8 o 
HISTORY OF THE [book v„ 
sums must be expended in the purchase of the free¬ 
hold, and in the first operations of clearing and plant* 
ing the lands, and erecting the buildings, before 
any return can be made. One-third of the money 
thus expended, he has perhaps furnished; but the 
time soon arrives when a further advance is re¬ 
quisite to give life and activity to the system, by 
the addition of the negroes and the stock. Now 
then is the moment for oppression, aided by the 
letter of the law and the process of office, to reap 
a golden harvest. If the property answers expec¬ 
tation, and the lands promise great returns, the sa¬ 
gacious creditor, instead of giving further aid, or 
leaving his too confident debtor to make the best of 
his way by his own exertions, pleads a sudden and 
unexpected emergency; and insists on immediate 
repayment of the sum already lent. The law on 
this occasion, is far from being chargeable with de¬ 
lay; and avarice is inexorable. A sale is hurried 
on, and no bidders appear but the creditor himself. 
Ready money is required in payment, and every 
one sees that a further sum will be wanting to 
make the estate productive. Few therefore have 
the means, who have even the wish, efficaciously 
to assist the devoted victim. Thus, the creditor 
gets the estate at his own price, commonly for 
his first advance, while the miserable debtor has 
reason to thank his stars it, consoling himself with 
only the loss of his own original capital, and his 
labour for a series of years, he escapes a prison 
for life. 
