Year: 1860


How many pages Of lively interest, all writ
ten over with joy and sorrow, are pressed
between its snow white covers.


As ever, NELL.
Usury.


THE following article We find on our ia
bic with request that it be published in
the Times. The subject is one which ex-
cites good deal of newspaper and fireside
discussion. The sufferer, in borrowing at
extravagcnt interest, will appreciate the
points here made, while the lender will still
consider himself the violater of no moral
law.


A REPLY TO AN ARTICLE OBSERVED IN THE
DEMOCRAT l. News OF DAVENPORT, ABOUT
THE IMMoRALlrY OF UsURY PLEADING
Much has been said about the immortality
of pleading usury, and little or nothing
about the immortality of taking usury. The
individual who borrows money at high rates
Of interest, and, when pay-day comes, puts
in plea of usury, to avoid the excess Of
interest, has certainly violated his contract,
broken his word and done wrong-that is,
if he is really able to pay the excess of in
terest without defrauding other creditors or
Debating more equitable rights. However,
there arc rights more sacred and paramount
than the claim Of any usurer, which do not
propose discussing here.


It would be vain for any man to endeavor
to justify the usurer in his cause-particu-
larly from moral point of view. In The
Moral Law, or Bible, the usurer and the ex-
tortioncr are classed together, and are de-
nounced as the most vile sinners, as will be
seen from the following passages: Lord,
who shall abide in thy tabernacle? He that
putteth not out his money to usury."
"He that by usury and unjust gain in
creaseth his substance, he shall gather it
for them that pity the poor" "Thou hast
taken usury and increase, and thou hast
greedily gained of thy neighbor by extortion,
and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God"
There is nothing within the lids of the
Bible that will justify any onein taking un-
lawful interest; on the contrary, it is de-
nounced and condemned in the strongest
terms.


Again, is there nothing immoral or wrong
in violating or disregarding the law of the
country? Every individual is bound either
by an oath or by konor to support the Con-
stitution and laws of thc country. The law
of this State says that no individual shall
take more than ten per cent. interest per
annum. Is itmoral and right to violate that
law? If it is right to disregard that, why
not spurn all law? Has not the thief just
as good right to disregard the laws of the
land as the usurer? The usurer has only
disregarded the law, and the thief does the
same and no more Let the usurers first
clear their own skirts from immortality, get
the beam out of their own eyes, that they
may see clearly where the fault lies, and
they will then have no reason to complain
of the injustice and infidelity Of the bor-
rover. When the law of the country will
not protect man in his claims, it is pretty
conclusive proof that he is in the wrong.
Many strive to protect themselves from
censure by saying that money is worth jusl
what it will bring. There never was more
false doctrine: Money is not strictly a mer:
camille commodity but is the medium
through which trade is conducted; it is Of
the same value or nearly the same the world
over; a gold dollar, neither moro nor less
throughout the civilized world. Money
when used earns certain per ccntagc i
well managed, which is generally termed
a.. -, ....-----a-t,> ..a.
very much upon the kind Of business ir
which the money is invested. The rate o
interest demanded should be governed frs
by good conscience, second by what it woult
earn for certain time limited, in a legiti
mate business, and not by wild speculativ,
notions.


1t is worth what any legitimate busines.
will produce after returning the capital in
vested, paying expenses, and living prof.
to the trader, all the surplus may be term
ed, what the money earned, or the interest
Let any one sit down and calculate what
the aggregate amount Of the best and mos
substantial business men can make over
and above their capital invested, expense.
and moderate compensation for theil
trouble, and he will find that the rate of in
terest would be about six per cent, at tn,
most, not over ten. To govern the rate o
interest by what the necessities of an,
number of individuals may force them t.
give or promise to pay to help them out o
extreme difficulties is perfectly ridiculous
"Skin for skin,' all that man hath will HI
give "for his life'' and should such rule b.
the standard of morality and good consci
encc! 1t is the rule, but it should max,
any man blush to own it. Talk about sla
; very, about apprehension Of its immorali
}, ty, its vices &c. The slavery of the Soutl
with all its vices does not compare with tn
slavery produced by two and three per cen
, per month those who have been ruine
: by it will out number the slaves OF tn


south, and their suffering and privation
will b. known to and heard only by tn
: God who pityeth the poor