Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1840-04-23
VOL. 5.--NO. Ia.

B
their blacks.liths, their merchants, butchers
and bakers waiting for their money, perhaps
with scarce hope Of securing il at last? s.Co
to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your
mlseries that shall come upon you. Behold the
hire Of the aborers who have reaped down
your fields, which is ofyou kept back by fraud, 3
crieth: and the cries Of them which have reap.
led are entered into the ears Of the Lord Of
Sabbaoths. JAMES s, IA "Woc unto him
that buildeth his house by unrighteousness,
and his chambers by wrong; that useth his
lnelghbors service without wages, and giyeth
him not for his work; that saith, will build me
q wide house, and large chambers, and cutteth
him out windows; and it is ceilcd with cedar,
and painted with yermillionr2 These quda-
tons might be multiplied indefinitely, were il
necessary. A terrible retribution awaits that
class Of persons, who, by fraudulent conveyan-
ices, secure their properly to themselves, 80
that they may enjoy their comforts while their
CREDITORS are suffering for their pay. How Of
ten do we see persons that say they cannot
[pay a dollar, the finest dressed people in the
land! They do not lack money to pay for
ball, or buy any article Of luxury which the
law cannot wrest from them, bat they cannot
pay their debts. Before they can plead impos-
sibility, they must retrench alittle, and appro.
pirate the cverplus TO the discharge Of theirob-
! legations. .,s
But to all this it is replied, "men are bound
10 provide for their families; and that is an
obligation paramount TO all others" True,
weare bound to provide for our families; but
not by defrauding others. "But does not St.
Paul say, If any provide not for his own, and
specially for those of his own house, he hath
denied the faith, and is worse than an infdelfp
Truly he does but the same Apostle in anoth-
er place says, "Provide things honest, in the
sight Of all mem; which no man can pretend
TO, when he secures his property 10 his family
in the name Of his brother, cousin or uncle, or
some one else, to avoid the payment Of his jus,
debts. Moreover, this hackneyed text has no
reference to The question. In those days the
d poor and helpless members of the church, who
had nofriends, and no means Of support, were
thrown upon the charity Of the church, Ia
i this chapter, the Apostle describes the kind Of
persons that were to be taken ntothe number,
/ and takes occasion to enjoin upon It schldren
J u nephews'' TO support their own poor kindred;
. he then concludes with this oft-repeated and
' tortured text: "Ifany provide not for his own
: ii e., if any one suffer, his mother or other
b relation 10 come upon the church for support,
yIif he can avoid il, che hath denied the faith, and
his worse than an infdel." Tothis, every hon.
J. est man would say, Amen. But this gives no
/, Iceuntenance 10 the notion that we may rob our
S creditors, to secure ourselves.
Q "But it is hard for those who were brought
:, up in ease and luxury TO come down to poverty
3 and labor Very true: "But lis harder to
be damned" for fraud Why should we dread
f work so much? It's cnjoined in scripture as
'Ian honest and independent road to health,
peace and competence 1t was never designed
'Iby the Author Of our being that so large
portion Of the community should live without
labor; the attempt 10 do so has entailed extras-
agance and vice upon US; and this has contribu-
ted, in no small degree, to bring upon society
!, the present evils Letus 60 to work, and live
on the fruits Of our honest industry, and we
shall hear less about hard times. To conclude
!, this point,--Belore debtor can honestly plead
: justification for non-paymeni, on the score Of
flimpossibility, he must have believed, when he
, made the debt, that he would be able to meet
!, lii; and he must have used all the means in his
slpower TO pay il, even the loss Of all his goods
Let every one examine himseIfto see IL he is
,lclear. But here another question arises. 10
J debtor clear when he has given up all, Or -
he morally bound 70 do what ne can after.
i wards towards the payment Of his detes. Ma
IIny seem TO think that thoy are free, and what.
lever they can make afterwards, provided they
can secure it from theircreditors, they claim as
their own. Ifproperty can be held for their
benefit in the name Of some other person, Of IL
\ they can get away tosome other country, their
old debts are forever cancelled. But TO me
lit appears that the plea Of impossibiity
cannot avail after the inability ceases 10 exist.
When they become able, they are bound 70
Ipay n,
u II have heretofore said nothing about the du-
ties and obligations ofcredtors, because my
tIsublect did not admit oft. will just now add,
\ thai while the debtor il bound to pay, the cred,
! itor is bound to remember mercy. The cruel
\ and relentless creditor will share mo better
fate than the iaishless and fraudulent debtor,
lin that great day which is to try all our &C.
] tons.
! II. Apromise is not binding whore the per-
fcrmance would DO unlawful; contrary, either
Ito the law DC God, or the law tho land. We
cannot create an obligation that can render
void prior obligation, We are already un.t
lder obligation to obey the laws Of God and Of
Jour country, andno actor promise Of ours can
oblige us 10 violate il. Promises Of an unlaw.
| fuI charactcrare divided BY noralists into two
Glasses ass
| ist Where the unIawfulncss was known TO-
4 the parties when The promise was made For