The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-15
v;te uusurances in Northern Offices.

rha Article published in this paper yester-
a., .on advertisement from the New York
comue,eiaE Adrertiser, is we'll calculated "
.m.ya all fair and honestly disposed people.
THE aar.,tissy is q highly respectable journal,
which was very distinguished under the eoi-
,orsbin of Col STONE, one of the most just, as
,,.,, as able. of the profession in his day we
consider the paper very good authority In the
premises Taking it., then, as anthoriiy, WHAT
a.. wa 70 think of the ethics which control the
uoralitv of the directors Of the Northern Of
fees. for which that paper speaks
The Commercial says:
,,.a. M. az assured persons IN the southern States
snIdieIs Of the United States army, stauoheu al
.ans and slaves Policies of life insuranoes con
tain PROVISION in this form Proviaeu Ing ~ thi,
sid - shall, without the consent Oh TN
o,nnany engage in any extra hazardous ocoupa
tion or all without such previous consent 81
i,;t'a NOT in active service exoepted.l or IN case
he shall die by the hands of justice or IN te .
st r no e, any ,s SiI be null and void
INF rh poo o,y,1n,fiai continues that soldier has
a natural right to act upon the defensive
against the attack of q mob, which epithel A.
applies to the soldiers Of seeding State an''
high legal authority declares that if killed SO
acting ON the defensive, his policy OF lnsur-
ance would be binding upon the company Is
.pins it. "The officers OF several companies
saws the Comntereial, though generahS
doubling the legality of such claims, are ois
posed TO meet them on the ground OF patrio'
ism and honor. The secessionisN oy ACTING
against the Federal Government at one
yitiate their claims, and the patriotic catzsn
of the South are in no better position, "'1ss
acting strictly on the defs"sirs"
This is a new expedient to alarm the Ssoli
Thas0
corporations, who have gotten the money O
the South. have entered the field to wa
against the South; to encourage the soldier
who come to coerce Southern States, ana I
proscribe and injure those who are true I
their allegiance to their State, to whom frs
ofs,I their allegiance is due. Even su bmis
sionist WILL not get his money on his insIr
ance aunless acting strictly on the deten
sivem
But this is not the worst of the proclama
ton of these corporations. The Conamercso
Adre,ti ser says The Insurance on sldcss tcont
seem to be forfeited in any srsnt; ]" LOT IN IN
inter chaos that would overwhelm the South
ern States in the event Of civil contest, n
claim for life insurance upon such poiicie
could probably be collected"
II adds: u. is safe, therefore, to suppo'
that the first blast Of actual war between II
soutb and the Federal Government woul
sweep away nearly $4,000 600 OF SoutheI
capital" ,orror,
lions proposing deliberately to rob the Sout
what chaos at the South can exc nerate the
com panies from paying the policies on the
slayesl Their agents are accessible; u
forms Of claiming insurance under polei
are plniu and prescribed by themselves, aud
,xxyith
slbls they can be honestly resistedl II Ii
are. II will be by open and unauthorized 70
berry.
It's bad enough that these co mpanies are
suter the arena to take sides against Southe
seceding States, (of which it is possible v
rtnta may be one , but TO repudiate its oblis
tions In the manner intimated by the Adcer
ser. would be UNANIMOUSLY dishonest. We q
clearly Of opinion that every company g
dorsing this article OF the Commercial Adet
rise, should be allowed TO have neither off
nor agent In any Southern State. We he
the matter will be looked into.
The Mutual Life Insurance Company
New York, through its President, few da
since, declared that that Com pany would ma
no Determinations, and would pay its polio
In seeding 8 tates just as though they had q
seceded. The Legislature ought to see that
others who insure In Virginia should not q
ly occupy the same position, but should Q
claim any intention to enter the held to co
bine for the disadvantage and injury ofSou
srn people The plan Of war through tn
corporations, developed by the Commercial
cold -bioodsd and dlabolicai. They are loca
In cities chiefly baiit mp by Southern &C
nlsrce, and whose people have waxed fat
southern trade. The pre- position 70 weal
and ipjure these who have thus contribu
10. their wealth and grandeur, II one Of
bAsest and most infamous that could be G
ceived.