Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-03-28
CONGRESS.
ABSTRACT PROM CONGRESS SIoNAL
TpIiRNAIc

IN SENATE.
Monday, Wdrch %. The Bankrup' Bill
vas taken up.-M MIR. Oiis moved an
meEdmeni whirh Mr.. Pinkney had lnii-
ma'ed an intention of offering hlmsel Ia
gay bui was now absent.-It had often,
perhaps almos, ably, been the case
Iiai 6dnkS had reluseu 10 sign the oeriifl
cate 10 dischsrge bankrupt and as the
bill required the consent Of 2-3rds Of the
creditors IN amount. as we'll az in number
aud banks were generally large creditors.
this provision OF The bill, If unm0d.tied,
might operate very hard on those who
should bee me the subject OF 1.-THE
amendment therefore wen, TO authorize
ihe commissioner, (in Case the consent of
any body corporate or polite was ncces-
sarV 10 make up the 2-3sds aud was re us-
cd,) To require said corporation 10 appear
before them aud shew cause why t",v re.
fused and it they failed 10 .he~ sutic-
eni cause, IN The fraud or acknowledgement
o! the SAID bankrupt, that the r. iusal shall
not hinder the discharge. This amend
ment ras agreed 10.
MIR. Van Dyke moved TO amend The
37;h sect. by striking out the words " an
pafue, sO as TO eniilIe The bankrupt Ia his
discharge on tWO-Ihlrds i,l number Of his
this sbOult prevail, hp theR intended 10
enlarge The sum due to the asse,,ting cree
Hltors, tho" 80 each, by The BILL So as
0 combine iaiTlJ the principle OF ,umter
and UriGe.
This gave RE to some discussion.
Mr.. Van Dyke supported bis proposition
upon the ground tina; The bill was for
TIL benefit g lie debtor as well as tie
cred tor; that too many difficulties ought
not 10 be thrown in the way of bank
rupts restoration 10 society, 10 activity
and 10 usefu!n, IS; aud that according
10 The blU, as II now stood, q was in the
power OF single obstinate or inexorable
eredIinr 10 prevent bins that the national
''gisiaiur would nrv consent TO sBbjeci
debtors 10 The scrutiny, the Inquisliion,
the penalties, and all The circumstances
required by Tie bill, wi'tiuuI ptOVidiug
Tor bis Ultimate Ielirf. -, AffoTdipga Tea
s0nable security for his .ecase from his
"redllurs.-O On the other side ~ vas cor.
tended (on the var Of Messrs Bur,iH
otis. hitler, DichejSon, and Lam,nan, J that
The bill made n easy enough, as ii was,
Tor debtors 10 obtain certificate OF dis
charge that by requiring Tie consent
OF Two thirds ~ amount rs we'll as uuHI-
Der, il would operate in saIutary man
nsr on mrm in business, as HEY 80, Id
know unlcss they managed their affairs
with fairness and proprieiy, it would be
difficult 10 obtain release that by re,
curing The consent OF hunters only, II
would enable few friends, small credit
ors, 10 release debtor IN opposition TO
Wis principal creditors ihat there would
be irauis neUgh under he bill as II vas /;
and that man lOreseeiDg that hc -huuId
fail, might be tempted TO contract many
small, even b0na-tjde debts among lds
friends 10 oul-poll his large creditors :;
that III The eastern STATES the insolVcnt
laws had almost Away given equality to
Tie number and value OF debts IN n.
York The old insol,eni Laws had even re-
CURED tic consent of c-fuurlhs, and
set II had discharged more debtors per-
taps than any OTHER ia-ine Union. Mr.
La"man, ~ particular, Said he was in ia
vor Of This bill, because II would have the
fleet 10 limit he practice Of credit, and
10 Keep men WihiI their real means this