Southern marksman. [volume] (Clinton, Miss.) 1838-1839, 1838-12-18
From the washington Chronicle.

/ PRODUCERS ANB NON-PR0DUCERS.
! At the head Of the non~productive class
are the Merchants. They are by far the
most numerous DIV Of non-producers,
/ the mos wealthy, and consequently, the
most influential portion of The community
In fact, fhev are the privileged order in
this Republic, the princes of the land,
! the char cred nobility They control the
Legislation Of the country. At their bid
ding banking and other institutions are
/ incorporated without stint. which they
manage for their own particular benefit.
Whenever they so direct, large sums of
money are appropriated Cor their cCnve-
| nience. and fleets sent 10 the most distant
paris of the earth to protect their trade.
+ from which thew derive immense profits.
The cities and large towns are the strong
holds of heir power In them their intln
ence Is supreme. There the press, that
mighty lever of public opinion, is subject
70 their control. and so are the working
classes. Being the chartered nobility OF
| The latd, thev are The organizers and con
trolcrs ofall the incorporate ed institutions
From the great cities, the grand centefs
of their potency. their influence is ex'en
ded throughout every town and village
shop-keepers are found. or banking, man
nf,cturing or other privileged establish
ments are located. and from thence il
reaches The dwellings Of the laboring class,
Is, large portion Of whom are the debt
ors and servants of the trading gentry.
This mercantile Aristocracv in their
habits and stvle of living far excel any
other portion of the community. In the
great cities the sp!endor and internal ar
rangemenfs &c their dwellings equal those
If the privileged orders of Europe
Their habits are as lnxnrousxsand their
bad examples as pernicious to sound NOR
ais, and as destructive TO republican feels
inos and simplicity Of manners, as are.
the habits and examples of the Aristoc
racy of the old world. As the banks are
under their control. they, Of course, have
il in their power 10 command the slfIrages
Of large numbers of The people in their
employ and Immediately dependent on
them for subsistence. They also exer-
else much influence over very consid-
erablepart Of he agricultural population
who are their debtors. and consequently
tnPiF Servants. III mt. tiieii Wtdi ii.
power and influence, are mighty, and If
thew continue to increase for years 10
come in the same ratio that they have
sine the establishment of this Govern
menf, it is very evident that the time Is
not distant when the mercantile class viii
be the governing class, and this Repub-
lie become subject to an oligarehy oftFa-
ders.
Next 70 merchants are the professional
men the lawyers. docrors, &c. As they
obfain their wealth from the avails of pro-
ductive labor in common with the mer-
chants, their interest IS necessarily iden-
tified with them, hnf being less numer-
ons and wealthy body, their inference is
neither rs obvious nor rs seemingly COM
nianding as that Of the tradiag interest.
vet IN reality ii is exceedingly great
Hitherto this professional class. parfiuc-
larly the LAWYERS, have been the chief
oficeholders, and, as Legislators, have so
shaped The statutes of the country as to
give TO the non-productive class many adj