Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-07-25

'"ci1 fuuiNiuudi capacities. aflC tn2t GOV.
eminent has no right whatever to inter-
iere with lis management in It's corpo-
rate capacity. Upon what principle then
Is IT. that SoyerniuGnt has thought pro-
per 10 lay vioirnthands upon the article
OF money, aud 10 diveSt the owner OF his
tigiitUl and exclusive dominion over il 7.
Can II be from the vain aud lille hope OF
keeping down Inc rate of Interest by a
mere dictum And for what good A
hlgh rale OF interest is not always n,uri-
OILS 10 society, nor any evidence at the
impoverisnnent of Il nation. 1t is often
CT an evidence offs prosperity. Ii most
frequently arises FROM the great demand
for capital, and the activity and enter
prise otindividuais III using it, II then
The use Of money should be rightiully
and Justly WORT. IL per cent, upon what
principle is II, that government shall in
te:pose and say, that the owner shall on
| ~ TAXI per cent. for the use of his mo-
| ney, whilst It permits every owner TO ct
! Tor every other article OF property its full
worth, and as much more Us he can bar
gam Tor i'll the market? There is moth
Ing which can justify it. II is uRsup-
ported by any principle. 1t is not pro-
| ductive OF any good. II is The fiat Of
| despotlsm. u Is the abeiter Of injustice.
II ~ the prostration of morals. But tie
| prcteXt substituted in the place OF prin-
cipse, ifimpartally considered, falls little
I siiort OF Il direct insult to the human M
! Outstanding. 1t Is 10 prevent prodigality
aud projects. This then is the ayowed
aud benevolent object The notion of
affording protection 10 the simplctons. is
| too simple tn require single comment
| Look now at the means of eifeciing it 7!
The means consist in sublecting private
property to forfeiture. The private pro-
perry of whom Would any rational, i'm
partial man, knowing nothing of the mat
| ter, believe IN ease so plain, itwould be
necessary TO put such question -
| Would he not ut once, under the COM
mon impulse ofjustice say, certainly the
PIRATE property of the prodigal and pro-
Jector What then must be his astonish-
ment, when he is told that the benign
| spirit OF the law against Usury saws no
such thing 1t is the private property of
any body but the prodigal and projection.
1t Is the property of the prudent. the dis
Greet and the innocent. What the inno
cent punished for tie guilty y What in
Justice! What absurdity !! And is il
Tor this, that there has been so formula
bile combination, persevered in for so
long time, between Church and State
Is it to seize upon the private properly of
| INV hiHoSeii's ~ prevent Inc commission
| OF, or to atone for tile offences ofthe suil
| ty ]! Besides, TIE offences 10 be preyen-
ted or punished, are prodigalty and ex-
travagant projects, not the loan of mo-
ney. That, although once thought sin
| tul, is not thought so now, except as il is
made SO by law; and that only beyond
| certain limit. 1t Is now used only az
mean TO prevent sins yet il is deemed
| truly sagacious and wise TO prevent the
loan OF money, when the real object is to
prevent or punish prodigality and extra
VACANT projects whilst those offences are
not only not punished, but are favored:
and placed under The protection of the
law. How strange the means to accom-
piisi the end J! And as might have been
nationally expected how far have they
fallen short of it If for any great sup
posed political good, temporal potentates
could yield TO such perverted principles
! on right and wrong IS IL possible TO con-
ceive, that the holy canons ofthe Church
could sanction them? Can the mon.
strous doctrine of the commission of the
sin by one man, and the expiration by a.
mother, b. protected within the sanctua-
~ of the Church How would this
frightful doctrine comport with the great
principle of all religions that every
one is responsible for the salvation
| OF his own precious and immortal
soul; and not for another ? Per
haps it might aid this enquiry to look
at the machinery invented To carry this
doctrine into effect; for although the
law is generally known TO be in the sta
tute book, its particular provisions are
probably unknown to many =
| In dct against Usury
! Passed the eth of December, 1856
| l. BE 1t enacted By the General Assembiv. That
| no person shall thereafter, upon any contract
take directly or indirectly, Tor loan of any mo-
! ney, wares, or merchandise or other coinmo-
dity above the value Off six) pounds for the for
bearance of one hundred pounds for wear
and after that rate for greater or lesser sum,
| orfor longer or shorter time and all Bonds
| Contracts, Covenants, ConveyanceS or Assn
RANGES hereafter TO he made, for payment or
| delivery of any money or goods, so to he lent.
| Oh which d higher interest is reserved or ia.
| ken, than is hereby allowed, shall be utterly
| void.
III. If any person shall, by any way or means
| OF any corrupt bargain, loan, exchange, shift
Gown, device ordeceit, take, accept or receive
Tor the loan OF, or giving day Of payment for
money, wares, merchandise or other commodi
| ~. above the rates of six pounds for one huH-
| dred pounds for one year, every person so of
| fending, shall forfeit dOnble the value of the
| money, wares merchandise or commodity so
| lent, exchange cd or shifted one moiety TO the
| use of the Commonwealth, aud the other to
| the lnformeT, TO be recovered with costs.
Ill. Any borrower of money or goods may
| exhibit Bill i'll Chancery against the Lender,
and compel him to discover upon oath the mo-
ney or thing really lent, and all bargains con
tracts or shifts which shall have passed be-
! tween them relative to such loan, or the re-
payment thereof, and the interest or conside-
ration for tue same and if thereupOn is shall
appear that more than lawful interest was re-
served, the Lender shall be obliged to accept
his principal money without any interest or o.
ther consideration and pay costs, but shall
be discharged of all other penalties OF this
Act.
". Every Broker, Solicitor, or Driver of
Bargains, who shall hereafter directly or indi.