Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-09-28
RICHMOND, SEPTEMBER %. ISsI.

RICHMOND, SEPTEMBER 90, 1891.
! FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
TO THE FREEuOLDERs OF THE SENATORIAL
DISTRICT, COMPOSED OF THE COUNTIES OF
| HENRIco, NEW KENT, CHARLES CITY, JAMES
| CITY, YoRk, WARWICK AND ELIZABETH CITY,
AND OF THE CITIES OF WILLIAMSBURG AND
RICHMOND.
Seat IN 9e Senate Ftlio,c Citizens. Having
rdcated vacated my seat i'm the Sc
nate OF Virginia, think it my duty to announce
to you, the Fact AS the writ for the election of
my successor, will, probably, be ordered on
the iirst Monday in December next, the repre-
sentative, whom it may be your pleasure to
select, may be at his post, quite as soon as his
services, in the ordinary course of business,
will be required.
| AS this is, probably the last time, that
shall ever have occasion to address you, in
dulSc me, for few moments, with your at
tcntion Whatever your feelings may be,
NINE Will not permit me to appear before You,
merely to say, that the political relation, which
existed between us, is dissolved, and, perhaps,
for ever. l cannot, thus abruptly, Withdraw
myself, from the presence of those, who have
SO nigh claim, Oh my respectful and grateful
| consideration.
| Cause After my unsought and unexpected
clectlonin Dec. 1917, to supply the vacancy oc-
casioned by the resignation of Mr.. Poindexter
ieit IN some measure bound, to tender N.Y.
| sell to the new district, into which, a portion
OF my constituents, with myself, had been
thrown. After my reelection 10 1918, fire.
quently expressed my intention, to continue
member of the Senate Of Virginia, rs long as
my services might be acceptable to the people.
This fact will be recollected by some :Nxho
may. therefore think me bound, not ONLY by
motives ofrespcct, for my late constituents,
hut by decent regard for my own character.
to state the cause, which has induced me TO
| retire, before the expiration, even os the first
lour years, for which was elected. confess
| that thisis my own opinion also and | there.
lore do state the cause, without hesitation.
When spoke of the continued devotion of
myself TO Legislative d;;tes, | believed that i
was rich. was mistaken How it came to
pass that was mistaken, and to what extent,
are points about which, happily for me, no
person ont of my own immediate family, has
any right to inquire, nor indeed, friendship a.
| part, any motive for inquiry
Such Is my excuse for quitting the station,
in which was placed by your SURFACES. Ny
own convection of IFS suifciency, is abundantly
| evinccd, oy my return to profession, which,
had abandoned nearly seven years ago.
Credit claimed. In performing the duties of
that station, have no doubt often erred. But
there Is one error which never committed.
never Drought Joricarda scheme or project of any
| SORT. In truth, am opposed to all schemes and
schcmers, and still more, to all scheming sUci-
cites unless the object be, the Improvement
OF the earth, by cultivation, roads, or canals,
or 10 make men wiser, and of course better,
and OF course happier, by the diffusion, not OF
doctrinal points in religion, or specific promo
sitions in politics, but of general information.
useful at all times, to all people. and in all
| countries.
CSury.I The fact that introduced a bill i'm the
| slonoi 1867, ont the subject of Usury, is
not inconsistent with the foregoing declaration.
| My object IN that case was, not to enact but
TO repeal: not to introduce new principle into
society but to expe one already introduced. 1t
is true, that the restrictive principle, had been
Incorporated for centuries in the English code.
and course belonged to our own but it is a
principle established by statute law only, and is
different, IN different countries, and varies at
Inherent periods IN the same country
DO not mean to argue this question again.
ltis unnecessary. The argument already be-
loret the public never has been met, and think.
never VIII be met. But there are two circum-
stances, which have recently occurred in our
own country and under Our own immediate
observation, and which afford SO striking an
Illustration OF two positions formerly advanced,
that brief statement of them. without COM
inent, viii hope be excused.
recent tdctS Ii was urged in the discussion
peiore the house ofdeleGates, that the rate ofin-
tcrcst regulated ITSELF and rose or fell like eve
~ thing else, according to the demand and sup
ply. NOW mark these facts During the late war
WIN Great Britain we borrowed money mt dill
ierent Tunes at the rate of 6, 7, L. Is per cent:
sometimes perhaps at higher rate. The last
ioan 10 The U 5. in the present year was eff
iectcd for less than 5. The legal rate of in
terest IN New York is 7 per cent yet at this
moment loans on good security are negotiated
at and 5.
1t was farther commended, during that dis
eussioh' that The law authorizing citizen to
eet ciear OF debt, by pleading usury, was
contrary to the moral sense of mankind. The
ruin oil this proposition was demonstrated,
ny am occurrence which took place last winter
IN The house of delegates in that very house,
"here motion to repeal the laws concerning
usury, would most probably have failed. The
iacts 10 which allude are these. At the in
stance OF member, the election of the go
vernon was postponed for week, that the
mover might have time to prove that the gen
tleman IN nomination had endeavored to avail
himself OF the statute Of usury. The friends
oil Coi. X. did not pretend to say, that the sub
Ject was not proper for discussion in that
place; ON the contrary, they consented to the
postponcmcnt: and when the documents were
exhibited TO the house, they met the accusa-
,lon fully, frankly and ably and many, per-
maps all, OF those who took part in the debate,
most emphatlcally declared, that if they did
oeheVe that COl. X. had endeayored to eyade
'ne iull performance of his contract, by the
ald OF the statute, they would not utter one
Word m ms defence. What sort of a law is
that, to which even in the opinion ofthe jeeis-
iatlre, IT is infamous TO resort sk
Erecutory deUises, Sc.l There is another
NJ fret r-.o