Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-08-06
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
EXTRACT ON (ISITRY

EXTRACT ON USURY.
FROM a letter, 2iM Na,ch, 1919, addressed
by distinguished French gentleman 10 q
c':isea IF grgiaja.
nave perused several times, with urea,
ATTENTION yonr discourse on usurv.
treason and good sense have nothing ia
oppose 10 your arguments bat reason
"'" S"ou sense, III every age aud in every
! country, have found il difficult TO ,riumph
over prejudice.
For myself, sir, have long been con-
vInced that The law which prescribes a
mint 10 the interest on money. is no,
only "n"st, but Umpodtic, absurd and |
VIII venture 10 add iminoyoi.
ognSt-because The only gamers by i,
| are HE nnprincipied and vile and men
OF pr"bliy, who IN no case. nor under
any preiexi, permit themselves TO violate
me laws OF their country, are in fact its
dupes.
Impofitic-because it inluriousiy affects
Tie enterprises OF industry
A6S,nd-because no difference can ra-
'i"naliy be supposed between nv farsn.
ana lie representative value ct my farm
or between The horse for which receive.
nre; ana The money Tor which | dispose OF
lie horse, and which lend.
Finally, SmmOrdi- because heinz strictly.
observed only by men of rigid virtue. vino
Ia every society form The least rumcrous
CLASS, 1t accuStCms The maiority 10 belle, e.
that they may, if needr!l, compromise
with conscience, and traffic will, The iusli
iu'ions and laws of the staie.Q
ii is doubtless useful, aud very muc I,
so, that education. and custom raise men
above certain P'GmGices, but never above
the lars
when laws are psrnicious. or cease 10
ne useful. 1t is the province of human
wisdom 10 amend or to repeal them but
WhNher They are good or bad, as long as
'hey are an detng-sO long as they are the
hahaale oil society, and the established
rue OF the community, every citizen
Shou'd considerii duty TO enforce, and
point OF honor 10 respect them.
NoihinS can be more immoral. therefore.
t''an a Jaw which becomes contradictory
10 established custom.
lhe statesman whom Won cite. and
whom ihc v.riuous Louis WI. called to
the administration of the finances. h,
saying TO Tim; =" was not ACQUAINTED
with you; but you we're pointed oul In
me by public opinion, as the most uv-
right man III my kingdom, aud | have
therefore made choice of you:" 'TCRGoT
who Was good minister, "a real phiIoso-
phtr, an excellent citizen, bat An Iudilier
ent c0nrlter, and perhaps too, no verv
profound politician, performed an aci
which may be almost iormcd con-, gcsonq
when he aredopeHty 10 attack prejudice
consccrated by time, and t,eiputjrd. an
parenlly at least, by religio, hersrIf.-
Inrgoi, ii is true, addressed himself to
prince who wished, WHO sought, obly for
truth; but the age in WHICH he lived was
strongly tinctured with error, and proof
how much he d0red, in thus EXPRESSING
fimseli at that time, toa hiHg, appears i'm
The tact, tina, 40 years after The death of
iGrgot, The error siIil survives, TN manv
countries At least y and in short that only
two years ago, an enlightened legislator
thought himself almOs obliged To apOIopize
TO a repabhc for undertaking tie defence of
so sound adOctrine.
BLACKSTONE remarked, speakingof,he
custom retained by The kings of Tnelaud
of addressing Parliament az French, " II
IS the last badge we have lef Of our
slavery" May we not, with equal reason
say OF HE laws against usury, alt is Inc
last shade that remains of our schoias-
Tic ignorance 2"
We cannoi in fact, sir, account for lbe
laws still IN force among almost all na-
lions, III relation ~ money, otherwise Than
by surprising with THrgoi and all who
are we'll acquainted with political econD
NY, That so crude legislation. which
was ccriainlylhe offspring of darkertlmes.
has never since been subjcctQd io u rigo-
roms examination; and tlius has uujetlv
come down to It's, covered by The qrpis nr
two most teUaciOus defenders, sinner
siiion and ignorance.
Here must beg pardon Ol I.THOuAs.
GROTlUS, and DoMAT, Tor whose vir-
iaes and whose erudItiOn, ! have llic most
profound respect though ~ pcrusing
lIirir thoughts on this subject, i cannoi
but permit myself TO remark, that Layped
men, and even S0jHts themselves are. while
upon earth, only men ; and that all men.
from Tie highest TO Tie lowest, are. in
some degree, infected With The erroneous
IDEAS OF The aye IN which they live.
But indeed, sir, think IL scarcely ne
cessarH at the present day, to rcfdie tie
erroneous and anliquated opinion, iI,at
taking interest for money is contrary 10
the law OF God.
This absurd doctrine, 90 init,rious io
Commercial cNieipfize, is uu lOugcr iole-
rated any where, except ~ Turkey. a
country HAT do mol i!iuh Of very hioh
auisp:hy IN maliers ct ciyllizAiiou.(2)
IN every part ol Chrlsiendnm,a) money
legally carries Interest," Aiosrs tv bn was
anGucs'innably, ihe ahlr,t of lcvj~iai,.rs)
q no longer regarded as she -r"m.. NE
GesNotrroi Industry, thai che ind mex