The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-08-12
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From the Berkshire American.
THE DISHONEST BANKRUPT.

1T belonged to character of rare occur.
renee. Unfortunately for mankind, it is
but too common. Humanity has wept
at It's frequent appearance. and Justice
seems to have drawn closer the bahdaUe
over her eyes, that she might the more eff
iectually hide from her view its hideous
deformity.
We now refer to that species of bank
rupt, who has fraudulendy taken the be-
neilt OF the insolvent act, by concealing
his wealth, or who has afterwards acqui-
red riches, but still continues to withhold
from his creditors their just dues, and de-
rides the claims ofequity, which, though
like chained lion they cannot be divest-
ed of their strength, are rendered inert by
the shackles of the law.
Among the creditors ofthe bankrupt are
frequently to be found the widow and the
orphan, the mechanic and the laborer,
whose dues are kept back by fraud, and
whose wretchedness is aggravated by see
lng their wealthy creditor rolling in pleas
nre at their expense, and setting their hon
est claims at defiance, The law is equally
absurd and unjust, which puts it in the
power of man to be rich and yet withhold
the payment of his debts. Better, in this
case, would it be if there was no law for
then the strong sense of native Justice
would rise against the wealthy bankrupt,
and compel him to surrender his ill-gotten
treasure.
But the injustice of the law is no excuse
fol the frauds of bankruptcy; it does not,
and cannot, alter the eternal nature of right
and wrong ; and he who takes the advan-
tage of its provisions to cheat his creditors,
is villain Of no feeble die-not having that
shadow of excuse which even the murderer
may sometimes plead, namely, injured
honor and the promptings ofrevenge. The
poor thief who attempts to better his con-
dition by helping himself to your property,
and the robber, who openly bids you stand
and deliver, would be degraded by compar-
ison with the dishonest bankrupt:-the thief
takes nothing but movable, and the robber
may be resisted; the thief has the plea of
poverty, and the robber atleast the equivo-
cal virtue of courage; but the dishonest
under cover of the law, defrauds you of
houses and lands, and without the excuse
of want does that beneath legal subter-
fuge, which he has not even the equivocal
virtue of boldly attempting, like the robber,
in defiance of danger and death,
But mark the difference in the fate of
these different individuals. The lesser vii
lain, who has unlawfully taken the value of
few paltry dollars, is dragged to the bar
of justice, and thence consigned TO hard Ia
Dor and ignominy in the penitentiary; while
the greater villain, who has, under cover of
law, robbed the honest and industrious of
thousands, rolls i'll the lap of luxury, and
enjoys the caresses of the wealthy, and
fashionable, and giddy world.
L, formerly an inhabitant of this |
village, Is q HOlOTlOuS lllSldHCG Vi INC us |
honest bankrupt. A neighbor of his by in
dustry & economy, had become the owner |
oftwo little farms. L contrived to |
defraud him both. One he purchased on |
credit, and induced the interpreting owner
10 become his surety for borrowed money |
to an amount that swallowedup the other
and becoming bankrupt Immediately after,
defrauded the honest farmer of his little all |
Turned houseless on the world, ruined in |
fortune and broken in spirit, the poor man
shortly after ended an unhappy life, the
the victim of dishonest bankruptcy-leav-
ing wife and children destitute of subsis-
tence. How many others were defrauded,
and are now suffering the consequences,
we know not; we mention this case as one
of singular aggravaton.
r. went to the State Of N, York,
and settled in one Of the cities on the Hnd-
son. Until this time the moral hue of his
conduct seems to have been somewhat
doubtful there was, perhaps, nothing in il
III 1 ..a.,.,,,,,sa, 81.