New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-02

The spectacle OF minister of the Christian re-
ligion resisting in Court of Justice the attempt
TO tbmblerig him out Of the sum of fifteen dollars,
Federal currency. has not the color and sembIance
of the heroic ages of the Church in which the Ia
bOrer was canOncally deemed to be worthy Of his
hire. The exhibition has its solemn side but it
has also it, ludcrous one and that is just the side
which will be most papable to profane optics.
Here is contract by which, for the reasonable
sum of fifteen dollars, the Rev. Hiram z. Osgood
of the town Of Columbia, in the State of Maine,
being an approved minister, of the first part agrees,
bargains and contracts with Joseph Crandon of the
town and State aforesaid, of the second part, that
the party of the first part will care for, inspect
and faithfully keep watch and ward over the soul
OF the said party of the second part, and will ad
minister to said party Of the second part due and
fsithful admOnitions, skillful scrptural exegesis
eloquent eXhOrtations and ingenious incentives to
virtue aud godliness. No man ever undertook to
do more for fifteen dollars than the Rev. Hiram p
Osgood contracted to perform for Mr. Joseph
Crandon. But Joseph proved TO be altogether too
tough customer. The Rev. Mr. Osgood totally
for many months found himself in the same repro
bate conditions disappointed unconverted, soul
ack man. He had not by any means, eSpe-
renced the benefits which he had expected
Acting upon the time-h -honored and equitable prin-
cipe Of "No cure, no pay" be refused to dlsburse
the consideration agreed upon. Whereupon the
Rev. Hiram P. Osgood, naturally indignant at
the refusal of Joseph either TO pay up or to be
converted, had resort 10 the profane action OF as
sumpsit and, by means of that worldly instrument
called writ, prevailed upon the tough Joseph to
come into Court and submit the matter to one
Judge ard twelve men. Then followed the plead
ings. The plaintiff averred that he had preached
at Joseph and exerted himself od sniorcm, TO save
the soul of Joseph. and he did not think that he
should be choused Of his money because he had not
accomplished that which was, humanly speaking,
impossible. Whereupon Joseph, as became con-
tumacious goat, soemnly rebutted that he verify
believed that he should have been saved, if the
Rev. Mr. OsgoOd had not neglected the soul of the
said Crandon To attend political meeting in the
town Of Jonesport. Not having been saved, but
Oh the other hand lost, by the neglect of the said
OsGOou anu INV lDg UrcH VIII TIC tutiIc
body OF the Clergy in consequence of The errant pro-
pensites of this unworthy member OF it, he was
nOw in more perilous condition than before; and
having therefore determined 10 keep his money if
not bis soul he had buttoned the fifteen dollars IN
his breeches pockct; and as be would be damned
whether he paid it or not. he concluded on the
whole that he would be damned if be did
pay it.
Issue beipg joined, the witnesses were cslled
the agreeInen. proved the lawyers srgued
at great length, aud eloquently; the Judge
charged at great length and learnedly; aud the
Jury cegtated st great length, and profoundly, for
sitter infinite ponderng, they were quite unable to
agree-elrven obstinate men being in favor OF g'v-
ing the Minister verdict, and one enlightened IN
di,idusl seeing exactly how the case stood On the
whole we are inclined to sympathize with this ione'
some juror. We think We can appreciate the rea-
soning " hich influenced him. Ho must have ar
sued thus: Here is an action for services IN taking
care of human SOUL being the scul OF the defen-
dant; but it being clearly evident, from the whole
nature of the csse that the defendant had no
soul, or at least not soul worth fifteen dollsrs
the consideration On the part Of the plaintiff totally
fails. He in fact contracted TO do nothing, or ct
les., that which from the bcs,nals ws clearly