Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-04-21
From the Boston Centiael. !

u.
kinS OF thus town, gives The causes which ope.
rated, To produce the failure of this hill i'm The
Senaie OF the United States
HdshiasioR. April I, 1870.
DEAR SIR on will probably have learnt
from me newspapers that the Bankrupt Kin IS
nhaiiy lost IN the Senate. Aliionrh incline
10 TIE beiiGi that there was not al auy period
OF Tue session majority of that body in fa-
S9t OF such bill IN ANY shape vet. as some
OF tue most Jealous friends of a Bank runt ACT
AZ last voted against its passing and myself
among tue nunIuPr, l AIN DESTROYS of eNpiaiu-
'hg my reasons for course which was COM
Peheu WIN great pain, to pursue. In the
progress OF the bill various amendments had
been adopted, (and amongst them one nro.
posed ny INC on the suggestion of others
iNhich considered as blemishes rather than
improvements OF the original features, but in
"hich acqulrSced in the hope Of reconciling
opponents, aud with disposition TO WELD 10
every Innovation ia the sytem thar wouId moi
chahgelts nature and defeat its end rather than
anandoa the experiment. But at a moment
Whon IT'S progress was the most encouraging
amendments were proposed by gentleman
fo'h De'd~dre OF a character so objectionable
IN my new az entirely forbade my support of
,ue Dill a'ter ihey became eEgraited upon il
Ihe scope oftiIeSe amendments went TO an
thViiZe any person Imprisoned upon a bona fide
deOt oil Two hnndred dollars and UPWARDS and
cEy person Iude bed 10 an individual i'm the ann
ol Cne thousand dollars, or TO two or mare iu-
d'ViduaiS IN the SUN Of fifteen hundred dollars
10 become voluntary blnkrupts In other words
10 mPtamorplOse the bankrupt act into N iD,oL
rem act anu That not OF general nature but
WIN partial aud whimsical limitations. This
plan. besides the general objections To the in
corporation OF two systems so distinct in their
nature aud applicable 10 persons in dissimiIar
cohuluOuSi Was obnoxious 10 the following ex.
ceptiOnS - "a
FIRST II extended TO debiors imprisoned
Tor the sum OfiWo lIuhdI ed d. ilars aud npyyards
VINE .ne Numerous class Of poorand INDECENT
Elsohefs' confined for petty debts were ex-
Guided from It's benefits. And il is impossihIe
To assign reason tor this rigorous distinction
az 'he expense OF this Suffering description of
persons who nave at least an equal claim to
SoiapaSSion aud relief under AN insoiyent &C I.
WIN Others more deeply in debt
SBCoEDLY. Persons not actually irnDrisoned
put indebted IN sums less than Que thousnnd
dollars, were debdTred from the Driyiiepe of
Deconilng voluntary hankrupts, so that " the
net was 10 hold the little ish while rho greot
ones would break through"
THIRDLY, aud principally, this faculty of be.
coming voluntary bankrupt was 10 be exer-
clsed at the will of the debtor wlrile no power
10 make him bankrupt on any account what
words, IL was privilege given TO persons of
aiiprotessions aud callings who were express
Iy saved by the act from biliiy to bank ntcv
at the Will of their creditors) to make them.
serves bankrupt IN contempt of their creditors
IA project which appeared 10 me n, he pre,. ,
ndnt with injustice inequality aud fraud.
lNAnDTIoNl Ii was thought necessary 10
provide thar those WHO intended 10 avail
themselves OF this voluntary bankruptcy should
first givs bonds in a penalty of ore thous,ud
dOildrS To deiray ali the expenses of the Com
mission, ac. condition with which il would
De rarely III the power of any person inprison
Ell coma tide for debt of two hundred dollars
10 comply.
Upon finding that these amendments had
friends enough with the aid of gentlemen nj o.
tossing themselves rather adverse than other.
wise 10 bankrupt act in any form) to secure
their adoption,l had determined though re-
lnctahtly,tO relinqulsh my objection to The a.
mon OF the Wo objects, il the mover wouId
consent 10 provide for d summary process for
all cases of insolvency, aud place the creditor
aud debtor on the same foOtisg. But nv over.
tnFes were lneHectHal, aud indeed / should
probably have been the only person anon,
Hose who finally voted against The bill. wh5o
would have been recOnciled to il il this propo-
cal had succeeded
Thus was constrained by sense Of duty
and justice TO vote against an act which had
procure.
On tli0 ReXt day after rejection Of the bill.
was indnced, upon the suggestion of the gen.
slenian who had patroniZed the amendments
ana OF seine Others, to move TOR d TecOnsidera-
ion 0i the vote, with an expectation nOyy AN.
thOrsed that he amendments might be Ipodi,
ned or withdrawn But this motion was also
loSl by two votes, and this last result more
'hhh any oiher occurrence, confirms my i'm.
pression that there has not been al any ttma
ihls session, a decided majority in Senate, fayo
rable TO any bankrupt system On the other
hand the opposition is not violent or strenu-
Gus, and though bankruptcy is now pre-emi.
hentIy ahiC1lOn in which " hope deferred
MAKE me heaftsick," cannot but persuade
myself that another year will not pass away
without statute upon this important subject.
am, dear sir, very truly and respectfully
yours II. q. OTiS
Hon. L. II. Perkins.
BArTIMoRE, April I5.-The following is a
copy 1.-THE letter written by JouN r. Fer.
GCssON, who was executed on Thursday IN
his mother and sister. The letter is dated
the day previous 10 his execution. II is a sem
sible, we'll written and feeling composition.
and breatbes throughout a firm reliance in the
mercy Of the" Redeemer 10 adOpt his own
expresslon) who has washed his sins away, and
- ready TO receive his soul, which he has
bought"
We understand that Ferguson has lief, he.
bind him a manuscript Of considerable length.
detailing the principal events OF his life we
are informed that Il will be published in A
pamphlet, tie proceeds Of the sale Of which he
bas bequeathed 10 al INDECENT but worthy ia.
Ddly from whom he received every possible
attention during h'.confuement.
BAITiMoRE pRisoN. 10Th April. E20.
Nh Dcar md Hon ii Mother
dHi my BeiOred Sister,
nv The tim sou receive this, your son aud
your brother, wil be iu the regions of eter-
Bd happiness above. The manner aud cause
Of my death wli leave for OTHERS 10 unfold 10
you; David Davidson will write 10 yon,by the
same OppOrtnnts by which you get This, and
permit NE 10 inu oGuce 10 your notice Phllip
Schweitzcr, his vile aud her two daughters,
viz Charlotte sud Elizabeth. lu them have
found iather. iIutler, listers aud iriepds IN my
s1versity, and { know yoa will no, fail TO eN-
Elegs NoifI thanks CO. uig hghail by.wtftjus 10