Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-11-11
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~ momeut any serious consideration In Virginia,
"a suesn aDeutabie falling CT from her ancient pri
m and dignity. Ia all the vicisstudes through viii
. she has passed, abe has heretofore coupled, with
political undergraduates OF character, rigid and u
varying adherenee 10 moral reetitute. And shall
v nov be admitted, that cieumstanees may srise
n which even Virginia. the frat ia tho catalogue
the Old Thirteen. may, from a sense OF interest
o convenience. resort 10 the dishonest expedient
. annul.ing the solemn obligations Of contractsf I'll
stability, and very existenec, Of a Goverument q,
pend on the vgor ofits laws and the fidelity the
execution. ln tho application Of desperate romsde
o liberal and extensive view should be taken OF a
their probable consequences to tbs future. az we
I ~ their immediate effect upon the present. No,
pass Law for suspending oblg itions already bind
ing and entered into under all The sanctions Of goo
faith and moral reliance, ind you at ore blow CT
tinguish the nos active, beneficial and widely per
vading agent IN the mutual interchange Of social
commercial lhe-I mean confidence in the efieac
OF contracts, and the justice Of the Law to eniore
them, when loose morality or an alarmed ntere.
may prompt men TO evade them. The whole credi
system, 30 hrmly based q confidence in the Law
10 compel or prompt q faithful discharge Of debt
justly due, would, by the enactment OF Law
reaching back its control over solemn engagement
made before Its existence, DO shaken to its centre
ror IN times OF pressure, and greatest embarrass
ments, when aid IN the shape OF loans in man,
cases, can alone sustain q dropping business, anl
credits are, Of necessity, most eagerly sought f.~
viii be disposed TO risk their capital on contracts
ana oois aiions liable to be altered and extended Al
the viii and caprice Of laws in their nature or pes
lJaete. Such dlstrust would be attended with niu.
Ney worse consequences to every interest of the
stale - commercial point OF view, than the resu.
lar course OF Law, however grinding for a limited
Tune. say for limited time, for the exigences OF
tne country, by enforcing as they must a rigid e
economy, and bringing to bear the latent energy
and hidden resources OF the people, will eventually
iorce out triumph the present disastrous state
/ OF our finances; whereas a resort TO eyasions and
suoteriuses will inaet an incurable wound on that
dgN a.rha -
credit sys'om. The destruction Of all credit, and
resort entirely to cash payments may find its adj,
vocatts IN the visionary brains of Abstractonists
put a little hom.-brewed expcri.nee will readily
suggest to the man Of practical common sense, thai,
srch resort, ~ country Of vast extent, With a
sparse population, scarcity of cs pitai, and Young
IN The accomplishment OF the boundess resources OF
prosperity ard greatness spread out before her
must cripple her energy, parayze her industry and
constrsin her, with hands manacled, to ADVANCE at
SLOW ana usssrtly pace 10 the communication OF
her great destiny.
Every moral evil carries along with il some salu.
'sry lesson II turned to profit, The present emhar,
rsssment OF the country, with all its attendant IN c.
ton and ruin, Is the growth of an unsouud state Of
morals, resulting from luxurious profiiyacy; and
though deeply claiming the sympathy and eommis>
GRAFTON OF oil, can etfectuslly be surmounted orly
IN ns same manner, as the sufferinss Of the natural
ooey' DISEASED by vicious ndulcence-by slow and
painful sradstors. Yet out OF so great evils Il is
some comfort 10 reject, there may arse much good.
oy The heaihGl restraint 1t must for q long time
exert over costly nnd idle displays, and reck ess
accumulation Of deb'. Tnis last specific is the most
valuable, rs u removes the cause OF the disease
whereas temporary paliiaiives, by merely luins,
renew the desire 10 indulge, and only cover up,
without destroying, The root Of the evil. a
Stay Law, however carefully framed, must,
while It extends relief to debtors, be attended
with The greatest injustice TO many poor credios-
What II such law should withhold from the hon.
