Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-13

repeal In all my remarks on the proprety o! passns
tue resolution under considera shall endeayor Il
avoid saying any thing that will be calculated 10 arouse
or excite party conflict the question: but cando
compe!s me 10 say, Sir, that view the Banksnpt Law
but one link in great chnin OF party measures IN
tended to be hastily and fauducnty forced upon the
nation TO and satisfy IKE victors IN The hard
ionght political hateo 1870 ! will attempt 10 prove
that that bill IN the shape It became law was de
signed To grand division Of the g:cat Wing
army. | need not tell YOU, Mr.. Speaker, that ear
" ia the winter of 1910, the leaders 81 the now
dominant party resolved on making the last desperate
effort put down the late Democratic Administration
For this purpose they organized and sent recruiting
officers into all the States, counties towns. and pre-
cincs, Of his wide extended Confederacy, bidding up
for recruits, enstng all the desperate warriors OF the
land. The protiered bounty 10 some, was office and
honor-to others, the promises Of high prices for pro-
prrty, and plenty Of money. recolIect well, SIR, Of
seeing during the canvass, the representation Of q
great factory driven BY steam, out Of WHICH were
I flying streams Of bank notes into great reservoir,
around which stood crowds of we!l-drcssed fashion
able looking men, with shears in their hands, cut
| ting the paper II the proper points, and hnnang II
to NE sH Fin0nrjtr, nor t9WiDg iarcg n N" courts
If neighdoring citg; e, seated ~ large armed CHAIR
| with huge pair Of golden specaces hanging on ms
face hastily signing The bills, and passing them To the
needy crowd All tins 10 be realized with the sue
cess Of lie Wing Party. To others were offered oceans
If hard cider, the music OF the jewsharp and the nd
die together with the log cabin and lis midnight revel-
RIGS Influenced by such ta,tcring promises, snch ex
hibons and rewards, thousands Of the good people OF
this country were seduced and gathered 10 the
| Wing standard You rinmphed, Sir, most g'orously,
you tell US bat what your piiIabe condition IN
lie very arms Of victory; Were the victorious Gene.
rails able redeem their promises TO reward their sub
atcrns and followers No. SIR, not without the aid OF
chain ri legislation and prescription unwlse in lis
conception and rulnous IN practice. But Tie urgent
demands q. tie eXpectans pushed their leaders INTO
n 10 m
triss and patriotic ot their party Whole States were
10 be- subsidzed Stale gutes and State legs-
laiures were 10 BE- bought with the proceeds Of the
sales Of the public lands Those Who had spent their
substance in itieness and roions living, who had run
deer y the folly and extravaganza Of the times,
were 10 be discharged from the load Of their indebted
ness and the sober, in,Gstous men, who had furnish
cd h. materials consumcd in the great Wing festivals
Of /. H. we're 10 BE- iei.auded out Of their debts.
vii! not believe ,tat Virginia vii leave one If
loft unricd {, sto2 t'iis niql.ioGs ltoceed.n1-to
arrest il before the foul net BE- consu;nmated.-
| In some Of OK sister States, winch were literally
inundated with the intoxicating 'G.d and parade,
where The ,-ople overwhelmed IN the food, where
MI ihei. moral scnscs weakened and impaired,
this aci may be sustained for short but surely
no, IL Virginia. Mr.. Speaker when speak Of the
aupi, do not allude to Noa!s Hood but 10 ono OF
mac recent date yet not much inferior IN point OF
magnitude II is and will be for ages 10 the pride Of
Virginia that she not opcrwhcnc AMID the torrents
rinians that The old Commonwealth proved The ark Of
safety 10 principle and Democracyihat she preserved
aud carried them slir: over the delnge Gnd as the de-
sirnyng element subsidized she was found proudly and
safely resting on the mnunton the high ground OF no
hor and distinction, It'll her invaluable freight ready
10 be turned loose again possess the Whole land
Yes, SIR, already has Virginia Democracy since the
suhsdinr of the waters having iorrd The olive len. and
spots o dry earth which 10 rest, returned to aud
built liz demolished temples IN some ten or dozen Of
.
