The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-10-16
AMERICAN HONOR.


tended the cxhition-.N J. C;,.,-.
AMERICAN HONOR.
Ahour scventv-fvc wears a@o there lived
at Charleston. IN South Carolina. a family
consisting of several members II hrlnnn.1 IN
the middle cla>s-that i 70 ~av. contained
larri>ter> bankers merchants. solicitors. AM
50 nn-all Of them 7niml-rd. at lcaS, 81 Ear ~
appears. l., a hi"h sense of honor and intcn-
ritv. Rut noble sentiments are no certain
guarantee AGAINST poverty. One OF the MEM
bcr> of the family in question herame involved
and borrowed s1""0 of one of his relatives
hut was soon after seized with PARALYSIS. and
having hent his bed five wears died. leaving
a willow with several small children He
could h"Iueath them no property. instead of
which they received a. their inheritance huh
.rrlncIpl">.and a >fronG affection tor the MEM
"rv Of their father. The widow also WAS in
this respect. perfectly IN harmony with her
try anl cronon,v ,h"v ana>>r.l arnonr them
the sum of sioo. which thcv rini,lly a'prro-
priatcd Ia the repayment of nart Of their
father debt The Old man hal inl-el.rall-
cl them together around hi> h"ath l",l. AMI
told them that instead of fortune. he left
them a duty Ia perform; and thar If it could
not be accomplished in one generation. il
mu>t be- handel DOWN from father to son. I'M
til hc..dc>r"ndcnt> OF III" Rs had paid
every tarthins to the descendants of the
While matters stood in this rrc'lirament.
The creditor nart of the family removed to
. Eng'ar,l.and the debtors remained at Charles
ION struggling with Iiiii,rlti"> and rml.arra>>-
mcn-s. which not only disabled them from
paving the paternal debt hut kept them per
rr'uallv in honorable poverty. OF rour>c.
thc wish to pay in such minds survived The
ability Ii would have been Ia them an on
iovment of hiah order 10 hunt ont their
relative in En.land and place in ,licir hands
} The owing sG0o Thi< Measure whirh they
: were destined never to taste. often formed The
subject Of conversation ar"rlnd their tirc~il,'
and he children. a> they Grew M. were I'M
tiatrd into the mystery cf th, s6h0.
Hrt tha, generation passed awav. and an
other succc,rlel Ia the liability: NOT that
there existed any liability in law for thou-f
: deed had been cNcrutc,l il had la;,>,.i II
+ the course Of time. 50 that there was really
+ no obligation hut that which WAS the strong
IS c>f of alan unrrlhirahlc sense of right
e Often and often did the B--S ot' Charles
Il ton NEE. and consult together on tli~ fa:mou
i debt which every one wished. lut no on
j roul,l afford. to rav. The sons were marric
/ and had children whom it was incumbent "a
e them to support: the daughters had marie,
n too. hu; th"ir husbands possibly dii not aC
y guirc with their wives the ciiralrrrIS sens
Il nt dutv which possessed the breast of ever
!" member male AMI female, of the H. fAni',
rr and inspired them with wish 10 do u>tic
ne when fortune permitted
- 1t would hc infinitely agreeable To cole,
he and pcrrSe the letters and records of con>u
IL taiionS wlIirh passed or took place hctwr,
h, the members "f this family nn the subject @
ed the 5000. These documents would form ii
he materials ut one OF the most delightful romar
he ccS IN the worll-thc romance of honor. " hic
So never dies IN some families but l. transmit,
cS from generation 10 generation ike a treasu'
.ht above all price. When this brief notice
ne read in Charleston. it may possibly lead
is the collection of these materials. which. WI
II the proper names of al the persons engage
ire should we think. be laid before the world
de a pleasing record of hereditary nobility
cd sentiment.
er' After the lapse of many years,a widow a
cr- her three ncphcw> found themselves in p,
'ce session of the necessary means COR pawn" t
out family debt. Three quarters ola ccntu
md had elapsed. The children and the rhildrct
ION children of the original borrower had pass
InT away; but the honor of the Il. family h
md been transmitted IN tact 10 the fourth mrnrl
are ton. and a search Wa. immediately c"lnmoI
: 50 ed to discover the creditors in England.
ask This, however. as NAV well tc supposed, "
are no easy task The members OF the : fam
had multiplied and separated married a
intcrmarrcd, become poor ani wealthy, d
Is tinguiShed and obScure by turns. chang
TO their typographical as well as sa'ial po>iti'
'r" disappeared entirely from the spot they il
'he occupied on their first arrival from Charl
ing ton.
the But honor is interchangeable, and hv dcgr,
and a letter reached person in kcn>in-ton, W
red haTpened 10 possess some knowlr-i.o n
the lady of the S. family, married to a soil
1ar- tor practising with great success and 'li>tl
rlu. ton in London. When the lcrtcr c;,In''
will hand, she at first douhtc,f whether 1t mi!
.wl not be sort of grave hoax x,intenl"d t"rxc
'vcr expectation for the pleasure Of wltnc>>in.,