Delaware patriot & American watchman., 1828-07-25

svong merchants, afe not considered trustworthy.
They thus give ruinous facilities to rash young
men to begin business without experience, charac-
ter or capital, and multiply failures to an extent
that could not otherwise happen.
10. AS Auctoneers, in many cases. give their
own notes in payment for goods sold by them,
while at the same time they have the use OF the
very large amounts which they receive from those
who buy from them an incredible capital is thus
accumulated in the hands of a few persons, who
form monied arisocracy, influencing the Banks,
controlling by the fear OF their displeasure, the
free expression Of public opinion, aud hostile to
The genius Of Republican Government.
IT. AucrtoSs produce. from their rery nature,
the GROSS FRAUD or FICTITIOUS BIDDINos; an
abuse which. it is believed, is almost univer sal.
Who that knows any thing OF Auctions, can be.
lieye that all the Sales made daily in this city are
real sales , Who is there who does not believe
that persons are sent by owners Of goods ant II
may be without the kbc edge of the AuctOneers
to raise the price on the gnorant and unwary
Where is the bu;c ahu is rot convinced that
many Auctoneers. while they are selling goods
make fictitious bddngs themselves, to obtain high
er prices Tor their employers!
II. AucTIoNs have given rise to a most mis-
chieyous practice, which requires to be explained
tn the uninitiated. Leit by the remlssness OF our
laws to the freedom If their will. Ut Is not 81
in any other country) and. therefore, fearless ai
consequences, Auctonccrs sell daily many more
goods than they advertise beforehand. single
lot of any article is sold at given price, and, as
it is the only in the Catalogue or exhibited on
the shelves, the buyer has reason to believe that
he has got the whole. But no sooner has he bought
than pei haps twenty or thirty duplicate lots care.
fully kept out Of view till that morent are sod IN
rapid succession, and often at much lower prices
rendering that which seemed to be profitable pur-
chase only few minutes before, a source of heavy
loss.-To consummate the fraud, these very ,u
pllcates, though expressly stated 10 be III all re-
spccts equal to the first lot often miserabls in
ferior. Nothing short OF inspiration could guard
against such treachery, and yet the practice is uni
yersal in this country. In England. on the CON
trary, (it is beeved) every article offered must be
expressed on public catalogue.
18. aactions tend to destroy regard for truth
1t is oathsouse 70 witness the constant practice at
auction sales, of extons goods Of all qualities an,'
descriptions, and the urtounded assertions Of ther
cost and value, to tempt buyers But we torbear
to press this objection, though it would admit of
much painful illustration. Its extreme nutotlety
renders further detail unnecessary.
10. The melancholy result of all that we have
stated is perceptble and increasing deterioration
in the moral feelings OF mercantile men. This is
.amentaby exemplied in the variety Of tricks daily
resolted to, even at private sale. It has become
more and difficult fer Conscientious merch
ants to meet the competition Of the less scrupulous.
aud at the same time to avoid what Is mean ana
di.ngenuous.
Is il possite that err rise legislators can permit
The continuance If sac't a complicated erH2