Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-07-24

mr.
tfuct'e II will be TO the mechanical and selling de-
partments: ~
Whatever agency for selling might be established
al the penientary, consider improper for the SUI
eficldent or any ot his officers have any thinn io
90 with II He should only make engagements and
contracts tor work, and turn them over to AN agent
for payment.
The foregoing remarks are made ,ipon acncr,,
principles, and not intended TO find fault with any IN
cividual having an agency with the penitcntary or
with those that were .nstrhnentaln making chance
IN tne law They may have acted purely to benefit
the Institution and produce public good which to me
appears lily calculated to aid or facilitate the opera
ons IN any one respect blu, far is connected
WIN ,he iscai operations upon rational principles
VIII very evidently injurc the disposition of its ma
n9iaciures, as well as produce greater expense in
eiecng sales, than the course established bv the
BOARD oil directors; who infinitely better Judges
and can manage this business more alyantaoeonsIv
'nah uose VINO are unacquain:ed with the circum-
stances OF things having direct effect upon the ono
i;t,ons OF the pcniten,iaJy.
ihesc hnts are thrown out for consideration: UNI
DER Il nope that some ADLER pen may be induced in
take up the subject do il more Justice and nromo.c
"'e '"usc VI humanity. BECCARIA
~ FOR THE ENQUIRER.
The success ofindividuals, honestly epgac
ed for series of years, in pursuit so vitally
important rs that of agriculture, must dcpend
IN great measure upon the acts of the gov
eminent under which they live. For several
years past, living in an obscure corner of the
state, and depending chiefly upon the produc-
lions of the earth to furnish the means of ljy
ing for myself and family, my tides of pros
perity and adversely have been governed bv
the prices of breadstuhs. During the lonr
European wars, when America was the great
proVider for the armies of Europe, the Anne
rican agrculturist had it in his power to have
supplied his Golfers with store, which. with
economy, might have lasted an age ; but il is
a nf ON.
crisis, and TO reap the greatest advantage from
The fo!lies and I1islortunes of others nor
would 1t he right that il should be so; because
neaps OF gold make misers, than which there
Is nothing more despicabe in human life and
want Though pinching and distressng.) is the
great stimulant of human enterprise and ex-
ertion Unknown 10, and uninfluenced bv
the smiles of those administering the govern
ment, and regardless of the envious outs, |
nave viewed the acts of the general govern
nent dlspassionately, for the last twenty
years. My opinions remain the same, that
never was government administered BIZ
purer hearts or abler heads. True it is. men
nave for short period filed offices for which
they were neither fitted by talents or intcgri-
~; but when their unfitness was seen and
known, they who had the power, concurring
with, and yielding TO public opinion, dismissed
them.
But While am thus willing to pay lust
tribute to the merits of those who have pre-
| sided, and with whom I shall ever concur in
the great leading traits of their administra-
don, still view them as men and he that
does not acknowledge, that neither talents or
integrity VIII entirely exempt from human err
rors, Is no Judge OF human nature. Expert
ence IS the great test of truth, and the man
who candidly allows that the effect of mea-
a. an al 4.
ed, shows that he is not so bindly bigotted TO
his OWE opinions, as not to profit by an attentive
view OF cause and eiiect.-FuIly convinced
when our restrictive measures first began.
that we were 'inlustly treated by European pow
ers, under the Indignation growing out of such
feelings, / have lost sight of the question
whether IN endeavoring to do our enemy an
injury, we should not do ourselves the great
er. approved of the embargo, but am now
satisfied, from individual life, as well as view
oil nations, that he who furnishes his enemy
with wbateverhe can spare, and teaches him
TO i've eXpensYely and extravagantly, whilst
ne enrlches his own Golfers with wealth,
winch, combined with talents, is the power of
nations as well as Individually does that enc
my much more serious injury, than he who
withholds with a design to iniure, and there
by teaches him economy. re the same state
OF things was again to occur, with the expert
ence acquired by living, and viewing the de-
moraiizing effects of placing our own citizens
IN the way OF temptation, instead of embargo
calculated to teach others frugality and re-
trenchment, at our own expense, / would
rather give premium TO him who would car
ry the greatest quantity of breadstuffs TO the
enemy, and bring from thence an equivalent
III the precious metals.-ErrOr is a labyrinth !:
although the effect of the embargo system
obviously failed, still the feeling of lust indie-
nation at wrongs committed by Others. contin-
ues to blind us, and restrictive system has
been continued by various acts OF Congress
until combined with some other causes) sea
ports which, before the European wars, and
during the war, teamed with vessels. are now
LETT as shpless as n mill pond.--If the present
state Of things should continue, and the farm
cr should meet with no more announcement
for the sale OF the productions ofthe land tlian
| he has done for some time past, ana persuad-
ed that the spirit of improvement which has
gone abroad, calculated to renovate land and
i bring II TO state beyond its virgin fertility,
viii be queDched, which would be serious
leyli for, Split Of this sort, when extinguish-
ed, IS rot easily rekindlcd. Soon will YOU
see the farmer carrying his heap of manure
now rendered small, by the want Of life and
| spirits, to enable him to make two hogsheads
OF tobacco, that he may have certain means
of paying his taxes. Soon viii you discover n
general grazing ofthc fields, the consequence
of dependency and hfelessncss. This would
! be q state ofthings that no patriot could see
without pain.-Let then the next Congress
take this subject under serious consideration.
| Enquire whether restrictive measures are moi
the caase, m some measure, Of low prices