Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-11-30
The poverty Stricken.
From the ToIedo Blade.

Alas! How little sympathy there is for the
poor! Poverty, as it appears, usually. in this
country, might be endured, were it not for the
fact, that they are looked upon by the public
generally, as degraded and dishonest They
could bear their poverty, if they were not des-
pissed and slandered. 1t is said, that poverty
is no crime" but almost every person says,
by his actions, that the poor man IS criminal,
and factions speak louder than words" Let
a person who possesses riches come among US,
and he is caressed, courted and praised-he
is admired, respected and adored-every one
is his friend, and ready to do his .bidding!-
But let his riches take to themselves wings
and fly away-let him come to poverty and
want, by unforeseen events, and by circum-
stances over which he had no control He is
left without the means of helping himself or
others, except by the labor Of his own hands,
and there are few small debtsremRining un-
paid-what is his condition in society now ?
Who admlres, respects and adores-who is his
friend, and ready to administer to his necessi-
ty. They are all gone No one doubted his
responsibility or honesty, when he was rich;
and they have no reason to doubt it now; but
what do they say of him? Why, she is
poor, miserable, dishonest fellow, he owes me
five dollars, and won't pay it! If he would
only pay what he owes me. that is all that
would ask of him-he must be a rascal to run
in debt without the means of paying" But
he contracted his debts when he was able to
pay, and when you was willing to trust
him; and he expected to pay, but he was de-
prived of the means, perhaps by the fraud
and deception of Others or by some unsuspect-
ed calamity, and now it is out of his power to
pay-"wel have suffered enough by him,
and he may now take care of himself: and
shall look out who l trust next time.'' Thus
we see, that the misfortune of this man has
deprived him of his riches, his responsibility,
his influence and his friends; and he is left to
struggle with poverty and disgrace. He is
ready and willing to work, but no one wishes
to employ him, he is needy, but no one comes
! to his relief! He is honest, but every one
doubts it, not because it has been proved, but
because he is poor, and cannot prove his hon
esty by paying his debts. His case is a hard
one-he is truly to be pited; but who is there
that has any pity or sympathy for poor man,
except the poor, and they have nothing else
to give!
The honest industrious poor man land
hold that there are such) needs the sympathy
and aid of the rich, and they can give it to
him. in various ways, without any loss on their
part They can give him their countenance,
and their advice; and they can give him en-
ployment; for all of which he will be grateful
and thankful. They can, at least, treat him
like an honest man. and human being, and
even this would be great qualification, and
would relieve much of his sufferings, if it did
not his wants But the rich man can domore
every honest poor man in the country can
be made prosperous and happy, BY a very lit
tie effort on the part of the rich. They need
not give their money, but give them encour-
agement and employment Treat them as
though they were honest and respected, and
they will feel themselves honored, and will be
respectable. 1t is enough and hard enough
20 be poor, without being despised: and it is
wrong to despise man for poverty alone
The rich ought to discriminate between the
honest poor and the dishonest poor. There
is difference, and it is a great mistake to
suppose, las is generally done) that all the
poor are dishonest; it is not so-there are
many honorable exceptions. X.