Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-11-19
LECTURE TONIGHT.
ps. LAapsKR gives his las, Lecture TO nigh,
and prornisss a Co nh N ,tion Of attractions.


nuns anu aOrcad coincidence brJkcl down aud GU
spirits aud encfgss crushed to tho earth-my fan
In the reeupetauve powers Of our people, woul,
sun inspire me with the hope. that the eountr,
would emerge iror its gloom and its misery, wise
from y. excellence aud strengthened FOE its s,rug
ges IN tie great contest OF national grandeur ant
si"fy. but when I the foundations OF ou
great social and civil edifee undermining - vi hen
see virtue, the great corner store crumbling undc
the eorros.ve influences of eup,di,y nd demsgogu
'sm-vhen see the tone of public opinion 80 cor
rup,ed, that honest and honorable and patriot,
citizens, led asiray by sympathy for the dis;resse,
oi thoso around them, unb'ushinsly advocate q
legal disruption OF tho most saered obs ations, ia
open violation OF our Constitution and in utter dis
regard OF all moral propriety, confess my imagi
nation 10 exeieI by the fearful sion,
and tremble Tor the Jesuit
i ~ popular Government like this, resting for il,
support upon the Intelligence and virtue of lis ci,i
zens cannot maintain its true character or subseryt
the great ends OF its institution, unless these fouu
dation pillars arc preserved hrm aud erect. An en-,
lightened - interest must prompt the people to
diilsent study OF the nature Of our institutions
snowIedse OF which will teach the value of an ele-
waited morality IN maintaining them. I am sure, il
they pursue this plain path, however much they
may be stricken down by the disastrous mi snaps OF
private enterptlze or the weishtier evils OF NAL.
administration IN our Government, they will cling
s'e'd'as''y TO their integrity as the only true and
reliable anchor oil salvation No burdens, howe ever
oppressive, no cmbsrrassments, however pcrple King
no peciniry distresses, however painful, no gloom,
however thics no evils whatsoever, which in their
| nature ara temporary and Transient, would induce
them 10 seek refuge in the mertrcious embraces Of
Reputation and its hateful brood of Stay-law.-
Yet We are told that Virginia is vcrsng rapidly to
the brink OF this precipice, with the deliberate de
sign oil casting herself headiong into the oce an Of
iniamy below. But this il scarcely credible The
| redeeming spirit Of patriotism and chivaley which
still fingers IN the boSoms Of her children and the
PROUD recollection OF the glorious deeds which have
consecrated her soil and her honor, WILL trust, pro.
teet the State from this national stain. Can homes,
men look Reputation IN the face withou, shuddet.
| lns with horrori VIVA, is il technically as IL is
understood IN the political vocabulary, but the sy.
nonyme Of dishoror1-lhe unbrdled and lawless
exercise OF sovereign caprice against individuals
and corporations too feeble to enforce their rights
the oeSpicable spoiaiion OF n corrupt and licen
''ons authority, which would be disnided by being
ca"eu national robbery. And what are Stay
lawf Not, II Ia troe, that open, daring, outright
roooery, which strips you naked and leaves you in
hopeless despiH; but that low, sneakng, cowardly,
hsh'-hnseted larceny, which confounds the old and
reNered distinctions Of Mum aud Tumn, which
appropriates TO the debtors comfort the goods and
eha'teIs of another, and which may be illustrated
hnhiarly, as an act which postpones the returning
oil my coat, through the winter, which had loaned
only Tor the summer, and thus freezes me to death
lor the want Of my own, while another is warmed
into life by il.
Suppose the case OF a widow and her helpless
children, land there arc many such in our land)
whose sole means OF support is the interest OF a
small sum OF money which she has loaned to res.
ponSiole individual, under the assurance of our
laws and with the confidence Inspired by that clause
~ the charter OF our liberties which saws that no
law shall DC passed mpairng the obligation OF con-
tracts The country, however, suffers a reverse:
terrible reTuson IN It's trade aud prosperity such
as "e now experience, sfieIs il. The cry OF "hard
tines tcaoes th'ous hout our borders The waiogs
OF distress rend the mir and every breeze which ses
toWatcs our Capitol, burdened with the disresses
OF the community. The legislature, as q faithful
mirror OF its constituency, and foeiinsy alive TO oil
their wants and wishes sugges. various remedies for
hat nil sfal.fa IL. h..
postponed Tor two years; and in case the pressure
docs not H6ate IN that time, that the relief shall be
extended from time 10 time. in terms OF two, four
aud SIX years-provided, nevertheless that the en-
ura postponement shall not exceed the peri1 OF 20
years; or, secondly, tina. the deLts shall be indeh-
nl'ey postponed. nulliiied, or Technically repu.
dated.
