The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-04-13
Mr.. RiveS on Debt PAYING.

Editor Dawson News: "Surelv onnn.
sion maketh wise man mad THE Pih,-
man whose friendship l value bioh,~
thinks l erred in advocating the renooI :.
the garnishment of laboring mems u,oo.
and sanctioned the courts for carefu1v ~.
tinizing charges of taking up goods n.y.
false pretense, and as others NAV tbinl
have receded from my belief of dabtna
ing-which l have mott am writino t KY
An honest man is od-made-yenoo,r4ialss,
does not make them; honest men nav tbd.o
debts regardless of law; statute of IiritF
lions does not run against them nor in tboa-
favor. When all man had was suhioo+ ~
his debts men failed to pay and tooL
goods with no intention of paying for tbor~ap
Laws are made for thieves, not honest NJ
but garniShment laws and bankruDtcv I o~,
are used by thieves for the swindling 10
creditors and oppression of honest men NJ MI
convictions are strong against both Tho.
two instances will explain my reasons:
In Augusta, Ca, in 183O-36 nv Unco
Henry Rives was a commission merchant
AS such he did large business. AT tbn
resumption of specie payments in 1894
panic came on. His debtors moved tboin
possessions during the night time AWAY
from GeOrgia-some going to Tennessee
some to Alabama, some to Florida H.
all, reserving nothing. His father-in-law
Mr.. Mckenzie, of Columbus, gave his wife
lot OF land, one negro man and one girl. and
my uncle went to work in the woods at wbat
is now Eufaula, Ala, known then as Mar.
thasville. judgment was obtained in
Richmond county, a capias was served on
him, and he was arrested for debt Hn
waived extradition but asked the sheriff NJ
Richmond county, a personal friend. who
came for him to take him to Fort OgIA
thorpe, the Georgia prison for debtors IN
let him remain privately with his family tho
last night, telling him: II give you NV
word of honor [ will not remove my BODY
out of your custody" He did not, but tho
body was lifeless, and he used his razor on
his throat rather than take the paupers
oath or go to prison for debts he could not
then discharge, and his creditors would mot
wait until he could work and pay them. In
l836-4O my father was sheriff of Stewart
county. In 1889 large quantities of prom
erty was sold and my father trusted his
deputy too far and he took $4,000 and
left, settling on the Tom Bigbee river in
the Wilds of Alabama. My father gave I'D
all his property, and taking his sisters NOV
ed to the edge of Baker and Lee counties
In 1847 he married Mrs. Sarah Grimmett-
my mother-Whose people knowing his in
debtednesS had a marriage contract drawn
up, naming her youngest brother and CO.
inheritor of their fathers home place, Jesse
Cook, her trustee Fathers creditors hear
ing OF his marriage to a wealthy widow sent
Arthur Fort, his successor as sheriff of
Stewart county, to serve him with rule
n1si, returnable in thirty days to show
cause why he should not DISCHARGE his in
debtedneSS or be imprisoned for debt He
refused the pauper's oath, as uncle did
declaring, as he did, mo man is a pauper
who can work" On his return to Stewart
Fort was asked by William West and Eras-
mus Bell what success he had, and when he
told them father was willing to pay if given
time these friends of his went to Baker
county, drew up a contract pledging the
net income for the debt, assumed the in
debtedness and in 1857, two years after my
birth, this debt was discharged and father
put all of his boys under oath to him that
should any of the descendants of these two
friends ever need help and it was in their
power to give it to do so, because but for
them might have followed your uncle"
For these reasons I am opposed to any
law that may be used for oppression of an
honest debtor, and the garnishment law has
Deen and is being used for this purpose, as
well as the law for taking up goods under
raise pretense. For the man who deiber
ately abuses his trust and spends for his or
MS famllys qualifications trust funds have
nothing but contempt, and would give him
the balance of his life in prison to repent
and as an example to others not to abuse
confidence imposed. ANDREW P. RIVES.