Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-25
PAYING DEBTS.

From the pulpit and by the press as well
as around the social circle, the general ihdebt
edness Of eus people and growing disiscli-
nation to li1uidate such claims form the topic
of frequent and earnest discussions. That ex.
horta,ons TO honesty are needed, is disgrace
70 a people, it is true; but if they can be in
duced, by constant ashings, to return to the
old Ierri marks, 'twere better tina, sueb ash
ings be administered than that the faults of the
culprits be CLOSED over and hidden until con-
tinuance in ini1uity should so blunt the sen.i.
bities that reproof could effect nothing. As
in the physical atmosphere, so in the moral,
there are at die rent times tendencies TO differ
en-, diseases and contagious and the prevail
ing evil which, in this day, affects high aud
low. corrupting alike public morals and pri-
vate virtue, is dishonesfy. Moneyed rings
prrpe.raie zig swindies and indivih re-
peat the transaction on a small scale. One
man owes his fellow one, two, three or hun
dred dollars, as the case may be; 10y paying
the debt money would change hands rcliev-
ing the pressing necessity Of, it may be, dog
en- individuals in one community.
Just look for a moment at the onesded
working of this system. One man, by Gnirks
and exemptions, retains several thousand dol
lars worth of property which cannot be reach
ed by process of law. Another pays out dol
lar after dollar of his hard earnings, never
considering it his own so long as Just debts
are unpaid. The former dies; his family is
left in easy circumstances and no matter II
others equally as deserving and necessitons
have claims on that properly they must suffer
on and it makes no difference; Tar does not
make the demand and a pliable conscirnce is
satisfied with the dfmands Of lar, whether
right or honest, or the grossest violations OF
the same. What if the letter dies, Why
his family must suffer bitter penury He paid
out his money IA Ire made it.-Dollar after
dollar went to the domestics OF his household,
the greer, the drygoods merchant, the en-
ployee vim Carried on his business, so, moth
Ing vas left to supply the wants OF widow
hood aud orphanage. All, says the world,
poor fellow! but then it's his own fault. he
ough, 70 have lined his pockets while he
could The widow OF the former wears her
eaLles and graduates the lace and Grape to suit
the stage Of mourning That of the latter. IN
soiceless woe, wears her old apparel and
turns, and remodels, and patches the UMPIRE
eentablc garments OF her little ones.
But certainly g discriminating public-hold
We bcseech you. for of all the humbngs, this
same discriminating public" is the most
shamefully sycophantic. No moral honesty is
there TO frown on wrong, and smile feeble
right into countenance IL gathers its silken
robes and passes by on the other side, while
che widow and the orphan may s'arve they
like, itcsnnos risk tie contamination which
would result from contact. Public opinion
What is it, In nine cases out Of ten the ipst
dirt of some rich man, whose creatures carry
the word down the line Of fawning 1atterers
who stand ready with their AYE, aye my
Lord" to second any assertion he may choose
to maze. And such puppets think thus to Sc
cure es,eem, when instead thereof they rear
the contempt they deserve; any man of mind
and honor preferring an honest expression O.
opinion even though not in accordance with
his own views