Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-17
FOR THE srpUrReS


every individual in the communi,y-snd am not eur
prsed to it made prominent subject OF discssion
in your widely circulated pnper-and shall oier no
apology for respessng on Jour columns but The great
anxiety and solcitude winch feel, IN common, mt!i
many others, that present Legislature may adop;
some measure to alleviate this common distress. IL
mitigate and tighten presen; evil, is ali thst expect
from legislative action, while the energy and industry
OF the people, themselves must provide the remedy
To effect tins object, have heard several propostions
advanced, and advocated by honest and intelligent.
men namely, q Stay Relief Law, an act, extending
the time Of obtaining Judgments under existing lava
md have heard proposed TO establish another
Bank with the privilege, suppose, TO ssne notes, al
infniium and once more To create spurious an6 sx'
cessve paper circulation, afor!in., perhaps, nomeL
tary relief producing Fictitious r"sPafty, destined
10 last long the short reign o Napoleon. after has
return from Elba, 10 be followed IS helmng d'a
ircss ard irre.rievabe ruin SHALL not dwell upon
this plan. its advoca,es few, ard Il seems 10 meet
with bu, little public favor. The other modes OF rc!c:.
mentioned above, being similar in their character,
shall treat them as one, and The same thing and III
The first place, will remark that II needs argument
prove the present existence of great and aimos; nn
odentrd pccuniary distress aud embarrassment.
throughout the whole community he pressure -
such, that only be seen, but felt like the daf.
ness which ovcrspread the land Of Egypt, b. every
man, woman and child in the Commonwealth, itoi
the rich in their palaces, down 10 The poorrel lahore
in the land-ard times is the subject Of conversation
in every times the universal cry, anI
the memory of the Oldest cIen does not reach 10 PC
Rod when the distress was great and so uniHets'
We see our Legislature, ITSELF compelled 10 oe'rcy
$3.50 goo of the Banks, and a proposition teJ'r IL In
increase the for The ensuing year, III order -
meet the urgent wants of the Government, aud sas.
tain the public ced., Of the State :froperty, OF all
kinds, has fallen, nj least forty or fifty FER cent Laid
which worth twelve fifteen DOLLARS par II.
twelve months ago, has come do"n IL eight and ter
Negroes have fallen, at least Thirty CT forty per cent,
and sl other so:ts OF property IN The sane proportion
and the Banks, during the period, have ca.aiiei
their circulation from a75G0,G0o to S1,G00,c0O Ous
dockets are filed with SUITS, ard our ls with hsot-
vent debtors The Providence Of God has afflicted liz
with crops, Smalln quantity, and worthless IN quality
The stagnuticn Of trade and the scarcity Df money,
mus. give US short returns, and low prices Iais III; IL
our present condition. And what are our prospects
in the future The wheat crop nearly half destroyed.
and tile remainder selling for sAty seventy cents per
bushe The tobacco CROP the great staple Q! Var.
ginla limited in quantity. ana most inferior IN quality,
when it goes 10 market cannot bring much more than
enough IL deray The ordinary expenses Of the raHer
How then, is i; possible for the people TO pay their
debts, without still greater sacrifice Of property -
Yes, they must submit 10 further dec.inc, from IN
present reduced prices, and they cannot expect 1ch
accommodation from the Banks while these institutions
are engaged in, hope, successfully struggle to NAN
tain specie payments. What, then, must b. done -
Must snit multiply upon suit Judgment upon judg".
ment; execution upon execution: and tie cup CT
misery be draned TO its very dr-gs: Mes, wc witness
The transfer OF our property al hall lis real raine MI
The hands O. brokers, s!iavers, aud usurersthosa re-
Horseess corn3an's, who laen upon social disifeSs,
and grow rich by public calamity Must We see tic
honest and industrous farmer, who has contracted
reasonable Debt Tor Que in his circumstances, sold on'
Of hcusc and home for mere trihn end his nnjcs;
family upon the precarous charity Of the wor.a
without making elfor. 10 rcl:eve hnl, and "ho
if The day OF payment deferred, wonld, by ptrr-
yerance aad industry, work out his salvation =
Shall see no cessation ofhostles against Tie deb
tor classes OF the community, until the: properly
shall pass under the hammer Of hc sheriff. CT the mos!
