Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-12-11

tbetr Owu advantage, but to the detrimput of
their native state aud many are following I'll,
example set them.
Ii has been said, we must leave the evils "
now endure TO the correction of time. A wise
legislation looks 20 p0sterity. Some men are
vehement against Innovations. Let il be re
membered, that Lycurgus, oolon, Newton, ana
Doctor franklin were innovstors. But tor
lnn0vat0rs the common law OF tue Druids
might have prevailed TO the exclusion of more
modern aud rational customs /; and the odious
rights OF primogeniture still obtained. The
extent OF our country. the high ground Ameri
ca occupies IN arts science aud arms, all show
that we must legislate tor ourselves, aud for
the present moment. A different course suits
a hiil0ck like ST. Marine. 1t we aIe prepared
to leave our merchants and the community at
large in distress; il we are prepared to give
up our commerce, after having tor the sake Of
Commerce, suffered our cotton and woollen
manufactures. to go to ruin, then congress may
sleep over the scene that IL passing aud do
Bothing.
A better plan than mine may be recommend
ed. confess am the more pleased with a.,
since find the patriotic General Harrison, of
Ohio, has recommended it. The cry OF paper
money Is nothing. Doctor Franklin tells us,
under proper regulations, paper money does
good. Fiji pay taxes, deb BITS, &c. it is as valua-
bic as gold or silver. The time of redeeming
being distant, should he no bar to making the
experiment. II is true, when bank suspends
or stops specie payments, its notes tall in va
lue. The reason Is obvious, the funds OF the
corporation only are bound, aud fear Instant.
ly prevails that those are not sufficient. Gov
ernment bills, OIL the contrary, will always he
considered good, till the government is over
turned, that created them. To illustrate this
idea, we may refer to the national debt : il is
now, and always has been considered the best
property, and what has il TO support IL but
TIL strength aud faith OF the gov ernment and
ti. honesty of the people at large, basis as
firm an the hills and mountainsl
We may he told that the people are COM
petant TO self government: we admit II, and
when the different presses are stepping for
ward, in favour or against any measure, When
essays for OF against any scheme, if coucbed
IN decent language, are freely admitted in our
newspapers. we have demOnstrative evidence
of the truth OF the proposition, and that the
people are acting mp to II With all our res
pect for congress, and it is aud Dug lat to be We
ry great, We do not suppose. that they are eli
Their SO wise, or so proud az to disregard eve
ry thing, save what originates with one of
themselves On the contrary, we know that
some OF the best laws passed by legislative bo-
dies have been conceived and written by men
unconnected with the Legislature. Such was
the case with all the laws in Virginia regHla-
ting The descent OF property and for the sup
preston OF gaming. That rigorous system If
taxation devised by the transc, ndant genius of
d Dallas. amidst the desOlatiors of the capitol,
which ultimately filled the national Golfers,
raised armies aud maintained them, organic
zed victory, and eminently contributed to clos
the late war with glory, loses none of It's lUs-
ire from tile circumstance of lis being the
work OF one man And, if the measure OF
which am but eeble advocate, instead of
having as am persuaded the support aud APP
probation of thousands, was alone Iecominen
ded by Niles patriotic Register-it would de-
serve consideration.
1t has been asked what classes Of the COM
mnnity principally wish this interference
We answer that. il would extend relief prin-
cipally to mechanics and laborers. From the
nf flIa hail h. t.. H..
AID other causes which daily reduce tie guam
MY OF the circulating medium, what dreadful
examples have we of distressl What sacrif-
ces OF furniture do we behold, in passing a
long the streets of our great towns, made To
iurn''a the means of present subsistence, TO a
most valuable class OF citizens 1t aould.re-
lleve many honorable merchants and others.
1t wonld give fixed value to property, and
thereby benefit the whole community.
1t Is said the banks nave curtaiied already
80 600 600. Itseems to me they must cuTtail un-
al they have hard money TO redeem what IL
lett outstanding: at this rate, they will con-
tinue to cnrtail till we shall not have more pa
per perhaps in the United States than twice
tile anonDt of what the general and state gov
ernnentS draw from the people annually by
way OF revenue. The distress of the mer-
chants is now great it will then be iDdescriba.
pie; and be II remembered that still more may
be required than l have above stated. 1t our
navy is 10 be still further INCREASED, our sea-
port towns fortified and the chain of Inland
forts enlarged, t,ueire millions ,piH not support
the general government
Another view ought not to be overlook ed -
The government OF the U:iited States have
fully IL 900 900 due for western lands the
SOONER il is paid in, the better In these DAYS
of difficulty. pupctuaiity is not expected. The
territoriesar are rapidly becoming states. When
man has power. he fOrgets right. Human ma
tnre is every where the same, Think you that
after graphing with the fatignes and hard
ships incident 10 forest, unassisted, that the
first moments of prosperity and sunshine will
be embraced TO pay this debt? No. the fatigues
aud tolls of converting a wilderness Into
well cultivated country. will he a set of, back
ed by the knowledge of power to make it so =.
Put 1t in the power of these people to pay !;
the obligation is recent. they will do 1t. Defer
II, the obligation may be forgotten, and the
debt lost
To conclude; all eyes are turned on Con-
gress for relief from pressing difficulties. Let
them enable the merchant who has honesty
and good standing, to give fair price for the
surplus produce OF the country. Let them
supply the nation with circulating medium.
In fine, let them put il ia the power of the
honest and industrious man to pay his taxes
by the profits OF his labor, exempt from the
aboRnabDe speculatioDs to which the present
state OF things exposes him and il seems to
me they will merit COMMUNICATION. Sir,
owe you and my readers an apology for in
trading on your and their notice. nv feeble
speculatioRs. PassiOnateIy attached to the
retirement L enjoy, and to rural scenes, / sell
dom witness distress-and when I do, L per-
iiaps view il with too much sensibity-and
even now, although am not conscious of it,
may subject myself to the impu,ation of adj
vancIng my opinions more from feeling than
reflection. CLAYBROOK,
20 We diSapproUe of Cs project Of Treasury
Notes. He thinks there is too niHch paper otloat :
ana YET ne eisheS toad to it Let our legislatures
recOiiset that an POLITICAL as in medical science,
NATURE N ilups the Igsf DIse;c;or