Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-05-27
From the .Nsw- York National .advoeats,
DOMESTIC EcoNoM

From the Nsw- York National Advoeats.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
wALL.srREETis akind of commercial ba.
rometer, and always observe the counte.
nsnces ofmen of business in passing through
tina, busting Street. Very lately | was
stopped by a. commercial quidnune, who
informed me that Mr.. A. B, C, d, L and + I.
had failed within three days; that times
were uncommonly bad, and prospects very
gloomy and the re'ult could not be lore
seen. Independent Of the hazards OF COM
MERGE, | could account for these failures
whose houses, Of some ten years standing
had commenced with small capitals some
with no capital, and instead OF uniting IN
dus,ry, prudence, and rigid economy,
contrary course had Been pursued and the
FIRST shock erwhelmed them. Look into
III. houses of some of the merchants, and
see them furnished with splendor equal to
that Of British nobility look al their mode
of life, and actual expenses, and say wheth-
erany business can bear such extravaganza.
Several of these broken merchants have
expended for ten years past, near ten thou
sani dollars per annum, in their houses,
carriages and wine-can 1t therefore, DC
sprprisipg that an accumulation OF such ex-
penses should lead to ruin.
have long observed, with regret the
wanton extravaganza of our merchants ana
traders. A store isrented at 1900 or l oou
dollars per annum, and dwelling house at
loco OF 1900 dollars; and system OF llV'
ing corresponding with such establishments
is adopted, which sets economy at defiance
and leads to ruin and by perniclous
sxamole. attracts others into the dangerous
vortex. Why should men waste money!
WHY should more money be expended than
what may be necessary for the decent COM
forts of life? Why will families plunge
themselves m ruin, merely TO live few
wears in luxury? Is not a course at war
with comaon sense, and with the duty
which man owes to society and his family!
Can any business prosper under an annual
domestic expenditure of 10000 dollars
together with losses in trade? These re.
Elections l'made to myself, as | entered
Broadway and looked into Easthurn's not
n soul was there-and not one dollar would
extravagant men take from their appetites
10 purchase mental banquet at so large
stor, house-a crowd was entering the CITY
Hotel, and as followed all crowds to study
ch,racler, fell IN tine current, which car
r;ed N, I'D to the ball room, where on
long table which covered half the saloon,
gorgeous display of rich plated ware was
,een-an auctioneer was selling the ware
TO many ladies, and very few gentlemen
and the ladies were bidding tor articles the
real value of which they were ignorant OF.
Now thinks |. while these amlable wives are
SO anxiously struggling to get rid OF their
husbands money, their husbands are toliing
in the sun borrowing at large premiums in
wali.street, and doing all to preserve their
credit, while their unthink'ag companions
are pIuneing them into deeper difficulties.
One lady bid high for a plated soup tureen
--"She shant have it, am det.remind,"
said a little cross woman. "Fl' have II cost
what it wil;" then commenced OPPOSE
ton, then commenced system OF outbid-
ding, until the articles were knocked off
at twice their value. And who suffer-
saiiI? The husband. Surely, some re-
Election. some consideration, is due to
toiling. anxious, worried husband, who
while endeavouring to save dollar in bus'-
ness, loses twenty by the extravsg 'nce OF
a wife. Why buy plated soup tureen
for forty dollars Will not one of china tor
five dollars do lull as well /? Why buy pla-
ted wine coolers-piated toast racks, beef
stake plates and gravy dishes lfyou can
not afford to buy silver, then purchase CHI
ma, which is more neat and economical
But the eccentricites Of fashion are ruin
ing families by wholesale and what IS
wasted for unnecessary articles, would
doubly pay Tor those which are indipensa-
bic.
Ifthese things are not checked, we may
complain of the times without producing
reform, and now is the time to commence
the work of regeneration, and Ia use firm