humilating sacrifice 10 vain, viii they ask indus-
gence at the hands of creditors Jd6u'as snrao
the temptation 10 nves! their money in property, "'li
be great expect frbearance and the feeling ot
huma atty will be slsrccd b. the stronger feeling OF
avarce Shon!d the price of property continue 10 d..
urecala and, finally, down 10 tie specie standafd
Ia which i. is row fast appfoxuat;ug, and which fe
salt. believe, would be hailed with joy b. some of onr
political wise and modern empires, in financial
seen CO. the day not far distant when large portion
Of the property Of the Stale will fall into the hands Of
few Individuals who w,il constitute moned a.so-
crazy, the mos; od;ous social condition TO which any
people could possibly be reduced. l. is needless far
ther, ennmeraic the evils under which the people
are nov suffering, and those which may reasonably b.
anticipated y The progress Of events 10 enquire into
the causes hcl have led to such disastrous results
No matter whether they were brought upon us BY The
Wings some or, as others would say, by the Demo
crate, or by neither by both together, The cas-.
extravaganza. There is lime for dispuiaton; III
evils Encn Us; the pressure has reached our hones
and fesdes, and beiooves every honest and PIT
otc citizen of both parties, TO unite in one vigorous
and systematic effort, tn save our people from mfend
ing ruin and general bankruptcy. And how are these
evils 10 be cured, aud this pressure TO be relieved -
by time, retienchment, industry, perseverance,, aDc
rigid system of domestic economy We do moi expect.
do We wish the Legislature to pay our deb;s. no.
fa. from it, We only ask 70. act OF supreme lers
laliye power circumstances of necessity,
warranted by Former practice, and justified by present
necessily-an act that will 90 ultimate justice TO the
creditor, and extend present mercy to the debtor by
giving HIM time to relieve himself By his perse.
gerance, frugality, and industry. know tho! tho
interference cfegsatiye power with private contracts,
and ar.estng the usual process Of law, IN the collection
oil debts is liable TO just and serious objections
When lhe evils 10 be npprehend4d, would be grca:es
than any good which could possibly accrue, the exe'-
else ofsuc! power would be highly mproper-yet thele
times and circumstances, when resort TO such t.
measure, would not only be highly expedien., hui per
ecy jus,iable- and the history Of State, iur
nishes several instances when Stay Law operate!
benefciay, upon all classes oil the community. Ia
times Of INVASION the usage Of all countries sanction.
ito adoption and the experience of many, now i.ng-
viii attest the good effects Of Sley Law, during 90:
last contest with Great Britain. Blu, may be asked.
why resort 10 Of such doubtful prJp'ey, ~
time of profound peace, and when The ports Of all lbs
world open to our commerce; Ny answer ~.
How debts he paid, if there is nothing to Pny witt;
What does II signify, II The ports of the world &c
open, If have nothing 10 sell therein There is
foreign demand fer the little wheat ryc, and cur
tobacco - SO inferior in quality, that il cannot LFns
more than CROUCH to Pay taxes, expenses, and the ~:
erasi existing dcbsproperty, Of all kinds Is daily
dec:in NJ in pccand is fact, worthy Of reflection,
'ha there is less money in circulation among The plan
te'sand mechanics Of our State, than known
a. any Turner period barter being almost lie nnly
species OF trade now carried between thrse two
classes. No iorbearance he expected on TIC pa:t
Of creditors, when such bright prospects Of hreonng
rich bci.rc 'em unless Human nature itself rn-t
goes change, rrd the acquisition Of property sh4A
cease 10 be an object OF hnmaa ambition. Some have
said, tia, Say Law is The first step towards geea
reputation OF debts 10 suci thing The planters
and farmers &c ths Old Common wcaiih, scorn he IN.
putuloa. They DO not often ask tic MD Of legislative
power, aud oaIy in of extreme necessity, wh..
pecunary embarrassment end distress have upon
them, Unexpectedly, ard from causes which til.
could exercise no control II is icy 10 suppose ,hi
debts would increase naaer Stay Law. We mst,a-
we'll suppose that man, whose vas nov burning,
would be SO foolish. INF relieved from