The Virginia Gazette

To THE PRINTERS.

Having occasionally travelled for many months past, through several counties of this state and frequent opportunities of conversing with great numbers of the inhabitants, I think it my duty, as a real friend to my country, to request you to publish their grievous complaints in a plain manner, and in their own words.

Say they:

What state upon earth can be happy; or how can we be unanimous in our exertions against our cruel enemies, when we are daily deprived of our property by the more cruel and unrelenting hearts of those debtors, who shelter themselves under the sanction of the Tender Law, whilst their creditors can have no redress in any Court of Justice, but must either receive twenty shillings paper currency for one pound gold or silver, or starve?

Those people purchased our lands, slaves, and other property, borrowed our money, and received our cash for their bills when money was valuable, and never offered us payment, but put us off, from time to time, until it depreciated in such a manner as the receiving it must inevitably have ruined ourselves and families.

By this means they have been enabled to realize estates and carry on a speculative trade to advantage, and we, their creditors, as well as the landlords who rented their lands for cash, the widows and orphans, are ruined.

Is it to be supposed, that men, capable of such iniquity to their neighbour and fellow citizens can be depended upon as true patriots in the day of trial? No! The unjust man will always act a double part and become a traitor to save himself.

What encouragement have we to risk our lives and the small pittance we have left in defence of the property of those men who have deprived us of ours?

Have not our Honourable Legislature enacted laws to allow prices for tobacco, meats, grain, &c. adequate to the depreciation of our money? Have not they made laws to enable themselves to receive payment in tobacco for their publick services? And why not consider a great number of their constituents who are distressed and deprived of their property by their debtors, who are daily receiving the advanced prices for every thing they dispose of, and thereby enabled to live and pay taxes, whilst the creditors are starving?

We have heard of a printed bill being sent to the Delegates of every county for the consideration of their constituents, but nine tenths of the people, that this bill might relieve, have never seen it, nor do they know its contents for want of due publication: Those who might be affected by so just an amendment of the Tender Law, and obliged to pay their just debts, are probably of the same opinion with the 172 reputable freeholders of Buckingham county, and would earnestly intreat their Delegates not to meddle with the Tender Law. Forbid it Heaven! That the Honourable Legislative body of Virginia, so remarkable hitherto for their upright intentions and constant endeavours to alter and amend the laws of the state, should suffer a law, so destructive to its best friends, any longer to remain unaltered or unrepealed.

AN HONEST WHIG.

FAIRFAX county, Nov. 24, 1780.