Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-06-27
FOREIGN conpnsroxnrNcr-lNa XIV,

I
Of the 2oh this morning The first article which caught
my eye was Inc Petition of the RcUerend Sydney Smith,
one OF her hajestys subjects and Ministers of the
Gospel 10 Inc Congress Of The United States 1t
appeared IN The London "Morning Chronicle" of the
Sth, and was forthwith repub.hed by Galignani,
through whom It has been circulated all the Con.
tnen' annex II, we'll the remarks of the Chro.
nlcle, by which II was accom- panied
| AMERICAN REPUTATION.
"a TfnGThdcie petition, addressed by the Rev. Syd.
ney Smith 10 The American Cong ress, will lie found be.
low he reverend gentle man is Of the creditors
OF Inc staie OF Pennsy vapa, and it would be difficult
TO put IN more striking view the evil effects of the
bad faith OF the repudang States than is done in this
petition. The ruin il Inns brought down upon families
may be retrieved, the arrangement it has occssioned
IN the commercial relations may be cured, and oil ef-
iects IN time be obiterated; but time destroy
the stain which this enormous swindle must leave on
the character and institutions Of America Against the
adoption OF such Institutions history will furnish no
argument go powerful as the fraudulent States.
i THE CONGRESS AT WASHINGTON.
VI petiton your honorable House 10 institute some
measures Tor The restoration of American credit and
Tor The repayment of debts incurred and repudated By
several of the States Your petitioner made loan TO
the State oil Pennsylvania for the purpose of some pub
lie Improvement The amount, though small, is 10 him
important, and is n saving from life income, made
with difficulty and priva,ion. If their refusal pay
fom winch very large number Of English families
suferng had been the result of war, produced by the
|
from civil dIscerd; if it had proceeded from impro.
vldent application Of means in the first years of self
government; 1t It were the act Of poor State strug
Cling against The barrenness Of Nalure-every friend
OF America would have been content 10 wait for better
tmes-but the fraud is committed in the profound
peace OF Pennsylvania, by the richest State IN the
Union, after the wise investment of borrowed money
IN roads and canals of which the repudators every
day reaping The advantage. II ia net of bad faith,
which (a The circumstances considered has para
M lv sha1 lace IF
which your petitioner lsments: he lamen.s still more
that immense power which the BAD FAITH OF
AMERICA has given 10 Arstccratic opinions, and 10
the enemies OF free institutions in the old world. 1t is
IN vain any longer 10 appeal 10 history and point out
The wrongs which the many have received from the
few. The Americans, who boast 10 have improved the
institutions of the old world, have at !enst EQUALLED
IT'S GRIMES. GREAT NATION, after tram
ping under foot all earthly tyranny, has been gully
of fraud AS ENORMOUS as erer disgracrd TIL f
WORST KING OF THE MOST DEGRADED
Nation in Europe. is most painful 10 your pc
tioner TO Mot american citizens excite htrcrcr
they may 60 nc recollection that they beiong 10 DIS
HONEST PEOPLE, rho pride hemsetres on haring
tr'ekM and piaged Europe; and this remark forced,
by their fathrss legslators of the best and
most honorable men IN the world, whom every Eng
'shman has been eager to see and proud TO receive
II is subject of serious concern 10 your petitioner,
that you are losing oil tho power which the friends Of
freedom reoced that you possessed looking upon you
picture oil justice and of wisdom, which the world had
yet Little did the friends of America expect it,
and such ia the spectacle, 10 you rejected by erery
State of Europe, AS A NATION, 1ciM ,chom no con-
tract be made, for mill be kept-unstable in
the very foundations OF social c-deicent in the ee.
mis- Of good faithmen who prefer any load Of mi.
