The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-04-07
By Request.
EULOGY ON DEBT.


Debt is of the very highest antiquity
The first debt in the history Of man is the
debt of nature, and the first instinct is to put
off the payment of it to the last moment
Many persons, it will be observed, following
the natural procedure, ,rould die before they
a1ouzd pay their debts.
Society is composed of two classes, debtors
and creditors. The creditor class has been
enormously supposed to be the more enviable.
Never was there greater. misconception !;
and the hold it yet maintains upon opinion,
is remarkable example of the obstinacy OF
error, notwithstanding the plainest lessons
ofexpcrience. The debtor has the sympa-
thies of mankind. He is seldom spoken of
but with expressions of kindness--"the poor
debtor "-and "the unfortunate debtor p
On the other hand 'harsh" and "hard-heart-
ed'' are the epithets allotted to the creditor
Who ever heard the spoor creditor" the
unfortunate creditor spoken of No, the
creditor never becmes the object Of pity, un-
til he passes into the debtor class. A credi-
tor may be ruined by the poor debtor, but it
is not until he becomes unable to pay his
own debts, that he begins to be compassiona-
ted.
A debtor is man of mark. Many eyes
are fixed upon him many have interest in
his well being bis movements are of con-
Germ he cannot disappear unheeded; his
| name is in many mouths; his name is upon
many books he is man of note-of pro
missory note he fills the speculation Of many
minds; men conjecture about him, wouder
about him, wonder and conjecture whether
he wiH pay. He is man of consequence,
for many are running after him. His door
is thronged with duns. He is inquired after
every hour Of the day. Judges hear Of him
and know him. Every meal he swallows, ev-
cry coat he puts upon his back, every dollar
he borrows, appears before the country in
some formal document Compare has notori-
ETY. with the obscure lot of the creditor, OF
the man who has nothing but claims on the
world a landlord, fund-holder, or some such
disagreeable, hard character.
The man who pays his way is unknopn in
neighborhood. You ask the milk-man at his
door, and he eau not tell his name, You ask
tie butcher where Mr.. Payall lives, and he
tells you that lie knows no such name,
for it is not in his books. You shall ask
the baker, and he will tell you that
there is no such person in the neighbor-
hood. People that have his money fast in
their pockets, have no thong ht of his person
or appellation. His house only is known.
No 81 is good pay. No. 81 is ready money.
Not scrap of paper is ever made out for
No. 81 It is an anonymous house; its own
er pays his way to obscurity. No one knows
anything about him, or heeds his movements.
If carriage be seen at his door, the neigh
borhood is not full of concern lest he be 60
ing to run away. If package b. moved
from his house, a score of boys are not en-
ployed to watch whether it be carried to the
pawnbroker. Mr.. Payall fills no place in the
public mind; no one has any hopes or fears
about him.
The creditor always figures in the fancy as
sour, single man, with grizz!ed hair, scowl-
ing countenance, and peremptory air, who
lives in dark apartment, with musty deeds
about him, and an iron safe, as impenetrable
as his heart, grabbing together what he does
not enjoy, and what there is no one about
him to enjoy. The debtor, on che other
! hand. ID always pictured with wife ard six