SO diffe, emily does the same
se2ject strike the minds Of men of a 81. !
l.i.at character, in d aerent situations.
TIE 8tccm Cont De,patch sanh.-From