Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-01-13
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, or VIRGINIA..
DEFERRED DEBATE.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
THURSDAY, January 6.
RErEAL OF Tmn nANKRurr LAW

7 I u
the pledge made to the House yesterday, to call up
III" resolution submitted some time since on the su
lect oi ns;ructing our Senators in Congress vote
| tor ana procure repeal of the General Bankrupt
Law, passed at the late extra session oil Congress
tic moved that the resolution DO taken up and
| considered.
| MIR CRUTCHFIELD, without having heard any
| thhs rom the gentleman from Preston on the sub
lse', Knew enough of the proposition before the
House, from its statement by the Chair, to deter
NINE MN TO vote against and oppose tho motion "a
take up the resolution. Should it bo taken up, he
anticipated more remarks rcm that gentleman al
some future day.
MIR c. hoped that the attention of the House
would bc seriously called To the proposition to take
up and con, der the question. Ii was the first STEP
which had been proposed To hc taken for ntroduc
ing the subject oil Federal relation into the debera
tons ofthc House at the present session. lie asked
gentlemen II they were prepared to enter ut large
into tho discussion Of the subject He begged them
seriously to pause and well consider the matter be-
Tore they determined 10 embark extensively into
the consideration of the subject as they would nc
cessarily have to do, should they take up the
luton. As ior his own part MIR e. said, he should
not hesitate Tor one moment IN the course no should
ADOPT IN all matters of this kind. lie should vote
against all motions TO consider resolutions on the
subject OF Federal Relations; thovsh he NIGHT agree
with the movers OF the resolutions IN the objects
| sought TO be attained. And here he would say,
| that he agreed with the gentleman tom Preston in
his views on the subject of tho Bankrupt Law. AS
he understood that law, he was opposed TO il de
| cidcd grounds. lie was opposed to 1t out and out,
because he considered IT inexpodlent and unconsti-
tutional. Therefore, no one should 90 farther than
him IN endeavoring to bring about its tepeal il he
thought II at all incumbent on him, or this House to
move IN the matter. He thought this was indeed u
most extraordinary case, and he was strengthened in
his views the subject when he considered the fact
that both Of the Senators from Virginia had voted
against the passage OF the Binkrup, law and when
he recoccted that the State had the same Senators
| now as then. lie would 90 furthcr-h, had some
i n hi hal
ing, that whenever an opportunity should offer the
Senators from Virginia would vote for a repeal of
| the law. Why then instruct theml MIR G. would
not, so far as he was concerned, vote for such
solution rs that OF the gentlemen under present cir
cumstanceS, even ifit could he passed without dis.
seniient icc-bccausc he was opposed to all uso
less Legislation. But was 1t likely that the gentle
man would get his resolution passed. Would it
| not consume a vast deal of time and money in long
debatcs2 Some gentlemen (Mr &. did not know
how many might bc opposed to the proposition to
repeal the Bankrupt law, and might refuse TO sane.
ton any view tending that way. They would an
swer the arguments of those in favor of n repeal
and, therefore, ptotrncted discussion would cnsuc
MIR c. reminded the House that batch of reso,u
tons on the subject of Federal Relations ;yas offered
on me same day, ano that the discussion of those
would necessarily follow this.
There WAS time, said Mr. c., when the resolves
of Virginia had some inf ucnce not only upon her
own Representatives, but on the Union That time
he feared, was past. She had now the influence
Another view presented itself to his mind u non
whom was the influence TO be cxertcd1 ii the Sc.
majors were opposed To the law II was unnecessary
TO instruct them. And to the Representatives
who were TO be requested, only . out of 2I had
voted for the law. Then, con,ended MIR c., all the
influence we could exercise would not be worth the
time already consumed III the discuss of the cues
ton. 1t any influence was TO he exeried, he was
opposed 10 ITS being eXerted at the expense of I'M,
public Treasury. We were in debt; with all our
eNcrtions, with increased taxes we shoud have TO
RAISE SlOo,OOO-money which must shortly be paid
Under these circumstances with our Treasury SO
stuaiec-dId II become us TO embark in the discus
sion of Federal Reatons1 MIR C. trusted that the
House would take the ball at lis first hon. and re
fuse 10 enter INTO tins subject. He hoped they
would Set precedent by which to be governed in
future anu not spend two or three weeks in the dis.
cusslon OF Federal Relatlons-thereby spending
$4,000 out Of the public Treasury-a sum suffi
clent To pay the interest on large loan. He be-
grd gentlemen TO disregard the advantages which
they might derive from n discussion OF this subject
lney might derive some political capital from il
but lie hoped they would iorcso that, convinced as
he was, that they might do the people more good
by letting the money remain in their rockets than
10y acting on Federal Relations.
