Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-09-25
From The Cincinnati Gaze.
Grind no. the face of the Poor.


The extremes of wealth and poverty arc less
known III the Uunited States than in any other
country. bat wherc cse do sudden c'IGHgcs
from rich to poor and from poor to rich often
take place. Wh1tcver nav be tho evils connec-
ted with this state Of things certain good results
flow from it, The rich and poor ningIe more
freely together. kindness and sympathy moro
generally prevail. These remarks arc introduce
tory.
In the early par, of my professional life. re-
ceiyed the following letter from the city of New
York:
Dear Sir: hold note of sixty dollars drawn
BY John 2. Dedimus, who is builder By trade.
and is now carrying on business in your city
Having good report of your integrity and ca
pacity as a lawyer. if you find him out which
think YOU will have no trouble in doing. will
forward tho note for collection. Please write.
lSigncdl JAMES FERGUSON.
| did not know who Mr.. Ferguson was: | had
never heard OF snch man. | know that | had
giyon no proofs of capacity as LAWYER: and as
to my integrity, If had any; ] supposed It was
known only to myself.
malicious person. who probably knew that was
little able topav the postage, who expected to
gage me in a tcycrsh and frutless search aftcr
the supposed debtor. | asked the letter carrier if
he accustomed 10 pay back postage on letters
intended hoax. But he happened to know
Mr.. Dedimus. he told me whore he lived and that
he had lately come TO the city. Some friend d.,
(probably Mr.. = or somo other brother Of
the profession.) had been the cause of my re-
ceiving the letter.
obtained an interview with Mr.. Dedimus.-
He said he had not dollar to pay with. that be
was employed as Journcyman and was working
for his daily bread. ! told him presumed Mr..
Ferguson would have no disposition to distress
him, provided he was willing and intended to paw
bit could not; but that | should recommend TO
him to bring suit and obtain Judgment that
if he (tho debtor) manifested disposition to
dodge the debt. Mr.. Ferguson would have it in
his power to prevent him. He said he did not
wish to dodge the debt: but if Mr.. Ferguson OBJ
tanned Judgment against him, he should be the
last man he would try to pay. | communicated
tho result Of this interview to Mr.. +. the words
OF this paragraph; leaving to him to determine
what course was best to be pursued.
In the copy of the letter which preserved, |
accidently marked the words 'for his daily bread
in stronger characters than the other parts of the
paragraph. They attracted my notice, and re-
minded me Of the words of the PRAYER, GIVE Us
THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. and of those that fol-
low. FORGIVE OUR DEBTS. &C.: and a congcries
of thought succeeded. which resulted in the ques-
ton, whether it strictly right 10 persist in de-
banding this claim.
had been accustomed to think that municipal
law was the rule of right, whatever it command
ed was right, whatever 1t prohibited wrong. and
that If thief murderer confessed to me his
guilt, might with proprlety defend him. And
SO think sti for if he be condemned: il must
be according TO law.
But here was case where the law allowed 4
men gre amount of household furniture to be ex.
en,pt from execution Suppose the debtor had a