Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-05-28
From the Boston Gazette.
1 THE CASUAL REMARKER.

Il Il
Sba softly stroked my yeungling head,
And whep the tale was DONE,
Thus some are born, my son, she cries,
With base impediments to rise,
And some are born with none:
Bu; virtue can itself advance
Tovhatthe favorite fools ri chance
Bv fortune seem'd designed;
Virtue can gain the odds of fate
And from ITSELF shake off the weight,
Upon the unworthy mind.
The moral contained in these concud-
;nr lines Of Parnell's Fairy Tale, deserves
more than common attention IN times oil
great scarcity OF money. The pecuniary
endorsements in Europe and America
hav .lad, AMI still have, tendency to
shake commercial confidence, which now
ought TO BE- upheld by stricter regard to
virtue and honor. In such times, those
born without capital, (who are the maJo-
rity in this country,) have 'impedlments
10 ,ov rcome, which require more than
common lortitude and skill TO surmount.
The great fault in our merchants IS over
trading ambition carries them too lar
they ,;raw too largely upon hope. and ex-
neries>e, ike an unwelcome Notary, re-
cords with appalling hand the dismaylng
nr,t,,sts. Another fault is that mcn trad
inr upon credit, live too well, are 100 ex-
trayagant in their families and indulgen-
cies. and are deficient in prudence and
preparation Ter the payment OF their debts,
tra,,;Dg To chance or miracles foT funds
Few persons are satisfied with decent
coppe,ence, with moderate gains, and a
small though sure income.
AZ ranks ofour citizens are necessarily
pressing upwards 10 higher stations than
their circumstances and property justify;
and this ambition never ceases to torment
It's victims until it turns over the ladder
upon which they are climbing, and
wounds and cripples them by the fall. A
third fault is, too readily taking credit tor
large sums, without feeling an anxiety "a
bout the day of payment, which like the
KING OF terrorS, comes some sooner or later,
and often with as awful an aspect and as
peremptory a requirement. Tue PERIOD
be, reen the origin of debt and ITS ex-
tincti1n, is like the time between the
birth and the decease Ola man, a period OF
probation and disgrace and punishment,
contempt and misery are the portion OF
those. who 8 do not work out their saliva
ton A man who takes a credit is the
scrvan, ef the creditor until payment Is
made he sells his liberty, and his indus
try, AMI mortgages his property and honor
unit the DEBT is cancelled.
Now tue poets7ys, "Vutue carsaIn the
odds OF fate" AMI this is no poet'ca he
ton. Virtue has an extensive signihca-
ton il inciu 'es. caution, FORESIGHT, tenn
perenco, j. lgmeut, industry. strict in'e-
gri,y. self-truial, frugaljty. punctual''y,
honor st detests extravaganza, heed
lessnes,, dissipation, gambling, over
reaching. embarrassing credits. decep-
tion, h. za~4ous enterprises, and tempo
rarv eypcfients. Whoever therefore has
virtue commonly puts his bankruptcy be-
yond the or jinary operations OF chance (;
i must be an extraordinary occurrence
which subjects him TO the power OF cred'-
tors ani the sacrifice of his property. But
should he, su5dued BY inevitable mistor-
tunes, fail toNpay his debts, virtue, unim-
paired, will soon restore him. IL the law
will not preserve the equitable rights OF
Co. eign or Instant. or unS,ispicious credl-
tors, he will it he can, and he will con-
sent TO 90 arrangement which pays one
man (perhaps the least deserving, as most
gripins and severe men commonly are,)
tbe whole amount Of his claim, and leaves
nothing 10 more con6ding and honorable
creditors practice sometimes Preva-
lent. always against the policy ct
q commercial nati0n-and furnishing one
of the strongest arguments in favor OF ma
tional Bankrupt Law.
Since 1914 the mercantile business OF
the world has flown in new and untned
channels, the course and ssindings and
dangers of which are not even yet ascer-
tanned. The extraordinary scarcity OF the
precious metals, (the miners and corners
NJ
having become be.iigerents) the aston,Sh-
ing number OF soldiers converted IN Eu-
rope ami the Z. States, into agricu'iu'ists