Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-01-15
THE REWARD OF LABOR,

In this country, the first of January is pay
day. Contracts mature, salaries are due, and
notes and accounts are payable at this time
| The dread of dun is this moment resting upon
| thousands of minds. On the other hand, the
not less anxious apprehension is felt by as many,
! that the dues, for which credit has so long been
given. will not be paid. From one or other OF
these causes Of disturbance, there is scarcely a
mind so fortunate as to be altogether free. This
state of things is produced very much by the
want of punctualty of the paying portion of the
community. Rare as the virtue of promptness
is in business transactions it is, in many cases,
as much the result of habit as of principle
The habit of being prompt and faithful to ones
engagements may be cultivated or acquired by
proper attention. And the absence of business
punctuality does not always agree with the want
of principle. Some men fail in their contracts
or are tardy in their performance more from
carele8sness and inattention than from any Grim
inal or immoral cause. They do not appreciate
the effect of such short coming upon themselves
or the disappointment it may operate to others.
In fact, the danger is, that such Indifference and
looseness in the observance of engagements may
degenerate into absolute fraud, or the criminal
desire to procrastinate and avoid duty The
observance Of punctuality in the discharge of all
obligations is of the highest Importance to
commercial community The want Of it disar.
ranges all plans and upsets all calculations 1t
is a divine proposition, that the laborer is wor-
thy his meat, or reward And he is not only
entitled to receive it, but lie has a right to de-
mand and expect it rs soon as it is due No
man has the moral right to withhold the wages
of the worker, when they are either in his actual
possession, or might be by proper diligence In
failing to meet an engagement it is not enough
to say that one has not the means in ones power
at the time. His want of them should not be
the result of his own careleSsness or neglect
The utmost diligence should be used to meet
every undertaking. Nothing short of this can
relieve the sensitive conscience of the sense
of obligation. Justice to others demands moth
ing less. The merchant, for instance has his
own creditor to satisfy, and expects prompt pay
ment from his customer. The mechanics rent
falls due, and he cannot meet it. unless his debt
or pay the amount he may long since have ear
ned. The mechanic and the merchant. and the
creditor of both, may be made to suffer by the
failure to fulfill obligations, upon which they
have calculated. There is no economy so safe
and certain as the prompt and full discharge of
every undertaking. The man, who makes it a
point to perform all he promises will rarely un-
dertake more than he can discharge. But he.
who is indifferent whether his pledge be redeem
ed or not or whether he respect the strict rights
of others, is apt to run bindly into engagements,
trusting to some stroke of good fortune for their
performance, or that something will turn up to
extricate him honorably from them-Nashrille
Gazette.