Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-13
RICHMOND JANUARY - Is2I
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
DA NKRUPT IKS-=No

N der' only, and they all want one
Chambersoi Commerce of certain towns
and cities, have peiiiloned Congress foi
d bankrupt law farmer, with grea,
| fiitiideIce, asks i"r candid hearing on
tins grea, subject. He il sensible, lhai
even tic politician al iIar most enlarged
views, long practical experience, accura-
cy oil observation aud of'ried virtue, can.
NOT always correctly ar prrciaie the real
utility OF new things, OF The consequences
OF new plans OF policy. Such are Tie in-
sciuiable ways of Providence such are
the new faculties and propensities deve-
loped by man in new situations, that vir
tuons lawgivers of The ancienis, without
all our lights of the science of political
economy, maintained tue proposition,
| least which proposition in eur times
hath been often confirmed for we have
beer almost IN constant practice of
making and repeating laws, and leaviug
things as We al first found thcmp ], is
said, that experiments in politics are
| somewhat more hazardous than in phy.
sizes therefore when society is free and
happy, do not by legislation endcavor 10
| hake 1t more so, and when The consii,u.
| ton OF man IL healthy and vigorous,
and his temper cheerful, do moi admins
ter medicine. (All our difficulties, all our
endorsements may be traced TO strange
| alterations from our fundamental princi-
| piles, love Of novelty, of experiment and
! OF wealth. The restless, scheming, and
| ambitious, and speculative politician is
enabled, by The popular feelings, gene
rous dispositions, anxious wishes 10 do
good, and unsuspicious temper of mem
bers composing the Legislative body, suc-
cesstuily 10 carry projects disguised an.
der various preiexis of The general wei
farel pregnant with The most caamiious
results petitions also are preferred by
individuals or particular classes ofciiizens
under like DISCUSSES, with view to OBJ
tain partial grants and benefits; these
are often received uDguardedly as evil
deuce OF public interest and successfully
sustained. When laws thus enacted, have
pernicious operation, the pr mary mo-
vers are loudest in their com plants against
The government, and with most effroniery
demand their repeal or new measures.
The pure and experienced authors Of
our systems, abtorrenily rejected the
principle oil exclusive grants and privile
ges, with only few exceptions irresisia-
bly, forced on them, by the peculiar siruc-
iure aud operations of civil society pure
principles of eternal justice, sound policy
and expedience, also combine i'm reject
ing partial legislation, by which every
principle held valuable and sacred. NAV
be so abridged or gradually extinguished,
as to render the exercise OF conventional
power il the establishment of conslitu-
tons vain and nugatory power should
not be used because il IL granted such
a graAt is often made 10 keep IFS impro-
per use hey the reach OF others, as
happened III The formation of our federal
constitution, and with the very power now
coming under consideration. All des'
criplioDs OF citizens are vitaIly interested
in bOIh external aud internal trade that
a bankrupt law will only affect few,
is proposition not heretofore demon
siraied aud lit will only affect feW,
such law, upon American principles,
becomes siIll more excep,iOuabipy
A concise aud faithful view Of ihe
bankrupt system, will now be presented.
HE late act oi Congress on this SUBJ
iect was compilation frOm variety of
British statutes and opinions of Judges OF
that country, Wnh some few modifi
cations Our inquiry will be first turn.
ed TO The British law. Persons who are
liable to bccsme baukrnpis by that law.
| are such IA nave used the trade 0J mer-
" chandzc, III gross OF bs retail, by way
OF bargaining, exchange, barieiIug,
" chevisauce or uiliervis or have sought
q" their living by bu5 ing and selling :" ihis
genrral dcsetipliouby rules ct /. gal deer
sIOns, halii b, en- extended 10 4" persons
" "ho buy raw materials and make them
iutO saleabIe commodities persons la
Other proies ions "r enipioyntBts bo~ -
" ever Seemingly inconsistent Who do aus
acts OF trading wiki a view 10 pfofi (;
persons who cxerciar manufacture OF
raw iaa'gnals tie produce OF Mcir oieii