Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-04-23
From the Phaehtarotlss

wealth was a turnpike. Live within
your income, he would say, and the
goals Just before you. Then, steady
habits. perseverance, and far prices were
the watch words which opened the mines
to the 5outhiul sdventurer; but now, the
way has become so crooked that an ho-
nest man can hardly walk 10 it. 4, is so
full Of ''mantraps and spring guns" that
n man must be an excellent dodger to
make any tolerabIe progress Few Who
enter upon the journey with fair pros
poets, live 20 get hall way 10 the desir-
ed haven, An assassin stands at every
corner, and the way is all along strew
cd with brokep fortunes. 10 live
within a mans income is altogether
chimerical, for to DAY he may possess a
competence, TO morrow he may BIZ
bankrupt This msy seem To be a strange
doctrine TO those VINO have grown rich
10 other days. aud retired from the bus
lie OF business. 10 enjoy the cd oftbeir
labors They still ,blnk and say, when
failure increase, "these men have not
been G ouomical, fbey have not been at
snntive te business as we were And
they feel that they could now. If they
bad a prospect OF living ten years, com
mence business again. without a cent of
capital and amass another fortune -
Trade, fifty wears ago was respectatie
gentleman, CT NAV be allowed tbe pef'
sonlfca.ion) attending TO his own busl-
ness, keeping good hours, pay ing his
honest debfa selling bis goods at far
prices; butnow he has become despe~
rate gamestsr Ills word must be taken
with many deductions, and bis bond
with fear aud trembling. He has gwen
his conscience a dose nf opium, ard he
is bold TO avow his belief that no msH
can do.husinepe with any profit, unless
he win condescsnd TO make false state
ment. with respect to the quality and
COS; G f his goods. lie is in fact little
better than highwayman. Ii is true
he does rot put hls pistol to Your breast
and demand your purse, bat he rifles
ysur pockets white be is telling you
good story. Like Joab, he enqoires
with great concern after your health,
and in the mean time, stabs you under
tub uIlD fiu
This being the case, mr.. Editor, what
10 the honest man to do? Shall he shake
hands with his conscience and old Nc
Honesty, as Bunysn would say. and en-
list usder the banner of the pirate IN
TRIeUEa The probability is, ii he fol
low the former be viii. starve, and il he
turn pirate the worst that can befail
hin will be the gaIlo~s, Yet he may
escape with rich booty. II was net
said by our fathers. | haEiaye, that the
man who happened 10 be unfortunate
in business was TOO hopsst to get living.
This importan, discovery was reserved
for these latter DAYS Ii would seem
that little spice OF Fe6ned kawgsre IL
very essential tc man credst. There
is nothing like it. Il wakes up the man
20 MS own rterests II makes him keep
sharp lock oGa tor the nam chance.
II teaches him how 10 sell damaged
goods for perfect. how to take the ad'
vantage ~ the ignorant, how 20 make |
snort measure, how to get rid of coun
terte,t money, how 10 bite the bitter. ~
teaches h n, hcw t. flatter how 10 talk |
n,nsense, bow to praise his own gords,
and sprai>s his ne,g b RS, hew 70 ii
yes, h0sc 10 iJe aud now to do all things |
with a good grace TOE man that can
do all these things without winkng IS
seen 10 obtain credit fne importer !
or tie commission merchant feels sale |
in the hands Of man VINE knows how !
60 take care Of himself. But tire man
who ,ud MT take the advantage of !
country man. who would not pass oil |
bad bill merely because he had taken il !
for good one. wno would not otter
twenty falsehoeds for the sake OF eff |
tecting sales to The amount of as many |
dollars; such a man may be very honest,
but he has no business talent. and is not |
worthy to be trusted! would not in
sinuate that men say, in so many words,
that an honest man is not worthy of
credit. 1t is not yet quite safe to com
mence open warfare against honesty II |
is the want Of business talent which de-
stroys an honest mans credit. And what /
is business taieutf why, according to
the modern definition, it is the art of
twist'ug nd turning. Nor would in
einuate that oil who fail IN business, are
honest his is far from being the case.
To say it, would be a N6el 90 large
and respectable majority of the bGok
yupts. f1r Il Teguires no ordinary snare