putty however great 10 any pressure Of taxation, how
ever light Nor IS IT only This gigantic bankruptcy for
so many degrees OF longitude and latitude which your
petitioner deplores, but he is alarmed by the want of
shame viii! which these things have been done, the
caous immortality with which Europe has been plum
dered that deafness TO the moral which
preclude all return to honesty 10 perpeuate this
infemy and TO threaten its extension over every State
in The Union. To any man of real philanthropy, who
receives pleasure from the improvement Of the world
The reputation of the public debts of America, aud
the shameless manner in which it has been talked OF
f and done, is the most melancholy event which has
ha ppeDed during the existence of the present genera
ton Your petitioner sincerely prays that the great
ard good men still! existing emoEg you may by teach
ing TO the United States HE deep disgrace they haze in
Cured in tie ichoie lcorid restore them moral health
that high position they have lost, and which, for the
happiness of mankind, II j, SO important they should
ever maintain, for they working out the great
est Of all political problems, and upon that confidence
the eyes Of thinking men are intensely fxed to see
how far the mass of mankind can be trusted with the
mana cement of their affairs and the establishment
of their own happiness"
This is indeed, as the Chronicle styles it, ia
markabe petition II is one which, under The cir
cumstances, is calculated TO make the hair stand on
G nd on every American head. 1t is deliberate, I'M
provoked insult 10 the nation endorsed by the organ
the British Wing party. The subject OF crowned
head pe,itioning the Congress Of free Republic
pointing out 10 il lis dutles-askng for redress-and
charging it body of swindlers ! Who knows but
the 'sacred right OF petition, which he's been so siren.
uously plead for during the last few years, may not
be urged in behalf of the epton of this precious
document in our national councilss The Bondholc-
crs who memorialzed the President, through Mr..
4 thaph
R.verence is; but they equally presumlng. Our
relations with Great Britain Of an amlcable cha.
racter and she has Minister at Washington to repre-
sent her interests, and to demand satisfaction for any
grievances Of which the Government or IFS subjects
NAV complain. The Chronicle, as well every Bond
holder in London is perfectly aware of this fact.
In former letters, have said TO you, that although
we are al peace with Great Britain she is secretly our
deadly unforgiving, unprincipled enemy Through
out Europeaye, throughout the civilized world, she
Inns her agents TO traducc national fame-some act
mo in the broad face of day. others like midnight in
cendiares She spares efforts, expense, to make
us odious TO every people on earth Confront one OF
her ylainous retailers of Islander with the alsehoods
which il is his daily business dsse inmate, and he
plies sab your institutions are SO complicated that we
cannot understand them in England. But they do un-
ders,und Them sufficiently we'll 10 know, that the Gene
raj Governme Mt take cognizance Of the debts
of the individual States, and is in way censurabe
for their delinquency. The opinion which was recently
forced from heir Ministry, was conclusive on the
subject and nothing but the most arrogant imperti-
nence prompts these memorials and petitions TO the
President and to Congress There is settled purpose
10 excite, far possible the indignation OF Europe
against US, TO have its united sympathy should
questions hereafter arise which cannot be settled but
a, the bayonets point. 1t would be better for US at
once to her armies than to be forever receiving
the stabs Of her assnssins in the dark
| You will bear witness, that no indiyidualn a me
RIGA, else where, feels deeper socilnde for The H.
ouidation of the liabilities OF The delinquent States
than myself To effec,ua,e an event so desirable,
have contributed uncomfortable portion OF my time
nor shall my e1eriions cease while any thing is left
undone. Even handed justice requires, that all con.
tracts should be faithfully complied with, and this,
sure is the prevailing, the almost unanimous aent
men the United States Inability, for the time, has
prevented the fnlflment Of engagements purctuay;
but the force CT their obligation has not been Denied
except in two instances, and these under some
what aggravated circumstances which, in the end, will,
doubtless, be remedicd. But no American should
think for nome n let what may be said at home or
abroad that his honor is the least affected by repada
ton, unless he has made himself party to it. In
Nssissppi where the infamous doctrine was enren-