The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-02-20
From the Ne,0 York Times.
I'm Hard Times Keep Out Of Debt

Keep out of debt, and you are rich; not rich
in all senses, but in most, richer than many
who have the reputation. Mr.. A, who drove
past a moment ago, is taxed as if he were
worth a hundred thousand, but hi>liabities are
hundred and fifty thousand. He will fall in
less than month and retire upon the profits of
the failure, and be hereaftera broken merchant
with money enough, and shabby reputation.
You owe not cent and have hardly cent to
show after buying your next dinner but no.
body looks on you as the cause of his ruin,
nobody fails because of your failure to meet
your engagements no widows turn rebuking
eyes on you; no orphans charge you with the
authorship of their want. With your empty
pocket you are richer than he in his (ln.) COM
Portable retirement with money enough (that
does not belong to him.)
Out of debt, every sxpence you get is your
own; you may look on it with all unaloyed
sensation of right to save or to spend it to turn
It into any fashion of pleasure or enjoyment
that it is equal to. But in debt, your money
is not your own. 1t belongs to your baker,
butcher grocer, tailor-or the old uncle who
was silly enough to.lend to you.
1t is not hard for man who is making q
living-who gets decent wages-to keep out Of
debt, and generally he ought to do it, If he
does not make living wages. it is different
thing For borrowing is better than starving,
and debt is less to be dreaded than no bread
And again, when one has, as capital, a good
trade or profitable profession, or a stock on
hand that is not Immediately convertible into
cash, he is foolish not to take hundred dol
lars if he can have use Of it for six dollars a
year, and yet he sure of the principal to repay
when it is demanded. Bnt to 60 in debt for
luxury, or mere convenience, or for any
other than IN absolute necessity, is always
matter OF doubtful propriety. Some borrow
and make fortunes on their borrowed capital
before pay day comes. But for such operations
great brains or an easy conscience are required,
and where one succeeds ten fail.
In these tight times when Wall street is like
ones mouth after eating persimmous, when
rents fall fifty per cent, and the safest men arc
shaking, it behooves all small dealers to look
sharp to their accounts. Let them. owe no man
if they ar esq fortunate rs to De thus far out of
debt and he quite. sure too that no man owes
uudoubtrd NJ g his debt be secured by the most
ever has lent is around looking up his borrow.
ers with most as>iduous perseverance, and it
is distressing to note how many borrowers are
not at home when such call. Let the ornament
60 unbought this season. Let the amusements
be forsworn. Let the coat-Wc talk TO un-
pretending pcople-be coarser than last year;
and ladies, let the bonnet be dollar or two
palmer. Put what you ment to spend for
wreath into the coal lin, and what you design
cd fora velvet that should surpass Mrs. Smiths
into the -four barrel. BE hard up for weeks
together wear patch on your garment ;wear
q naplrss hat cat srloin instead of a porter
house steaks rent second floor instead of
whole house live comfortable instead of keep
ing up appearances; do anything that is honest
never mind whether it is respecable-rather
than in such times as these to run in debt.