The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-02-08
be un worthy so good father. did we shrink mo

be un worthy so good a father, did we shrink mo
nent from duty.
This morning will fix our fate.' said the mer-
chant rising. My creditors meet at eleven clock
and there are those among them who know not
the word mercy We will without doubt. soon
be stripped of everything
Despair is quite despair. pa Adeline
said, holding his hand. and looking him encourag-
ingiy in the face.
God bless you, my chiIdren!' was all the mer-
chant could utter, as be lifted from the table bun
die of papers and hurried away.
Half an hour after, he entered room over
broker 3 office in Wall street. where he found
waiting for him twelve or fifteen men. Some of
them received him kindly as he came in, but the
majority regarded him with clouded brows, and
some two with scows Of selfish malgnity.
You know the object of this meeting. gentle
tlenen said he. seating himself. Here is a state
ment of my aff.irs.' 's
.Inever should have expected this from qou
Mr. Eldridge,' remarked Of the creditors.
looking at him reproachtully.
But Mr.. L am DOT wIfulIy in this situn-
ten.'
No, ofcourse mott Mr. L tossing his head
significantly, replied.
'Oh, no-everybo iy who fails is the pink ofhon-
esty,' broke in Mr.. A, with angry garce
at Eldridge.
'Mr. A., cannot permit such remarks, the
debtor responded firmly.
1 wonder how you'll help it sir,' Mr.. A.
said fercey. springing to his feet, while his face
grew dnrk with anger. i never believe in your
honest failures he continued. What right have
you, any one else to risk my propety?-
Wha.'-
But he was cut short by motion from an indi
yidual present, calling another to the chair. As
soon as the meeting was thus organized, Mira
attempted to go on, but compelled by the
chairman to take his seat. which he did, mutterng
bitter iuvectives against the unfortunate debtor.
And now,' said the chairman of the meeting.
we shonld be pleased to have your statement, MIR.
Eldridge.'
The creditor then proceeded to submit full
statement of his affairs. He indebted, accor-
ding to this, all unts. in the Of one hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars. As an offset, his
books showed as due him merchandise, bills
ceivable, and claims in suit, two hundred thousand
dollars, and he had, beside, proprr:y VIII ch had
|
Thousand dollars was known to be dead loss, and
nearly an equal sum, owing to the continued de-
preston of business, set down doubtful and
| Desperate The real estate would not now, if
| thrown into market, bring twenty thousand dol
lars. In closing this siatement he proposed to give
up every thing into the hand of trustee. p divided
each creditor would sign release, and thus give
| him chance to get his feet again. o. takin g
his seat, the first man who took the flor was Mr.
/ A.
i see plain enough said he, addressing the
chairman of the meeting, that here is to be anoth
of the late attempts at wping off all old scores
| But l, for one, am determined that will release
no man. I's shigh time Ihiss system of releasing
was broken up. It's premium insolvency, or
roguery l should have said. If men knew that
they would have 10 toe the mark up to the last
cent, there wouldn't be so many, who know no.
thing about doing business. rushing into its urica
cies, dividing and sub dividing it until it's good for
nothing, and then taking in honest merchants.-
You'll never hear of me failing, sir. Mono.
belong to the solvent Glass;
/ Here Mr.. A., whose idea of belonging to
the solvent class, when once expressed, SO excited
his selfish vanity, that he lost the thread of what
he was going TO say. and had to sit down. Before
he had time to recover his thoughts. another mer
chant present addressed the meeting.
No one' said he, could have been taken more
by surprise than myself at learning that friend
Mr.. Edrdge had been obliged to suspend. But
my confidence 10 his integrity and honorable prn-
c pie has been uLbounded, and is unshaken now.
A statement of his affairs shows concIusivey the
cause of his present embarrassment. There are
four firms in the West, by which we have all suf-
fered, that find have broken upon Mr.. Eidrd-
| ge's business to very heavy amount. Most of US
did not hesitate TO sell them frr ely, and
blame him for doing the same. Besides this, he
has been seriously involved in the numerous fail
4 ures that have taken place n our city. That
he is unfortunate, is the hardest term can APP
ply to him. and AS such, he claims sympathy
and kind consideration. No one of US knows how
soon he, from unforseen causes may be reduced
to like extremity. m ,st certainly 90 for reieas
ing him.
Let me beg the gentleman said Mr. A.,
rising hastily, and displaying much heat, mot to
include ne among his prospective inso'vents. l
belong to the other Glass; l never expect TO fail,
and rob homes, people of their rights. l do busi-
ness on higher and better principles. No min has
any right to fall No need fail who has common
prudence and common honesty. lie shall never
have my name. He shall rot in prison first. I'm
determined to make example of these kind Of
humbug merchants. Let them all be swept
away, and then shall have good times again
curse on them"
But you can gain nothing, Mr. A-,by such
COURSE the debtor said calmly. i give you up
all. Nor will consider your release of ne from
lega! obi cations moral exoneration. Only take
off the manicles-give me chance, and | may
yet be able to pay to the last cent
'Psh!" was the creditors sneering ejacuation.--
Catch me such fool as to trust a broken merch-