So far as principle is concerned, what difference
would you draw between these sehemts1 Th,
latter tears the bond To pieces and bots out the
deot, while II sports nth YOUR anguish and your
impotence; The former depTives the widow OF the
means of feeding and clothing and educating her
lnmy, until " Is too late OF any avail; keeps
her and her children in penury and regs-while il
secures TO another, during oil this time, the and
enjoyment OF her means, IN defiance of every moral
ard sacred obligation recosn zed in Christie ndom-
Reputation deliberately murders: and the Stay.
Law mains and disablcs. The one is the bold VIII
lainy OF highway robber; the other is the sneak
ing, covert larceny OF thief The moral distinc-
ton Is hardly worth dra wing; as the line when
drawn, would be so fne as to bs visible ony 10 The
most refined cnsuiss.
Income STATES. wide spread bankruptcy of for.
'uno and character has given the disorg mixers n
numerical and Political asccndancv which tbav
have used boldly and unscrupulou.lv i'm feliev inp
themselves from their pecunilry burdens; while
hey nave taken on themselves more congenial
ana eomiorIable load of obloquy and dssrace.-
TINS, IN Virginia. VIC are not prepersd fo,. we
oaihe and eehor II, as mark Of execration indeli.
oe us CAM. We denounce unsparingy the Re-
quotation of other Safes and offer up d,ily prisons
mat our beloved Commonwealth, the Cd Domi-
non. which has been cumpl meuted nj the Wbfa0nn
Mater PuGn," may be saved the humiliation and
disgrace OF paying her debts with a sponge. Yet
AL thls patriotism must be dcusive, ifit be true us
SAID, That we are on the brink Of a policy so ii.
milar IN principle, entirely the same in all its
odous features, that we are left in amszement At
the inconsistency which condemns the one and ap.
proves the Other
The advocates OF the Stay Law talk of tying up
inc collection OF debts for n .ow years ns tho the
Tune OF payment spec fed IN the bond Iidn't enter
1910 tnd constitute part Of the very essence Of the
obligation. The amount given for property uni
| iormIy depends upon the credit given; and where
you extend indulgence by legislation YOU compel
the creditor to part with his properly for less sum
than he would have obtained, had the extension
been gwen by him originally. The Legislature
Slep' 10 between the creditor and his debtor, and
with The strong arm of Sovereignty dictates the
terms anj conditions upcn which the creditor shall
recover his debt This is sought TO be justified on
| the ground Of neccssily-the "saius refpubhfep
argument OF antiquity. The neces sity we are IN
at present, is thought, does'n, Justify resort 10
the ultra remedy Of Reputation; while il calls
loudly Tor StoY Laws, which will pos, pons tempo.
rarily the collection Of debts. Ii is thus admitted
to be the d,grse Of necessity which determines the
| remedy This is a legitimate ssquif,r, from which
there is no escape. Noio, Stay Laws are recon.
mended, as the great measure Of health and deiye-
rance. Next year. or he year after, if the blows Of
ioftuhe continue TO fall heavily upon the land, Re
pudi ton will be the app Owed remedy OF the same
political Doctors. Our self respect end our revef.
ence for parchment Obligations is broken down by
the hrst step: year or two viii tniliir,zs US with
tho ground which lies before US, and VIC will fall
into the tempting path OF Reputation as kindly,
and with as little reluc. ance as a Mississippi ian
would
There is another aspect in which Stay Laws
present themselves, which enhances their turpilude
greatly.
Ffom the complex nature OF our Government, the
LEsis which is extended by State Legislation for
tho protection Of it's debtors is not broad enough 10
afford security TO oil. Il is an efTscual barrier 10
the collection Of debts due between etzsns Of the
same States but altogether imperative m debis of
any magnitude due from tho cit zsns Of one State
10 those OF another. The doors Of Justice will be
closed against Merehnnis' accounts; while the mer-
chant will be ut tho mercy Of his foreign creditors
Of the Northern cities, through the Federal Courts
Is u possible that any community, which processes
10 be Christian one, and TO reverence those holy
and immaculate principles Of truth and Justice,
which iliumino the pages Of our Heavenly Code