Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-03
FOR THE FNOIJTRPR

FIX
10 the honorable the Speakers and Members of
both houses of the General AsseDsJg of Y,rgiuia
GENTLEMEN i. like every honorable men
Der OF your body, dete,t and execrate the foul
CRIME OF usury which has brought every ina
glnable mischief, even ruin itself to the door of
many worthy patriot. and of many amiabIe
widows aud orphan children. Like Won. then
can truly say That ii is of the first wishes
OF my heart that that crime should be efiectu.
ally put down; and that every offender entity
OF II, should not be merely denounced and
punished by law, but that he should also be
lsgraced aud Tor ever driven from the society
OF all honest and honorable men.
The Only great question on this subjeCt nov
agitated, seems to be this How are these
great objects to be attained ? Mr.. Hay, at the
last session of the General Assembly, contend
eel that they might be most etfeCtually secured
by me passage OF law repeating our acts
against usnry. MIR. Hay may have beeu right,
but about threeiOurtbs of the legislature tLo'i
him wrong, as we are informed Nv a pnbljca
ton IN the Enquirer of Saturday last signed
" Il Citizen Of Richmond :" and / concur In
opinion with The author of that publication,
that until fair experiment be made, whether
the atrocious crime ofuSury can or cannot be
put down by law, the great mass of our popu
latlon VIII lie ipr ever hostile to Mr. HAYS pro
Ject. also mite with the author of that pub
LEGATION IN the sentiment that the amendstorv
BIZ against usury, lately introduced Into the
House OF Delegates by general Blackburn
will certainly root ont for ever this ruinous
and diSgraceiui crime from tie commonwealth
-" an eveHtmost devoutly 10 he wished"
Permit me, gentlemen. to warn YOU, that the
shaveTs OF our state, now justly dreadiug tie
correct exercise Of your power to annihilate
them, are IN person, and by proxy, Swarmiug
and waylaying you in the taverus and in the
streets OF this city, and ~ the Hobbies OF your
houses; that they watch every opportunity,
without seeming to intend Il, 10 invei.li
against general Blackburu's bill. These mis-.
creaDts will further seek Won, gentlemen. for
like purpose, at our balls, dining parties.
squeezes, sc. sc. sc. | have heard With
much surprise that this honorable benevolent
philautbrOpic. patriotic tiine, q mean the
shaving gentlemen and their friends have
discovered some wonderful defects in general
Blackbnrn'S bill. They have ascertaued. as
they modeStlg say, that if that bill be enacted
into law, II will Put period 10 The exercise
0f every ireemau's uuqucsti0table rights
That blythe passage of that law, no man wiil
be atlihert, 60 SELF 'obacco, goods or chafte $
: or stock of any ind, wares Ga merchandise.
or property OF ans kind whatever, real or
personal" as be ugy be inclined bona fide to
dispose OF the same. aud as any other person
may be honestly disposed te purchase the
same. Let the correctness ofiliis objection, urg.
ed by these benevolent men, these philanthro.
piSts, these patriots. AID these most honorable
% our citzeuS, most disiptereSiei urged. not foG
thtiT good. but for The pubic benefit hc euqnired
| into q am persuaded. from their aHiable cha
rdcter, aud the great service they have never
tailed to render the republic, they Will, them