Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-08-04
FoR rIE CoSsrIrUTIoNAL WING.
iO-Bf,NFHAM.


PniLO-BENFi{AaI.
HcsSTs. Editors: | have the rema rlxs of YOU,
correspondent upon u ury Laws, and a Speech made
IN the House of Representatives OF Massachusetts, in
favour OF restoration of ricous WON Usury which
had in effect been abro2ated byte Stature t;,e
preceding political year.o nlse remarks shall OF
Tempt a-brie reply III Is not my purpose present
rlndicaon of the Speech from tic citoisnis bcstow ed
upon it. The Speech, which. you have iirorrlt proneI
10 fcpsbh vii tHIsc c,i;ic L.!,Ic your reader
vino ''ili form their opinions unnueuced either by
one mans censurc, anotcrs defence Neither is Il
important 10 ofIhe particular measure in sun
port of which it was delivered, than that its friends ear
red tc.r point, and accomplished all their Shes The
Law oi Massachusetts repeating Usury Laws that
'wnrk of reformation Pilo-BeutiIafn denominates
H. after being iii tle full tide of succ ssla pertinent
almost three months and half, was repealed and a
strong Caury Law was passed. BY the Legislature of
t'at state, whom he perhaps may consider, as belong
ing to the Ignorant aud CARP ather than TO the en-
: ...:?Hed and unprejudiced" part of mankind They
had however, according the Chronology of both Ien
than, aid Pniio Hcnthatn rlis advantages over the n
Siaiaue, whose law they repealed tley were one no
tfcai year A-er," and consequently might t,yi,.ont
presumption attempt make improvements nuno ,lar
''ivor6 OF reformation"
Iho b. pronounces The observations made upon Je-
rV"} >eh'ha'n, IAN abusive attack" and he aim
!ag 10 excite conmisscraiou and syu,n,tIv FIR
hIs 'much abused tread.o The rena rks co,DpIaincJ
o appear 20 be rather confined in their applicaton In
His oconce OF Usury called by word esned for the
ocaS'on' Tor want OF more respectful ephet in USE
hcdevilment, by OF his panegyrists in the Quar-
ferly Review; his dccnce of the odious offences of
ehamperiy ami maintainance;- and Ills extraordinary
proposition, To make III his chambers garrett in Lon
u"n Coles o: Laws for these Gatcs separated from him
by tho great Atlantic OceaH and inhabited by rnonIe
v|ion he never Even p Bon,la.n will ha rv he
"'pg 10 defend his opinions the subject OF Cham
party and nainiauance,-to Justify the prunreIv of
sreculatons upon The fears and ignoraEce of pan;nd
~ law suits, attended with DELAYS and thousaD,I ills n
Nor VIII c defend the wisdom OF is propoaIs made
believe both So President Madison aud Governor PIN
'ner of New Hampshire, TO supply tie Ainexican Poo
PIE with Codes of Laws TO be executed like rnercap>
Tile order for Day and Martins Japan Backing lot of
Plantation tools, assortment of cafe, The frs,
caper ct his shipment for the Virginia Ma rkrt vod
nn4uesiionaby have contained provision for an i'm
mediate elevation of the negro slaves TO an eniovmen,
OF e rank privileges and suiages Of freemen for he
rue son 81 Liberty, and has devotcd sixty wears
o ms lie To the distterestcd service OF his fellow men
'emarks denouncng such projects these NAV per-
maps deserve 10 be called ''abusiYc attack but il in
oeeVed nothing IN tile Speech will be found more
rY o' such an accusation than the following obseva
t;'nS extracted from tic communication of Plnlo- Ben
taan h'nsci who seems like the hypocre in tlic scrip
tres, which bold may he appealed to- both for ..tnora
nrecc2is and 'PoSal truths and also for lessons Of
good manners ready TO mote in the eve of ano-
te but unable to perceive the beam in his own eye
These are the extracts referred TO:
81 should s1y this Speech has no nrctcnsions n o6
reasoning IS based false principles, and addressed 10
r.H lowest rrrjudces OF the ignorant and the vlgar'
In the apprehension OF Mr. the genius of improves
Toni as marched too rapidly, reserved for his
hlr4sF spir force her to re,race her adveuturng
s> reserved for him resist the of Light and
-, was no: rs MIR. y. segeiy suppress"
"Adnirabje Logic
AS sample OF this Orator reasoning mowers"
is happy illustration OF that species Of Logic which
consists in dc'amationof consuunate art which con-
seals defeat by abusing III adversary"
his wonderful SPEECH is wound up by most profound
cu,;r!usion."
50 much for this ucl and powerful specimen of orato
iHesc sa'ifical observations, as the author doubt
loss considers them with many ,ibes of ecroI ro;nt
la, q
his admirable logic" air sample of his reasoning
lowers and ahaP2y illustration OF that species of To-.
g'c which consists in defamation that art
Nhl'A conceAis defeat by abusing Adversary If
c s?cec has good reasoning, the refutatio is the
'p'P easy an" there is less occasion for imitation and
sii less occasion for solemn 'sprotes against the
adoption of its dacrincs IN such an enlightened state az
lrE'n'A FhiS Is almost inconsistent, as drncunc.
i III one breath the speech piece of absurditv and
III e next ohlecting against IFS "coHsunfnate art"-
''Hi remarks Ike these which hare been quoted imrIv
~ accusation Of bad motives On the DINER hand H.
"'ii DC as easy, ald perhaps fair TO attribute a
wish 10 deceive ami bad motives, writer. who dis
pays degree h!-2c!iuG which neither the nature % the
C's'ion, any paraiity In favour Of or pveindice
@r1nst tie parties to the discussion, could nossblv
T~c-w'ch IN t'ct can be accounted for in no other
10y 50 s7sidC' aIiiy rs bv sUsscjSr Of = J;rec nec
mary interest in ie rencai of usury lave TrGienosoJ
shoot an arrow III The dark, il might be insn,iaed
va; t"s woniFor zeal, these Acrimonious criticisms
Il 'rcd from tic hard heart Of some Wes;moreraud Shr
'4'' """ IKE Tire Piraie that pnrged from the Com
f"nn'e"t ihou shaft not stea7 would erase from the
statute Book these a'ys which offend him; as Antonio
I'D tio j1'Ts, by keeping down tho rate OF sancer-
who IS derirous that the ..vorls Of refruafion,,
''niG 60 bravely on, by which hc expects to bnih his
go fortune on the rrir # his neighbours by avainr
hr'c'' OF all ihe casualties, bad crops and III winds
ghGh may blast their urosreritv-wh;cI intr,7to,s
might nc exceedingly unjust but il two wrongs could
r''ke right, they would make an oven set of top
bcnthams accusations. Much Of the argument Of this
writer, 5ciHg contained in tie preceding elegant or
f'He's to which have offered, by simply stating them in
prominent point Of view all The answer they seem 20
deserve or require, shall merely add some observations
upon 2 ic" o MS other statenents-Iie saws 81 had
snppos'd since the publication VI Mr. Benthain,s un
nous rcatee on his Gtject, tlc enlightened and un
r'ud'ced in all countries, had settled in the conviction
at 'aS an!iS The rate OF interest were al least
% their original i,tution impoIific and absurd y y
ttere ihc charge, which he makes against Mr. D. with
~ or truly triumphant" 81 being ''cviiently con-
."-r", aud that bc did "uot clearly comprehend the
C. ,,