est a6orer his hard earnings necessary for the sup
port OF himself and family! What If the farmer, Of
contracted MEANS should be deprived OF the fumes 10
purchase horse or plough, and through the gen
ersl ds,rust be unable TO procure credit Great
must oe the number OF such cases, let the law be
nodded ss 1t may. Ia what have objected TO the
proposition of a Stay Law, have confined myself
10 the probable evils that would result from il in a
commercial point Of vsw. But how cautious should
legislators be 10 tsmpering with customs and laws
that have long defined our moralsl A sinking in
teTsst IS OF itself Sufficient subiec mo.a honesty
to severe ordeal, without the sanction OF law to
corrupt IT, The land is in all conscience rife enough
with the disregard Of msum and iruu already. The
TIME was, when an embezz ement or defacation was
runs from one end Of the Uaon 10 the other with
the name oil the tuprt coupled with the greatest a
sIonlshment and DEEPEST detestaton; but SO common
has such dishonesty become that We seem TO look
Tor frequent instances almost as q matter Of course
and pass by the offender and the crime some.
thins commonplace, trite, and OF no momtni.-
such was not the state of things wh.n Gen. Jack
son hrst come into ofice-wilness the infamy and
punishment OF Tobias Watkins. He. / believe. was
INC last example. A dlsmssion from office, which
- now no disgrace, it involve, the innocent as
wei as the guilty, is the extent OF punishment de-
faul;er need fear. This is bu, branch of the gen.
sral corruption, extending from political fraud and
reck'essness, through every ramifcaIon Of society.
down 10 private morals. The Country stimulated
into luxury and extravaganza by a redundant and
bloi,cd currency, in wild delirium, los. sight Of
the wholesome laws of trade and commerce, and
heedessly plunged into debt and speculation with.
out q Troublesome thought Of future CONSEQUENCES
This violent and unnatural state Of things could not
lat and ths vented current Of events SO long pent
up st length broke through with crash, and eft no
trace oil the mighty food OF prosperity, save the
feeaence and corruption OF its poisonous sediment.
The remedy for our present embarrassment seems
10 me 10 exist only IN correction OF morals md
return 10 sober, quiet, unostentatious economy
The swervng OF the laws from their egitime func-
tons 10 reach cases. and afford relic. without their
province, would Of itself have demorazing ten
dency No government can be good one, nor tho
people happy or yirtuous under it, where the laws
are made subservient TO circumstances, end cir.
eumsiancss TO tho laws. VIgor and unyielding firm.
ness oil laws alone can give q respected and good
government Sparta was great and glorious as long
as she reigUusly and vigorously enforced her laws,
but when the unhappy precedent OF suspending
them was firSi introduced, then commenced her de.
generacy. The lessonng their force, for a moment,
lessened their respect with the people. Thi, Gown
HHu NtHHtHCI UeHR given 10 tneir form OF govern
ment, gathered force "a it proceeded Ill! the memo
~ OF LycurgCs and his laws were blended in tbs
ruins OF Sparta. We all know VIVA, anathamas
were hurled against the Banks for refusing TO pay
specie for their NOES. Denounced as soulless cor
porations, bent alone upon their own interest," dis.
tinct from that Of the peoples they were forced to
resume, Notwithstanding the solemn warnings that
such move Vas premature, and would add TO the
distress md embarrassment OF the community bya
nee ,ssary curililmeut Of their accommodations
Can any state oil things now justify prohibition TO
collect their dues, while they are vigorously required
to pay their debisl As to State reputation, II
correctly understand the term mean the contract
ing OF debt by fair and open negotiation. tho hp-
pToprntIng Of the proceeds Of such bargain TO the
use and benefit OF the commonwealth, and then fiat
~ refusing to refund. the thing is TOO base and alb.
houent TO be breathed even IN a suspicious fear in
any community where dishonesty and thievory are
not the order Of The day. But il must be confessed
that the minds Of community may he readily cor.
rupie1 by ega'izse frauds, and the license to post.
pone debts now justly due, may by nm onsy trans
iIIon, subside into postponemen, indefinitely.
VlRGINlUS.
AT q Court Of Enquiry, held for the SD Regimen,
Of Vrgnn Militia, on the 5.h Of November, ut
Bacon Quarer Branch, the following Resolution
were offered by Col. Benjamin B. N. Barker, and
ANONYMOUSLY adopted by the Court: