, 1842-12-17
From the New York American.
Peter ScribeF On the Respective
Duties Of the Member 81 q
Family.

From the New York American.
Peter ScribeF On the Respective
Duties Of the Member 81 q
There was once an old man who
had a large family Of boys, and they
oil lived together on one farm. and it
was a big one; take it altogether. i,
Was the best and largest farm that
was owned by any ONE family. Be-
fore this family got 80 large, they
found that one end Of this farm was
sufficient, but as the boys increased
in number and age they kept clean
ing up and extending the farm, and
had still a great many acres unused
and unoccupied. The old man mark.
ed off the whole farm in lots large
enough for each of his bows work,
and gave to each a conditional deed
is, each boy owned a lot; but
the old man made them all agree to
stand ready and in case of need to
defend each other, and especially to
him and the old family man.
sion against all and every kind Of
enemy. And he, on the other hand,
also agreed that. come what might.
he would stand by them to the last
shot and the last cent to defend them.
And this agreement was all written
out in plain English. and when a deed
was given this agreement was sign.
ed.
Things went on pretty smooth for
over fifty years, and it was the gene.
raj talk among all the neighbors that,
if no mishap befell this family, it
would soon become the most re.
spectacle and powerful in all crea-
ton.
Among other matters in this fami-
ly agreement. it was also set forth that
for the go"d Of all, it would be best
for the old man to possess certain
powers that none Of the boys should
possesss-such as coming money, de-
cIaring war. making peace and treat.
les, and promoting the gcneralwel.
fare, and sundry other matters, which
il all equally possessed the same
power, would perhaps get matters in
q snarl; Tor i, was well known then
as now If the power to do good is not
confined and well guarded, it is about
rs bad as the power TO do euil. There
may be .too much Of a good thing"
as well as s.too much of a bad thing"
and therefore this matter was par.
ticularly looked to. Things, there.
fore, went on remarkably well SO
long as these rules were well regar.
ded. Whenever any thing was re.
quired for Ae general good, the Old
man was called on, and he would
consult all the boys, and. if q MAORI
ty Of them agreed to it, he would dc
it, such as in al! cases Of roads ano
easy communications for all of then
to and from market, and also as t.
the amount Of money to be used BY
them. For. in this latter matter,
was selfevident that whatever kint
Of money they used, it was absolute
iy necessary to use a representative
Of hard money called bank notes; 70
il would never do to let these get to-
far beyond the amount Of hard mo
ney in deposite 10 pay. them; henc'
, it was that, in the old family agree
r ment, it was distinctly stated tina
none of the boys should hare tn
i, right to make what was then Gale
!. 'bilis Of credit"
} Well, things went on, as befor
: said, remarkably smooth for abor
!, fifty years, when the old man got
i. tantrum in his head. brought abot
perhaps by some Of the youngest an
widest Toys Of the family. who eve
have in all families most influenc
e over the old folks; and it turned OF
that, at one Of the meetings about
, road, when a majority had agreed
it, the old man put his peto on it, at
told them they knew best what roa'
they wanted, and to 60 ahead al
build them themselves. And ju
about that time, too, another meetiI
:, was had about money matters. al
/. he told them he would have nothn
to do in keeping that matter regul
,e ted, and might better attend to
themselves.
q Now, here we're two leading fe
s. lures Of the old compact utterly a
d, entirely abandoned by the old ma
10 and given up to the boys; and at
|. they went, making banks. It "
easier work, however, to make ban
" than roads; and the consequence, "
'e the farm was soon covered with ba
ID notes, andn great many roads w
TO begun, but that was about the end
both. The boys, finding themse
and their banks in trouble. began
ii' borrow on their bonds to finish III