The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-09-08
A Plain Statement ofFcrfs,

my hands to be provided for. ] ex-
pected and desired above everything,
to go on in the work of a travelling
preacher. as I.had done from boyhood,
never having expected or desired TO en-
gage in any other business. But my
wife's parents, by the rayages of the
the war and old age, were left in an al
most destitute condition, so as to make
it absolutely necessary that some one of
their children should either take them
to their house, or 60 and live with them,
i'm order to take care ofthem. My wife
of course could not leave chem until
something was done / therefore pro-
posed, that some one of the family bind
themselves in a contract to provide for
them, as above stated, and take the lit
| tie property of the estate to assist them
in doing so, having no object in view
but the comfort and happiness Of the old
people, and believing at the same time,
that the entire estate would be a poor
remuneration for any one who would
undertake it. This proposition was de-
clined, but as no one should wish to inn
pose Oh others what they arc not will
ling to do themselves, 1 felt compelled
under the circumstances to take the
proposition myself, but did it with
great reluctance, knowing that it would
very much interfere with my Confer
ence relations, and the education of my
chiidren-interests more sacred to me
than all others. / nevertheless bound
myself in an obligation to pay all the
debts of the estate, including a balance
of ten or fifteen hundred due on the land.
with assets sufficient to pay oyer half of
that amount, and the land when paid
for, was to belong to my wife and chill
drcn at the death of their parents. 1 at
first refused TO go into the contract I'M
til complete settlement was made i'm re-
gard to all the claims OF the estate, but
finding myself thrown into a state of
suspense in regard to my own condition,
| and the condition of our parents, and
being assured by one In whom 1 placed
the greatest confidence, that there could
be no difficulty in regard TO said set>
Element, Il signed the contract, being
told by one who ought to know, that
the estate was incumbered by no debts
save the balance due on the land. Very
soon claims began to come against the
estate, of which / knew nothing. /
commenced paying, and continued to
pay, as long as could get anything to
pay with, ard finally was forced to
throw the unsatisiied claims on the as
sets Of the estate as the only means by
which they might be paid. Soon after /
entered into the said contract l made
application for settlement, but was put
off on the plea that it was not quite con-
venieni. | applied again and again,
and WAS put of with similar apologies.
Finally, apprhhensive that something
unpleasant might grow out of the az
fair, / asked to be released from the
the contract. This was declined. \ lit
tie after this an urgent call came from
another Conference for transfers. I was
urged by some of the most influential
members Of our Conference to go.
was an xious to do so, and with that OBJ
ject in view, sought again, in the kind
est manner, to be released Twas. treated
with indignity, so that 1 could only get
| off by leaving our parents where we
found them, only in far more helpless
condition. This of course we could not
do. made yet another effort; learning
that another member of the family had
put himself to great expense and trouble
for the purpose of taking care of his par
ents, rproposed that he take our contract,
and release us. This was declined.
Thus il will be perceived that / have
sought every possible means of honor
able release, not because of the least
| disposition TO evade the obligations of
the contract, but for the sake of peace.
Why has not the land been paid for?
For two reasons: First, because / was
not able TO pay for it without the as
sets ofthe estate. Second, had paid
for it without settlement I should have
| incurred risk of losing what L had
paid. Had the matter been settled
up as was the understanding when the
contract was made, the entire indebted
ness OF the estate would have been paid
long ago, and there never would have
been the least disturbance, and not un-
til all means of amicable adjustment
had been exhausted, was a legal pro-
process resorted to.
These are the leading facts inthe case.
will not speak of the undermining ef-
forts which have been brought to bear,
for the purpose of breaking Inc down in
NV Conference relations. j hope not TO
ne again forged TO allude thus publicly
to this very disagreeable subject, and
would not have made these statements
had not my dearest interests been IN
volved WM. DosS.
September LIST, ISL.