Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-03-23

who suffers the shave, ever believe tbs, b.
actuated by anv other motive than the -
and most unadul.erated selt.hness W.
does DOT know that be sets his guape ,,c
Ing to the urgent demands, or neces,i,ics :,
the borrower? -"
But, saws the Shaver, (he is generaIlv
8 rewd, plausible person. why nav No,
man buy a good bond OF 800 for 81
well as a horse worth 500 for SIS, IT,
bond, vel! secured, and my word for /,
shaver deals 10 none other, as re, lly Pam.
sents the full value Of a hundred dollars -.
a 500 bank note represents that amouor :
gold and silver. But the horse nav die :,
any moment. and there may be az honest 4,
versity of opinion as to his real value, r.,
let me ask these benevolent, kindbea,,I
Christians. to tell the public what is the m.
ference between lending or adyancin,
neighbor S75 and taking his bond with a.
curity. due twelve months after date. .,ir,
lsting on its face the interest to be ,ven,y
FIVE per cent. per anuum, or buying hi. tobi
manufactured. of 500 due twelve month.
alter date for SIS? Who does not Ste ,b,,
the only difference is, that 10 the one instance
the law is evaded, and in the other it is Vi.
lated, lest the culprit might oe caught Tba
Spartans considered it no crime to steal if tbs
thief. wa. not detected.
If some warm hearted, benevolent le,iJs.
tor could devise and have enacted a Law
which the ururer could not evade, be Womb
Justly entitle himself to a monument more
durable than brass. But this is not to b.
hoped for, and therefore the attention If The
Christian Ministry is most earnestly inyitei
to this subject.
The writer believes that there are very
many members Of tie Christian Church, who
entertain incorrect views 10 regard % ,hi.
matter; and farther, in all charity, be be.
~lieves, that there are some Christians gbo
practice usury. But little hope is entertain.
ed of retaining the old u-urer with hi.
scared conscience, bu; the object is faithful.
" and atfectionsteiy t. warn others, and
the public generally, against this unhalIOw.
ed practice.
Sooner or later the practice of usury, 10
any of its forms, blunts the moral sensibiI.
ties and dries up all the finer feeling. Of the
human heart; and if there WAS no expires.
law upon this sub oct, either civil or divine,
we might fairly and Justly argue lite iulquity
from its effects. Whether under the name q
broker, banker, money changer or lender,
paper shaver or victual usurer, the man mas,
and usually does get money, but with il be
gets a narrow, contracted, selfish, dried %
soul, about as big aud hollow rs q nutshell.
lie looks lean and hungry, and at the Sigh!
of a dollar, or the prospect Of 4 " shave"
his eyes snap sod sparkle like the serpent,
which soothes and charms, that it may sVsL
low it's victim.
Here is a fit epitsph Of a hardened oil!
sinne
Here lies old ~thirty.three per cent,
The more he had, the more he lent,
The more he got, the mo.e ne crayed,
Good Lord! can such a soul be saved
With this dark picture Of deprayei bumaI
nature b, fore him, well did the Psalmlst asE,
''Whu shall abide in thy Tabernacle? Who
shall dwell IN thy Holy Hil?" In reply, as
if u express tho wIckedness and impossible
ity OF certain classes being saved, he say
''lle that putteth not out bis money 70 usgry
nor taketh reward against the Inuocent.' Il
this hungry, greedy set Of cormOrants, Ike
the Kilkenny Cats, would devour each other
only, the public would not suffer or be much
troubled. but unfortunately, except under
desperate circumstances, dog don't eat
dog" and it is almost universally tree tbs!
it is our poor, hard-wcrking, ansuSpectIng,
honest-minded Farmers and Mechanics, who
are victimized.
10 the days Of the Prophet Jeremiah, The
cry came up to Heaven, 1--WE have mortgagei
our lands, vineyards and houses, to buy
coru:" and the Lord rebuked the noble: On!
rulers and said unto them, "le exact u'uV
every one OF his brother. ! pray you leave q
this usury." La these times OF almost ui'
yersal embarrassment, caused manly o.
doubt, by a most iniquit,us system OF gan
bling, speculation and u~surious interest e.
acted and paid, the cry comes up from m''I
aching and bl,eiiDg hearts, I'VE have noH'
gagged our lands aud our houses" Are tha'
no Prophets or Preachers 10 our day gu ID
walls of Zion, who will cry aloud aud SPN:
not, and fearlessly rebuke our MOBILES, cg'
rich men. our rulers, magistrates, shefsi
constsbles, lawyers, doctors, merchant 'oi
indeed expose the enormity and the crime"
all who exact usury of his brotherl'