The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-04-06
From the Southern Patriot
: The Rich. poor Man, and tho poor
Rich Man,

winch VIC are now disposed TO make
the head and text of au editorial. In
this admirable little book were drawn
the characters of two persons, the one
'icta, hut living beyond his means, and
the other poor, bat living within his
means. The rich man WAS always en-
barrasscd by his debts, and in want of
money; whilst the poor man never felt
this embarrassment, but always had
plenty of money to supply his wants.
The rich man was SO worried and frettcd
by the opportunities of his creditors
hat he never had any to give in charity
or lend friend in distress. But the
poor man always kept u little money
on hand, to meet these contingencies
and emergencies.
In passing through life how often do
VIC meet in reality these imaginary
characters of this little book! The
poor rich man is al every day char
actcr. He may he seen every where
in the United States, from the Louis
lana sugar planter, with an immense
estate and thousands Of negroes mort
gagged and pledged for debts unneccs-
'sarily contracted, to the rich merchant
and millionaire with his paper and
notes and bonds in bank, protested
and sued or, and worrying him out
of all peace. and happiness. The rich
poor man is Il common character, too,
in every community. He is always
t prudent and Industrious, sometimes
"a small hrmer, 'nh' honest mechanic, or
an Industrious laborcr. lie supplies
all his wants, and has money to lend
He learns t6 live within his means, and
never goes beyond: them. lie never
! sReeulates, or goes in debt, or pur:
1:ehascs what he does not need.
The vice of ,prodigality is very
common ono in this'world, and origi-
mates too often in selfish, vain.
slrri,us feeling and propensity. The
fdanty' Wishes to be observed and
fdhiired, a:urd hence, in. addition to
long heard md mustacIlcs, he must
wear fine clothes, and have rings on
his.fmgGrs; iIIaqism idler, of course,
AND THINKS hinselt' too good to
J.Yssk:.SSHs laa::sb,ucfs:, rather his
1ethifors~ tiifa boot makers should work
tor him and never be paid for their
labor. The beard and nllstachcs cost
him nothing, and he has right to
wear them. 1t. is a vain, selfish
feeling, too, which prompts man to
build n fine house, purchase pair of
fine horses'or a fine carthage, when
he has not the means Of makiug pay
mcqt. He, is willing, however, to be
harrassed and worried by his creditors,
to mako a show if the world. Dearly,
too, does heisomctimes. pay for his
selfishncss.' His fine horse and equip
age are sold by the sheriff, and his
/ >Wits and children reduced to want. lie
Then ceases ii. be the poor rich man,
and does not become the rich poor
man. ~ ;'f ..t..;s3t.l -. ;.>.; i.
! 1T il seldom, very seldom, we
eyer see a. vain man who. is not
a selfish man, and it is still more rare
to.fndS a. ..selflsh man with good
i;heart-v': Vanity very often puts Oh the
appearancA' otAgei,crosity, through sci
fishness. The vain ministers to his
! intense sclfshncss by !, show Of gen.
1erosity and liberality. His Object
.tand his vanity prompts him to it) is ia
d.bc esteemed for thpsc virtues which lie
knows he does not possess. This is
Il feeling too common to human nature.
Hence the coward is always vaunting
of his bravery. Lord Chesterfield
understood this %principle Of human
nature wliGif;hc. advised his son ALWAYS
to compliments u beautiful woman for
her talents, and a talented one for her
beauty.
There is another class of poor rich
men, which is just the opposite of the
one we hive been describing. They
have great riches, but do not enjoy
thcm,' and live all their lives as if they
were poor. Their srltishncss is Just as
lntt.i.sc, and perhaps as mean, as that
of the vain-glorious man. The sci
fishncss Of the miscr and niggard
prompts him t6 save his money and
live in wants OF the comforts
and necessaries of life. IIe'is willing
to endure pain, mental and bodily
| pain, to acquire vast possessions:
whilst the vain prctendcr is willing to
experiences the same agony to make
n show in the world!
1t is strange thing, when we
think seriously of it to see man
spending his whole life in toll and
labor, denying himself the comforts
;al aud .enjoylnents of life, merely to
hoard up riches. He knows that, in
few years, he must separate from
thcm; and he feels, too, very often, that
there is no one whom he cares for.
And" yet he goes on, toiIing and
struggling, ps if there was some dear
object for whom he would sacrifice
life itself :. Whilst'liying, he would
not part with one dollar to relieve
the distress of him who is, perhaps, to
inherit his whole fortune! There is
no accounting, on plllanlhropicaI
principles, for the passion of the miscr,
or that of the prodigal, except by
attributing them both to want of
good sense and good heart.
! There is o happy medium in
all thnUs which ulI ,nnu cb,,,IJ ,