The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-04-19
ANATION,s Death.

earnestIess than ever before. Even If
in the couise OF such discussions. many
crude things re said, and even many po
81 ions are assumed thai prove lndeien-
sible, IL never beless shows 10 what par
ticular topic public attention is directed,
and the tendency and temper of popular
thought. TIE relation Of debtor and cred !
itr Is moi what it ought to he. by any
meaus, though great improvement on
whai il was not very MANY years ago. VI
course b, tn psrtirs to this rrlal'n are to
receive consideration At 'he hands Of those
who think, tall and write Oh III 9 subject.
|. would b. as great wrong 10 Tighten
the la dens oil one class at the N 'Difest
expense ofanolher, as not TO attempt 10
ring about better s,ale of affairs at all.
But. thus far in civilized history, the cap.
italint. lha' is, she creditor, has had it
pretty much Ills own way; aud that way
has invariably ben so b 'rlsnd grinding,
uperati G wilt such crushing effect on
humanity, that it should be accounted
nothing strange if the quirkened -ympa,
HES o. this a!e We're TO render its intel
lcct active in deVisiug means oi equitable
relief.
In our opinion, the whole system Of
credits, as at present tolerated and prac.
ticed, is wrong. Credit should, by the
law OF nature If no other, cease where
.onsump ion brglns They who buy to
sell again, moved by the spirit ,f trade
and specula ion, must Of course be re.
duced to the nscesslIy, greater or less, Of
asking for time in which 10 make their
payment. though we believe great re
form could be- wisely introduced even in.
10 lLis part Of the field; but thsy who buy
to consume, ought TO buy for cash, and
cash only; and if the retail trader chooses
to favor some with credit, lei it be full,
understood all round that he does 80 fr II
nothing but confidence in lis customers
honor, no law being able to reach then
wi h it's compulsory process on his be
half Ii is 10 advantage, in the grea
majority oil instances. for a person 10 OBJ
tain credit; on the contrary, il is extremcl
harmful and quite much 80 TO the cred
itor, too, ns 10 The debtor.
There is no scrvitude, whether in lhl,
or any other county, like that Of being il
deUl. Debt is ball and chain fastened
10 the me tal energies. Debt is Of i,scl
u ty rant, however seduclivelv ir may pre-
sen its FIAT the outset. And il is lament
ably rue, to-, whele, NJ with us, 81 many
eOpl- fnh themselves in this category
and hc laws bear with such severe in
quality upon them, that the collect i've en-
prgies ofa whole nalion are to that ex
L M p raliz d, and finally destroyed. Th'
fac rs j. is TO b. seen illustrated with us
is one # the sLddcst in our whole condi
ion Mere ply ysical bondage hears uc
sort of comparison with it. This en-
slaves thew ry soul, cramp ng and CT ush
ing AL i's aspirations for freedom and
growth. 1t tasrs mastilfs hold upon
lie mar, aud shak' the true manlinsss
ont If him. And wh.ro the laws ART 81
coustru ted rs to favor the creditor ut til,
asl. rlhrr than the debtor, it cannot b
but the later must SuileI far more deep
ly, than may u, first thought bo es.imat
ed.
lf We look around u.s. W. shall lini tina
tens Of thou sands Of p 'rsons, representa-,
: tho energies, the strength, the labor, an,
the w"ith oi the cntre nation, men VIII
arc especially adapted to the work of dc
ve,upng thu national resources to lh-i
fullest exlent. and leading up th" nation
al name 10 the highest material, ifnot in
tolec,ual achi.vements.- ARE living. an
. only living, with tho threats and terror
Of a ,vr.unical statute for the coIlecuo
Of debts over Their h ads. They look a
head, and can discern uohing in life fo
I them TO do, because they happened to b
9 unfortunate in wat t"ey have already III
, d1rtakcn; and cruel | W is permitted {
step in aud say to the deUtoT tha for til
rcst of his Ifa he shall mol exercise hi
| talents, nor bring into play his energies
nor exercise his ingenuity. at the lisk ,
having The results prOnounc d upon, an
snatc' cd from him Al any time. H"nc
no is chained. hand aud loot. He feel
conscious that ho is nothing better tia
Z wr OK already If h. can manage I
keep his family t'RoIher. and sail aIoo
through life by dndging into the 1t
covcN and bays that 30 in along tho shor,
ho will cs rem himself particularly fortu
; nate, aud tri ha-d 10 be content vii
merely that. But there l9 nothing more i
it, for him Tho Jaw has thundered il
analhama againsI him for his misfortune
mis- or r'unes, too. which that same Ia,
j has indirectly helped to rain upon hi
0 helples, head and henceforward bis maj
hood il crushed; so"i'ty no longer reooy
nizes him as an individual or necessaa
} force; no falls out Of the car of progrrs,
| he may no' plan, aim, devise, work, a,
plre any moro, but must finish his word
career with creeping in ho sand,olr Q
corner, aud worrying Ou. his exis ence a
l. qu city as ho can.
Now why--all reheo ing mon at ono
ask should these things bo 80? La
ought to BE- supremacy Of reason, and nj
tho barr represen, ,A,ive OF ,bsulutism; an
what posslblc roson can there b. in lakn
away mans incentive 10 ex4rtiou, bIea.
Ing hls spirit, crushing out his ambition
and dr'troyiDg his energy, because h
was vncc obliged 10 sutf r HIS note to G
TO protest. We o'y ou with the shriIle
and most shrirk'ng deuuncia,ion again
public instances Of 'yranny aud compel
I'd external suffering; We are the vaunlO
friends of aud advoca.e for tho s,Svo who
wa vannot reach with our hand, and Wi