Litchfield enquirer., 1834-10-09
DEBT AND CREDIT,

DEBT AND CREDIT.
 dislike the whole matter of debt and credit, from my heart l dislike it; and think the man who first invented lceer should be hung in effigy, with his invention tied to his feet, that his neck might support him and his works together. My reason for thus sweeping q, the whole system is, not that believe it totally useless, but that ] believe it does more mischief than good, produces more trouble than accom- modation, and destroys more fortunes than it creates honestly. These opinions arc not of recent date with me; they are those upon which I set out in eaI y life, and as l grew older became more and more con- irmcI in them, not that | changed my practice while I hc!! fast my professions, and got my fingers b"rned at last by thrrst- ing my name in a day book. nor did l do this because l could not sec the evil effects of credit around me in every shape and form.
 But visit to my old friend, Timothy Coulter, called the subject up so forcibly. that I concluded to write line on ill., His last COW was sold by the constable this very morning for six dollars, though she cost him sixteen, and they have not left him an car of corn in his crib, or a buShel of rye in his barn, much less any of his stock: it was what is called the winding up of the concern; and he is now on his good behavior, for heard one of his creditors say, that if things did not go on very straight, he would walk him off to county prison ship. Thus has ended Timolhv's game of debt and credit. When he first ! commenced farming he was as industrious and promising young man as was to be found he worked day and night, counted 1 the cost. and pondered on the purchase of every thing. For year or two he kept out of debt, lived comfortable and happy and made money; every merchant tha, knew him. was ready to make polite bow each knew him as one of your caslt men, l and liked his custom; the mechanic shook him by the hand and begged his company to dinner, hoping to get job from him : and even the lawyer, in contemplation of his high character, tipped his beaver as he passed him, as much as to say, Tim, you have more sense than half this world, but that is no consolation to us.
 By some fatality, however, Timothy found out there was such thing as credit. He began soon to have many running ac- counts: it soon followed, that the inquiry, do really wa"t this article 2 before he bought it, was neglected; then he began to be careless of pay day, his accounts stood he disputed them when rendered <; was sued, charged with cost, and peIiiaps, slyly with interest too, and he became a money borrower before long but his l friends, after law suit lad brought them their money, were ready 10 credit again.- 1 The same farce was played over and over, 1 until now the end of these things has come and, poor fellow. he $ turned ont in the wide world, without friend, save wife and six miserable babes.
 l asked constable for sigh; of the ex- ecution, and he showed it to me. 1t was issued by young Squire bell, and could not but recollect how different was ihe his- tory of this nan and that of Timothy.- Young Bell was poor boy commenced this life with nothing but health and trade but he adopted as sacred maxim. Pay as you go;' and he told me he found little difficulty in sticking to his text. The ne- cessaries of life are few, and industry se- cures them to every man; it is the elegan- cies of life that empty the purse, the nick hacks of fashion, the qualification of pride,