Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-05-19

PLASTERS.
The law enacted at the last -cs hsn of The T.cgsla
ture for the suppression Of the lpIas,er currcnc,
will go into effect on the .d''a Hae, and it il, iui
time that the community were Preparing for tie pos
siblc contingencies nl the event The thing first Ii
be dome is Ia resolve that the law slnl be promptly
and efficiently executed. If the community connivC
at disregard of the luw, Of course it will be void
and imperative. No statute can be effective without
the sanction aud cooperation Of pnblic sentiment
As soon, however az it is understood that the peopl,
mean to rid themselves OF the nuisance OF smal
notes, and TO that end will enforce the due execution
Of the statute, the difficulty will vanish, and Eirgni'
will be rs exempt as Maryland and Pennsylvani,
from the evils uf Il contraband currency. The re
spolsibility of the execution of this law will depend
chiefly on the people in the country. The snlnl
traders aud hucstrrs of the ritirs-sIcl Darn NJ
igr'blc livelihood by Illicit commerce with nc
grOcs--wl of course set the inv ut nnught, and vii
continue TO circulate The forbidden notes until they
are taught Ia feel the pressure of the penalty Every
man who has at heart the honor of the S;utr and tn,
supremacy Of luw should resolve to prosecute every
offence against the statute Of which he is cusaizant
If gentlemen are avcrse tn accepting the wages of an
infurmcr, they may devote their share of the pena
to charitable purpose. In this waye the collcrs
of our orphan asylums ami missionary societies will
be rcplcshcd lari pu>M with the Literary Fund, and
the ill-got gains of unlawful traffic be converted IA
an honorable and useful end.
The argument that the law against small notes will
operate iniuriously TO trade, ssnply absurd Such has
not hccn its effect elsewhere and such will moi be- its
operation here. 1t will be felt as an Inconvenience
just us the law against larceny is rcstrnnt upon
rogues; but men of honest intent will find difficult
" in submitting tu the statute against shinpasers.-
There il plenty of gold and silver in the country.
The smaller gold pieces will make up for any drti-
cheney in the supply OF silver change. The moment
paper money vanishcs, specie will appear in abull-
Ounce. Shinpas,crs drove specie out of the
market; the suppression of small notes will
restore n gold and silver currency. We ul.
dcrs.nd that Mr.. Lynch, the digcnt aud obli-
ging collector at this port, in anticipation of
posi- bic Inconvenience from the first operation Of the
law, bus provided supply Of specie for the cmrr
gencr. Through other channels gold and silver will
flow into the market, aud soon the wunt of the con-
traband currency will not be felt in the operations Of
trade.
Meanwhile we must commend the conduct Of the
Richmond and Dnnvillc Rail Roud Company in pass
ing order against the circulation of snplasters bv
their agents. II other rail road companies will issue
the same prohibition, and law-abiding citizens will
resolve to dscountcnance and to prosecute violations
of the statute, the suppression Of the smal-noc cur
rcncy will be speedily and thoroughly effected For
the benefit of the public and the information of jus
tices OF the peace, we annex an authentic copy Of the
statute:
''SEe. |. BE il enacted by the General Assembly
that ii shall be- the duty III C"mss toners "i the Re,
rcuuc and Courts Ia whom application slnl he. lna'lc
sur license, TO require, from each and every person
who shall apply Tor license. an oath tha: he will not
pay oilt, within the limits of the Commonwealth
notes Of n less denomination than five dollnrs issued
by buHlss corporations or individuals
'SEG. 2. And be il further enactc'l that in every
case where note of n less denomination than five
dollars s offered or issued money, whether the said
note b., issued by bank, curporatiOn or by ndivi-
uHls, the person, firm, association Of persons,
porutons bod" polite utli.rin" 'Isuu"r sfet
before my justice alderman Of city, or court Ill tins
COMMONWEALTH and any person whose name Is Sigi'.
I'd the face Of such note sli; he deemed ali iSsnci
within the mcaiiiu" ut this act.
"SEC 5. And hc it cmuccd, that Onc-hali "l the
fine or penalty recovered i'll any case under ms aci
shall 90 to Tie inturmcr and the residue shall hc pa
into tie treasury of the county city in which IN.
same may he prosecuted for provided, that III all
cases Tie infurnler shall he competent witness, AMI
that such infornrr shall not be required to testify to
more than the determination I'll such note:
"SEc 1. And he it further enacted, that any per-
son may recover By motion before single Justice or
Alderman, or before any Court, from any pereon
whose name is on the face of Il note of drnomina-
ton c-s than tive dollars which may he ISSUED AFTER
In. ulssarc of this act, five times the aln0unto such
note, mud such recovery shall be, in addition t" the
fine herein before imposed.
"SEr 5. And l.c it further enacted, that the penal
ties ius,oscd by This net shall be in addition T." the
penaltiss heretofore imposed, and this act shal be
ed rcmcdally.
ssSEG. 6. And hc it further enacted, that this act
shall apply as well to interest bearing scrip for sums
less than s. as to notes Of other descriptions.
$50. !. This act shall bc in force from and after
the first day Of June nest.
Provided that the frs. section Of this ac sln not
90 into operation until the first oi June, 1858.