Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-06-19

ga that they will, or rather thstthey may, If they
choose possess themselves Of all that property In
shc towns, now held by individuals, who may
heresfter be unfortunate enough to be brought
;.hin the grasp OF their operations In this state
Of things, il Is not difficult 10 perceive, that very
large proportions oil the property, in all the towns
NAV. AZ some time other, be owned BY tho
ssks; for let It be remembered. that besides the
real property uovS pledged to the Banks, whenever
failures shall take place, ali tine estate Of the I'M
fortunate debtors is rst secured 10 the endor
for their indemnity, aud this property To. must
generally fall into the hands OF the Banks.--A-
Ssin--we ought TO look forward to tho day, when
a bankrupt law will pass; for that day will surely
come-and when IL does, there will be general
surrender OF the property belonging to Bank debt
prs. In order 10 effect their discharges; and, in
these cases too tho Baaks must become tho pur-
chasers in most instances, to SECURE themselves.
The same thing may be said Of all the lands in
the Country, that are, in any way, pledged Cor
Bank securities; aud, in the mean time, all i'm
movements to lots and lands, entirely suspend
cd; because those who own them, know full WE'LL
that all money expended for improvements, will
be for the benefit OF othsrs, who come after
them, and not for themssives.-Let these reflec-
tons be pursued and every mind must arrive at
the conclusion, that under the irresistible iniiu-
ance of Banks, the lands are to be totally destroy.
ed by a ruinous system OF cultivation, aud that
thousands Of our most valuable citizens are to be
driven from the land OF their nativity. The sub
iect is far from being exhausted; II Is fruitful be-
yond all other principles which be presented
for discussion; but time admonishes me to close.
have endcavored to shew, that the system of
Banking, has tendency to destroy the value OF
lands, 20 corrupt the principles OF the psople So
cial, civil, religious. and political have endea-
vorcd to shew, that gaod men are made bad, by
means OF their temptations; aud that, by the in
Auence OF Banks, the rich are made richer, and
tho poor, poorer.-t have endeavored to shew,
that they have driven away our population, and
converted our fertile 1elds into waste and sterile
arounds.-i have endeavored to shew that by
contnuing the system, the people are TO be still
more oppressed and that the country is in danger
Of becoming bankrupt; that the partnership which
unfortunately exists between the State and the
Banks, will be destructive, at some future day, of
all the finances Of the State; and that, though a
false Capital is now furnished by them, on which
to base the internal Improvement OF the Com
monweaith, and promote education, yet the time
will come, when an explosion must take place,
and all enterprises must Cease, if not alto
gether, at least for space of time not easily
measured.-If have succeeded in any OF these
things, il becomes, not only the Legislature, but
all other Stockholders, TO pause before they ask
that new Charter be granted to the Bank OF Vir-
ginia.
: But, where lies the remedy' In the people, and
IN the people alone; in thcir hands is the power,
and this power can only DO exercised by inslruc.
tons, or at the polls.
In the name OF our common safety, then, i'm
plore the people OF this Comnonw eaih to reflect
upon this subject, and TO approach the polls in A
pril next, prepared to exclude from their service,
all who are allied to Banks in any manner whate-
YER. Let the coming Legislature be made of
such stern stuff, that they will probe the conai-
ton of the Banks to their bottom, and whe Their
they find them sound or rotten, let the TACT be
proclaimed TO the world Ii the people fail in
this, then let them resort 10 instructions.
GEORGE CLINTON.
P.S.-Since these Essays were closed, the
writer has seen tho report of the Committee of
the last Legislature. upon the state aud condition
rs ~ a,Ih l,;.Ly - 4.
than any which has preceded it--in form, Il va
ries but little from others which have been made,
and adopts their view, ali the views Of the
Managers Of the Bank, 1t makes the amount OF
bad debts in the Virginia Bank, $500 900, which
Is very little more than half the of bad debts
IN Norfolk alone, be abundanty shewn,
and tDtN be shewn hereafter u. c.
CO.N-HUNTCaTED.
You know the wounded pigeon, ny their aureriny.H
For some time past, the public attention has
been directed to series OF numbers, published in
the Eifquirer, under the signature or a. George
CIinton,' upon the subject Of Banks. They have
been read with great attention in my section of
Country, and understand, have excited much
enquiry every where They seem TO me to pos
sess high claim to merit, though 1 am hut plain
Ihan, and do not pretend to know much of these
things.-ln your paper Of the 10Th inst. writer
under the signature of one Of your subscribers'
has come out in answer to G. C.-and, in place of
W,
has done nothing more than to advance some few
pointless ideas destute of argument, and attempt
ed to be dressed up in irony and satire.
This will not do we must have argument against
argument, and if your correspondent can give us
nothing more than irony, upon a subject so
grave, why then, er necessitdte REL" his case is
gone, for by this course he admits that it is indie
fensibIe.-He, moreover discovers that he is, in
some way or other, closely allied TO the banks and
from all, who are thus situated, no admission or
il ctpI You L,,n,r
icottnded by their t,ittering. II is time for the
people TO ask themselves, il they will receive such
notice OF the numbers of George Clinton as an
answer! VIII they permii the lucid arguments Of
that writer TO be weakened by such light airy and
pointless squibs' and does not every one perceive
that instead OF inviting calm aud serious discu sson
the writer in the Enquirer OF the 10th has made an
effort to turn the whole subject into rdicule grave
and important as ii is? In my humble Judgment,
the public ought 10 feel indebted to George Cn-
ton for the bold, able and independent manner in
which he has discussed the subject, and others
ought to take the trouble Of answering the attacks
which may be made upon him. The people eve
ry where ought to take up the subject, and aid
the iaudabie and praise worthy efforts of G. c.,
--itis common cause, in which there should be
common exertion.-I see no language in the
numbers Of G. c., at all calculated TO give offence
10 any human being; and, therefore, when see
enen writer as one OF your subscribers APP
pear, take IL for granted, that he is some Pres-
dent, Stakeholder, or Director of one of tire
Banks, who feels the force of George Clnton's
views; and being unable 10 answer them he has
resorted to weakness which cannot conceal his
slarms.-l say again, that c. Clinton has embark
ed himself in the cause Of the people, and by them,
hope, he will be sustained
a Citizen Of Hanover.
COMMUNICATED
-. To The people of Virgfnta
have no leisure Tor Observation-Disclosures
would have sooner paid my respects to Yirgini-