MIR BROWN, of Preston was ,rnly olod Ia bc,r
the views Of the gentleman from Spot,sylyania nm
the exped'ency OF the Bankrupt law. He was re-
Joiced TO hnd that the gentleman regarded il as I'M
consruiionali still he was sorry 10 hear the bnge
sounded IN the House, ling on the ptrty To snare
them the debate. He was surprised 10 see any dc.
oa'c arise on motion 10 take up the resolution
"hich ne nad submitted; and thought II debate was
10 he had, 1t would be much more appropriate on
the resolution itself. II the gentleman from Snot
sylvanll, considered the Blnkrupt law unconstiiu
tional why, asked MIR Brown did he not act with
hun and let the reso ution he passed without Difficult
~ and without opposi'on2 II the gentleman ard
his friends would act with him, MIR B. the resolution
might easy he passed in FIVE minutes, without e1.
lense, and without deb te. Gentlemen would rot
90 ms; mere was no probability Of their doing il, |
and MIR H. feared something Interior in the matter
Their aversion to any action grew out of their hos
tility TO the principles of Virginia He greatly
feared they wished to play into the hands OF partv
beyond the limits Of Virginia. parry who wee
seeking strenuousy and anxiously seeking the aid |
81 the Bankrupt law.
MIR b. reltc ated his expressions of surnrisa and
isionIshment at the opposition which had been made
10 the motion TO take up the resolution he had of
ered' lie really expected it would prevail unani.
mousy. lie we'll knew the character of his o,v,
people, md his knowledge Of their opinioos unnde
MN Tree 10 say, that they, whether belonging TO the
democratic or wing party, were universe u Y ONO
sed to the bankrupt law. They expected that V,r
gina would speak out on the sutiect-wou'd dc.
clare her opposition to such an odous measure
would speak as became the fame Of the venerable
and proud Commonwealth.
MIR Il. then referred to the reason set forth bv
gent for no, passing The resolution as evnced
ny me TACT thnt our Senators both voted against the
Bankrupt Law. lie replied 10 the argument md
i"olt upon the propriey Of the State, speaking Out
On account OF the weight and efficiency which il
would give TO our Seniors in their action. If hack
cd 10y the moral influence OF their State Tins so
emnly and Deliberately speaking ihey ,yould he
more Jealous IN their efforts and those efforts wand
he Crowned with n power which thew otherwisn !
would not have. Emphlticnlly, he said. if geo,le.
men would act with him, and act with un,5;ni,,
It would tell nt the West and elsewhere C;eniIc'
men might attempt 10 ridiculo Virsinii md bcr ,e
solutions; but they could not in spite of oll ,hcir
Efforts ana all their attempts at satire and buresdue
SINK the well earned reputation she had ac1uired-
u was indeed VAN tor them to ondeavor To- ettnct
rom the many lnuTels she had won. and from tho
hsh standing she enjoyed omongst her sister Stntcs
hr u. SAID @ had received numerous commun;cs.
IONS posing hin TO persist in this mater-com.
from the far West, urging the proprie
~ OF the course which he proposed that VIRGINIA
should adopt in taking stand on this subject. and
loudly calling for a repeal OF the Blnkrurt Law
MIR Is. then proceeded to call the attention of the
House TO the fact, that the Bankrupt law would 20
into operation on the LIST Of February next ard
hence he deduccd the importance of early and i'm
mediate acton on the $50 uiion. The day on which
us odious eKaclons wee TO commence was fastnr-
proachlng. Already had it been felt in anticipation.
NO sooner DID pass Congress than creditors began
TO he ALARMED end to press their debtors They
commenced actions against them immediately The
war dOss-thc dogs Of legal war-were let loo
upon them. Ono creditor, having $4,000 due him.
compes rs debtors to pay md they compel 500 |
others, whoare their debtors, 10 pay them. Thus
by the operation OF the law. general panic ensuss
among all creditors. The clfec, is ruinous both IN
debtor 90 creditor. The former is run down by !