Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-05-26

TIE BRoKER-We have come to the CONCLUSION,
charitable as we are that it takes an atnaHhg snia
n;oca of hesh IN make \ broker soul. We mean the
kind of brokers who fourishes IN THESE gfiPhS ue'
OF all employments, we believe lhal u 'ie n'o'oy
broker, nowadays the meanest. ~ 10 even HeaI r
than that of the pmp pand r; lnasmuch as Tor
servIe cain he oraiest the worst passions ever sown
i'm the heart of man. To crafty the drartce OF ms
employer he feeds similar passion IN ms own pl.
full soul and sacrifices to the altar Oh each wl'hou
remorse the prosperity OF ms iflehas heignDoS anu
~ his taste be an honorable one, as some would
Fain have us believe, where are the symptoms! no.
Lam forbids it-Honor damns It. LOOK at MN there
"a he slowly creeps about change as demure and
cevert as e'er veteran mouser-he carries his sigH
in his looks He seldom looks you full in the face
I'm, seems to study the polish of your boot or the TIT
of your breeches uneasily, s,delong
See that corpulent we'll dressed old gentleman IN
the Indian Office, opposite. His urbane phH woqIa
fam speak him philanthroplst-ltw would IAN nc ne
can count his millions, and might be oiesshg 10
mankind, but the rererse is the case-tnat piohef
his iackall On pretence of rubbing his beard, he
heckons to his supple tool-unnotced, he hopes ny
I. I'D party-for he is not particularly ANXIOUS that
the world should know the relation in which he and
his accomplish stand to each DINER; IL might suiiy
his fame as pnlanthroplst. .
As downward as is the brokers' glance, notnh9
escapes the notice of his lynx-eye-the signal Oh ms
employcri is answered by his Immediately crossing the
st-eet--the nabob opens TIE office door to let MN In
and now the worthy twain whisper together in that
corner. The employer has dropped his osten'atous
appearance of urbanty, and like the contemplate
creature at his side, looks ike one engaged IN dirty
business, and afraid OF being detected
The thief doth fear each officer
and such is the case with the fellows in the
They start at every feostep near them, and eye Its
owner with Jealous scrutiny as he were spy upon
their honest dealings And even the clerk filling out
policy there at the other end of the room, and out
of the reach OF the loudest syllable of their confab
L. oJ Iufnn l.
ingy What usurious scheme are they planning
now? Whose contemplated ruin are they discussing!
Who is to be their next victim :!
1t is concerted-the broker leaves the office, and the
Quasi phianthropist re-assumes his urbanity-and
Joining that group of news gosslpers uboH the ffre
launches forth in severe condemnation OF usury IN all
its ramficaons, and prescrlbes hanging as not BIT
too hard for every mothers son VINO IS aiding or
abetting such extortons in the present distressed
times. .
A poor, simple beggar GIRL with basket ofmatches
on her arm meets the broker on the curbstone, ana
impertunes him for charys sake, 10 buy cent 8
worth of her ware but what has broker to do with
charity or matches The first is total stranger TO
bis BOSOM and would find little quarter there as an
angel of light in pandemonum with the last-or a
component part Of them-he will, (if we may believe
friend at elbow) be too well, far 100 well, ac-
auainted in eternity He grlnds his heel upon the
beggars bare foot aad ambles down the street as de-
mure as any SAINT. borrower mests nun ne mas
been driving and sweating about all the forenoon fer
money to meet his note al the bank before two clock
it wants but half hour of that tme and he has not
the money. Anxiety, almost desperation, IS pictured
on his features He once rich, bat the note sha
vers have nearly made him bankrupt. Still he con-
tinues to make immense Sacrifices and Hills these
blood suckers pockets, that he may meet his notes
honorably. They confer toge,her-thc broker ieigns
bockwurdness out hard tunes double
day-'great scarcity &c. &c. The borrower talks
earnestly, no even supplicates-the broker hens and
has and names a monstrous premum-the borrower
starts with Indignation and smohenng his righteous
wrath, bids the Shylock very good morning, and
hurries down the street. sheriff meets him on the
corner with demand which he presents; half era
zed, the merchant flies back 10 the broker, with re-
quest for double the amount he first asked for-on
good security-Bnd agrees TO his hellish extortlon
The broker and his backer'-who is accommodating
from the Insurance Office window-exchange winks
and sly grns and the bargains sealed. The sheriff $
demand is satisfied and the merchant after chartably
answering the match-grps petition, with his last ftp
of pocket money, the bank and pays his note
as the clock is striking two But all his trouble and
anxiety avail him nothing; the next day new claims
present themselves, and the phllanthroplc broker
looks blank at him. An attachment ls laid upon his
effects by hungry creditor, and in half an hour
after, the heavy failure OF g, 10 duly trumpeed
in every corner of the city.
The petty brokers are now stranng every nerve 10
collect small change and will doubtless make a
pretty speculation Of II in the issue. They are laying
Il up at small premium, from all quarters, intending
when the market is entirely clear OF IL, and that mast
soon be- TO soil ii QUITO those who find II imposs-
BILE to get along without it-at an exorbtant pre-
MUM. An honorable employment, truly!
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