Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-04-30
THE POOR DEBTOR.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.


There is one honest man in the world,
am happy to say said rich merchant, ma
med PeTton, To a friend who happened to cal
in upon him.
lis there indeed! am glad TO find that
you have made discovery oftho fact. Whc
is the individual entitled to the honorable dis
tine ionl'
You know Moale, the tailorT
Yes. Poor fellow he's been under the
weather for long time
Il know he has. But he's an honest man.
Il never doubted his being as honest maj
as ever breathed. Mr.. Perton.'
Il have reasons TO think that he is. But
once had my doubts. When he was broken
up in business, some years ago, he owed me
little BILL which tried TO get out Of him as
ever one did try for his own. But dunned
him until got weary, and then gave him up
as hard case, passed the trile that he owed
me to account Of profit and loss. lie has
crossed my path since; but | didn't feel
towards him as | could wish to feel to-
wards all men, treated him with coldness.
l am sorry for having done so, for it now ap-
pears that judged MIN too severely. This
morning he called in of his own free win and
paid me the old account. Ho didn't say any
entitled TO and ought to have received it
But as long as he came forward of his own
accord and settled his bill, after had given
up all hope Of ever receiving it, thought
might atord to be little generous and not
say anything about the interest; and so
gave him receipt in full. Didn't do rightr
In what respectF asked the friend.
In forgivng him the interest which
might have claimed as well as not, and
which he would, no doubt, have paid me
down, or brought me some future time
On, yes. You were right to forgive tho
interest, returned The friend, but with a tone
that struck the merchant as rather singular.
No man should ever take interest from an
unfortunate debtor
Indeed! Why notP Mr.. Perlon looked
surprised. is not money worth its inter
estF
80 it is said. But the poor debtor has no
money upon which To make an interest. Uo
begins the world again but with his ability
10 work; and il saddled with an old debt
principal and interest--his case is hopeless
suppose he owes ten thousand dollars, and
after struggling hard for three or four years,
gets into position that will enable MIN 10
pay oil Thousand dollars year. There is
some chance for him 10 get out of debt in
ten years. But suppose interest has been ac-
cumu.atlug ut the rate Of some five hundred
dollars year. His debt, instead of being
ten thousand, will be increased to twelve
thousand dollars by the time he is able 10
pay OFT anything; and then instead Of being
able 10 reduce the amount u thousand dol
lars year. he will have 10 let five hundred
60 for the annual interest on the original
debt.
-Four years more would have to eiapse be-
fore, under this system, he would get his
debt down to where it was when he was bro
ken up in business. Thus, at the end of
eight years hard struggling, he would not,
really, have advanced "a step out of his diff
cultes A debt Of ten thousand dollars would
still be hanging over him. And IT, perseyer-
ing to the end, 10 should 90 on paying the
interest regularity and reducing The princi-
pal. some ;wen.y-aT6 years c! a.s !:f;e "oa!I!
be spent in getting free from debt, when lit
Ito over half that time would have been re-
CURED, il his creditors had, acting from the
most common dictates OF humanity, volunta-
ry released the interest.
That is new view OF the ease, must
contess--at least to me- said Mr.. Perton.
1T Is the humane view Of the case. But
look to interest alone, il is the best view for /
every creditor 10 take. Many a man, who, |
with little effort, might have cancelled, ln
time, the principal OF u debt unfortunately
standing against him, becomes dishearted at I
seeing 1t daily growing larger through the
accumulation of!nterest, and gives up in de-
spair 1 he desire TO be free from debt, spurs
many a man into effort But make the diff !
culties in his way so large as to appear insur-
mountablo, and he will fold his hands in help
less inactivity. Thousands of dollars arc
lost every year in consequence of creditors
grasping after too much, and breaking down
the hope and energy of the debtor"
"Perhaps you are right" said Mr. Perton.
"That view Of the case never presented itself
to my mind. didn't suppose however, that
the interest of fifty dollars would havo broken
down Moale."
"Thero is no telling. Ii is the last pound
you know, that breaks down the camel's back. I
Five years have passed since this day of
misfortune. Fifteen dollars interests, there /
fore, due. have my doubts if he could have /
paid you sixty-lyo dollars now. Indeed | /
am sure he could not. Aud the thought of
new debt, for which he had received no ben |
fit whatever, would, it is more than probable,
have produced more than discouraged state /
of mind, and made him resolve not TO pay you /
anything at all"
But that wouldn't have been honest said |
the merchant.
perhaps not strictly speaking. To be
dishonest is from a set purpose 10 defraud--to |
take from another what belongs to him; or to /
withhold from another when ability exists 10 /
pay what is justly his due. You would /
hardly have placed Moale in either Of these /
positions, II, from the pressure of crcumstan-
ces surrounding hin as poor man in debt |
he had failed 10 be active. industrious and |
prudent, as he would otherwise have been. |
We are all apt to require too much of the |
poor debtor and to have too little sympathy !
with him. Let the hopo Of improving your |
own condition--which is the nain-spring Of
all your business operations--be taken away, I
and instead, let thero be only the desire TO |
pay on old debts through great self-donial,
that must continue years. aud imagine how
differently you would think and feel 10 what