Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-05-25

'lre-f The description the children give ef
the /! oman. lis that she had on a black hat and
n,a' bombazet gown. speckted shawl ard a
piaci: SILK bag, with some cents in il, which
she ihowed them by way Of temptation. Itis
niue Ii 10 he regretted that the children cannot
givt such description as would lead TO detec-
tioe OF this nefarious bag. I'll.
We understand that the chest, containing q
Iartse amount IN money and other valusbies,
vii; CHI was stoerfrom the house of Mr.. Isaac
I.s,ierts. near yamaica. u. l. last Sunday night
hs' been found. 1t was riflsd of its contents
AID concealed under heap of pine brush at
uie lower end of the garden.
JUSTICE EVADED.
"A curious instance OF escape from the fangs
.of the law, occurred al one OF the wharves in
this city Yesterday. In consequence of
wrangle between sailor and a black man,
the latter having sustained some in ury, pro-
cured writ against the sailor, and nut Il into
an officers hands for the purpose of having
him arrested. Jack being upon the wharf
Wnen tne sheriff drew near, Immediately
mounted the shrouds Of fishing smack to the
mast-head. and there took his seat. lit his Sc
gar, and very composedly began TO smoke
The otflcer. after having in vain attempted to
coax him down within the reach Of process, at
iength concluded TO have him brought down
oy force. The messenger approaching rather
TOO near, Jack took small spar, used for a
topmast, aud X spt him at reasonable distance.
finding II impossible to surmoant this Obsta-
Gle, he after While retreated hack TO the deck.
Alter Jack had maintained his position at the
mast-head for nearly two hours, occasionally
renewing his appi Extensions by a bottle of grog
when ms messms,es below had fastened TO a
rope Tor him to d raw up, sloop laxing along
side being about getting under weigh nv the
al" OF ms brother fars, the two vessels were
ioCked IN such nEinDcr as To bring the rig
gins into contact, when he stepped from his
Ioost IN the mast bead of the smack over TO
that of the sloop aud sailing securely off
amidst the cheers At a great number of per-
sons who had collected on the dock and wit
messed the divertin.. scene and left the minis
Ter OF Jastice TO return his writ NON est inren-
tus.
The above would certainly not he a good
refnrn at least. il " build not comport with the
Iact' but qnere, whether AN action, on the
case tor non-fea>apce would moi lie against
the sheriff? Although in sight. the defendant
was never IN custodys for there was neither an
actuai nor constructive submission to the
process. Bnt onght not the atficer TO have
Called 10 ms AID the posse eomitatys? At any
rate, hwould be an excellent case for The law.
We have been furnished bv a, gentleman of
Tue bar, with the following seneral statement
OF the principle decided by the Supreme Court
Yesterday. on the insolvent cases pending be-
lore that court:
INSOLvENT LAWS.
In the Supreme Court of this state, now in
session IN this city. the opinion of the Coua
was given yesterday by Mir Chief Justice
spencer, on the subject of our insolvept laws
Inc late decision OIL this suLject at WASH
IL
ings, involving th" ;lidity o irSolvent,' dis
charges, anda variety of cases were according.
~ presented 10 the Court. The majority of
the cases, II was observed by the ChiefJustice.
IeSoiveu themselves into three classes-
l. Applications for leave to issue writs .-ire
Jac'as to revive old judgments. dockettpd
previously TO the passage of the laws, under
winch the insCfvents had obtained their dis
(The effect Of Which would be N re;nst,,. d..
Judgments in their original force, and to
cohhrm their lien upon all the real estate.
owned by the lnsoveDts at any time subsp-
qnently 10 the entry of such judgments, i'm
whose ever hands the same might be)
z. Applications 10 set aside executions. issued
ehJudgmenis that had been long time DOR
mant, bnf which were obtained OH contracts
previously 10 the passage of the law, under
winch the insolvent had obtained his dis
charee-(the law of 1911 was more particu-
larry IN view in this class of cases
d. Application 10 set aside, executions which
had been issued OH judgments obtained on
contracts made since the passage of the pre-.
senr Iu'0lvent law in 1913, under which dis
charges had been obtained.
Inc Importance OF the questions were so
great that the court stated they shonld hold
The cases comprised in the two first classes
court.
On the last class of cases the cOurt decided
that !he executions mast he set aside lpith cosis
leaving II 10 the plaintiffs to bring actions of
debt on the Judgments il they think proper.
line binding authority Of the Supreme
Court OF the United States on tile question
presented for their decision vas distinctly
recognized. Ii was held, however that mel
ther OF the cases before that court presented
me point on which this third class of cases
tnrned. in one, the contract was made before
ule passage at the law; in the other the con-
,ract was made by the citizens eft South Caro-
iIna, and IN reference TO the laws ofthat state.
ana that the allowing a law of New Orleans TO
d'scharge the debt, might therefore he held
TO impair the obligation of the contract.
;, he Court din not admit the force of the
distinction as taken by the United States
judges, between the impairing the obligation of
contracts and Altering or taking auay the reriedv
tor enforcing item. And they considered them
serves as having the same right TO analyze the
reasoning aud to dissent from the opinions of
Tie United States .tpdges OF all the topics
not necessarily involved in the decision of the
precise case before them, that they had 10
anaiyze and dissent from tie O6iter dictum Of
Their own predecessors.
The conclusion 10 which the conrt arrived
was, that a discharge ATTAINED under our state
lars. ronid operate bar 10 a claim uDon a
contract made IN this state SubseauenfIv 10 the
passage NJ the iaT, inasmuch as IL must be SvpDos
"a to harp been made in reference 10 such Ear and
the possibility Of discharge Of Tie DEBT ritkouk
jan payment of tie M0nPU to hare been nj IN, tj,pe
uub'n the contemplation of the creditor
The opinion of the court was given at u,uch
length. and will soon be published The above
sketch does not aim at giving the exact uITa-
seoorv OF the court, but the general outline is
believed to correct.
THE WRITING ROCK
A few days ago published an account Of tl,e writ
ihg hock, so called, III Taunton river The following
remarks are copied from the Aurora -
As some of readers may he euriou. 10 tnov son.
aiuu Iix Inc. frgf