American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-04-14
HPay Up"-"Pay Up.n


debt to them, seemed to take great delight
in calling upon their creditors to PAY UP in
the most peremptory terms. The usual
style, of such advertisements was dictato-
rial and uncompromising. coupled gener~
ally with the threat that if the "spondu-
lies" were not speedily forthcoming the
claims would be placed in the hands of an
active attorney for suit.
p We don't blame anybody for wanting
to collect his debts, or for taking advant-
age of the law to accomplish his object
when necessary but it seems to us that a
little more delicacy in the choice Of phras-
es, and little less Of the commanding
tone would become creditors when they
give notice to debtors through the col
umns of a newspaper.
The recent decision Of the High Court
on the Stay Law was scarcely pronounced
before gentlemen of the sbylock order
were ready with their manifestoes to the
luckless debtors in which the latter are
commanded to come forward Immediately
and SETTLE, or in default thereof, their
notes and accounts will be placed in the
hands Of a lawyer for suit.
/ Now this is a very hard case More
than two thirds Of the debtors of this State
are absolutely unable to "poy up" upon
the spur of the moment, without reduc.
ing themselves and their families to great
straits. If the creditor is firmly resolved
to have his pound Of flesh" right off,
why then we see no help for it, but that
bis debtor must "shell OUT" even if be
is compelled to sacrifice his property at one
fourth its value. If be could be allowed a
small breathing spell, and given little time
to adjust his matters and restore his fallen
fortunes, he might be able to pay without
inpoyerishing himself /; bat this is not the
Shylock style. "PAy UP!" he says. "The
.law-does it not say you shall pay me2 Pay
law gives me-" a-
1t is worthy of remark that most debts
contracted before the war were long
sirce'giveu up as lost. Very few creditors
were unwilling to take Confederate money
for them worth from 20 to SOC for one dol
lar in gold. 1t should also be considered
that the chief Indebtedness of the country
was in some way based upon property in
slaves. This species of property has been
hopelessly destroyed. We think, therefore,
that as general thing, debts contracted be-
fore the war are legitimate subject for com
promise; and we are glad to see most OF the
creditors of this State disposed to give some
thought to the circumstances by which we
are all surrounded, and make liberal and fair
arrangements with their debtors. On the
other hand, we are extremely sorry to see
disposition on the part of some TO abate
nothing, but press and harrrass the poor
debtor at time when he could not reasona.
bly, be expected to pay.
We would rather be that man whose notes
and accounts and books were burned up by
some Yankee ncendiary than to be him who
has chung to these evidences of indebtedness
more closely, perhaps, than to his wife, chill
dren or country, and fiaunts them out now,
to oppsess his less selfish but more unfortu.
nate neighbors. I
We indulge the hope that there will rot be
many cases of suits before debtors have had
at least time to raise one crop,and to provide
bread for their children. Let it not be sup
posed that the High Court decided che ''Stay
Law" unconstitutional upon any other than
strictly legal ground. In the decision itself
the learned judges declared their regret that
the Legislature had not adopted some legal
measure for the relief of the people. There
are cases, of course, where creditors are per-
fectly justifable in bringing suit, but there
can be no excuse for him who refuses to \
make any allowances for the sad cream
stances by which we have been surrounded, |
end presses his claims, ''without respect to
persons, age or SEX" las some of our lordly
creditors have it, to the uttermost farthing.
Such persons mag get their "pound Of flesh"
but they will get with it enough of Odium to
cmbltter all the balance of their lives, and
make their children! blush 10 call them father.
For the sake of our stricken and impover-
ished, eople,' we trust there will be few of
these cormorants turned loose among us, and |
that there will be, at least, a decent delay in |
the institution of suits against debtors.
-aFr .... -.--. . .Tacksoa Standard,