be placed the signs Of The political zodiac, the
sun shall again reach the ;ropc Of cancer the whole
work both Of political md moral Gesoiaiion, will have
been more than repaired May not hope, Mr. Speak
cr, mat rnrgmrn-u p.ui,, No." -.
education conventions, and III thousand other ways,
is about placing the political heavens the bow AZ
sgn and covenant that the pure and enlightened pm
cipcs OF beloved moral and political institutions
shall not again be driven back ami prostratcd IN sum.
lar manner. But yon s;l ask me fer evidence, that
the Bankrupt law was passed tor party purposes and
party capital. Sir, circumsanlla proc" sometimes Is
equal positive proof indeed IN eases Of iraid and
COLLISION ii j. all the evidence that can BE- lie procured
ask then WHY, SIR, this Law passed al the Extra
Session and liz operation suspended Tor some months
after the meeting OF the present regular session oil Con-
gress; Was IL not intended 10 b. rumpetcd abroad rs
great measure Of Wing rriorm-as promised jubilee
10 the desperate gamblers and spectators, crowds Of
whom then bcsleging the capital OF the Union
But S can you not the finger OF professional men
in tins matter: They, too, 10 be rewarded, by
opening new fountain of litigation deep and WIDE
in lie Federal Courts, which was 10 pour rs bitter wa
ters the heads OF the people without intcrmIssion-
The close caculaors, spectators and slavers some
times called the pecunary hu2zards Of the land, were
also invited to the feast Suppose, Mr. Speaker, when
YOU traversng the mountains and values OF NirGi-
with your numerous associates, you openly tod
the people that ii you successful, the rst step IN
yonr Administration would be cali Extra Session,
and INTRODUCES system Of log rolling the legislation Of
the Federal Government, hy which the Bankrupt Law
was br gwen set oimsn in consideration. that
the Distribution aw 70 he conceded 10 another,
and The bank charter 10 thrd: what, SIR, would have
been your reception among the planters of Virginia
Instead of faastng sou IN their cabins, they would
have discharged yol from their service and driven you
from the circuit Yet all this intended by your
lenders but carefully concealed throughout the can
va.s 30 YOU want proof that these laws were passed
by system of logrolling: Look at the journal OF
CONGRESS You vii see that the Bankrupt Law IN the
lower House took the lead j. was revolving III liz
details that many hes,taed Ii was laid upon the table
by decided vote, with the understanding, that was
there 10 rest until TIE present session. The trends 81
tie bin Immediately rtascd ~ ~ork az HE jfo'tc, IN
less their favorile measure passed The next day
The bin was taken up and passed by vote Of 10 To
lu,-two Of the Virginia delegation voting Tor 1.-THE
numbers from Ioudoun and King George d'srlcts)-
and three aadgng failing To vote on tie question:
il.c members from The Frederick Augusta, aud hanaw
HI dsr.cts Thus the principles and interests Of Frg
A. were gold and exchan 5ed in the market am proud
al The conduct of the entire Democratic and portion OF
the Wing delegation from Virginia, on that occasion
Tney nohy sustained he character OF the people ana
) ate they representing. But some oi my wing
friends in the country desire 10 give milder aspect 10
III. circumstances connected with the passage Of the
Bankrupt Law They allege that as the wing party
could carry their great and tavorte measure, they
had to do something themselves before the peo-
pie, for The great expenditure Of public money al The
Extra Session and that theY had passed tis bill with
others 10 keep up appearances. 1t his be true was
But, Sir, independent Of all these considerations
the law should be repealed, because It IS uncon-
s,itutioncl. 1t IS in double point OF view II Is
- past taco, and it mpairs the obligation OF contracts
Do not understand me as denying that Congress has
the RICH, TO pass a uniform law Of banhruptcy Iha;
power among those enumerated IN III" Constitutions
but il is power thar exercised except during
The administration of the Elder Adams and At the Ex
ira Session. But deny that Congress can, in the exer
else Of that power, incorporate into the law q p0sjaeo
provisions, those imparing the obligation OF existing
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