Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-02

country which enjoys the truest rational Freedom is best
adapted to be the home ola successful commerce "ake
away security and the abundance ola paradise fplenty
will rprn and decay unheedcd Establish the primer
pie that property safe, and man paradise OH
a barren heath A pine soudes echo to the lowing oil
his herds he builds up dkes against the cnlti-
Yates his fields beneath the level of its waves, and
poses his life eariessy in sckly ungles and among e-
rocious savages. lie will trust his all 10 single ves-
sci, and stand calmly by while she unmoors for voy
age of circumnayigaton around the globe. lie knows
that the sovereignty of his country accompanies it with
sort of earthly omnipresence; and that although II be
upon the painless ocean, the wings of the law OF ma
tons will overshadow 1t there.
In these remarks may perceive, | think, not
only the irreconcabe hostility between active
and hourishing commerce and ruthless despotsm;
but may also that the spirit of free trade must
ever prove the yirant antagonist of radcasm, agra
riansm, anarchy, and civil The mercantile
community have ever deep stake in those institu-
tons and in that state of peace and quiet which pro-
tects all lawful acquisitions; and where that comn'i-
nifty is extensive as TO weld The destlnes OF Inc
State the elements of discord in danger OF be-
ling very widely disseminated. Permit me 10 add, that
lin this spirit Of genuine conservatism, they will find
with US an efficient ally in the sound and vrtuous
agricultural class, which, from the perpetual sub-dyi-
sons of estates will ever be of itself sufficient coun-
terpose to the comparatively uncomfortable band of
dissatisfied and unprnciped indictments. Wealth
in this country may generally be traced back to indus
try and frugality. 1t is not derived in princpates
from ancestors. The descending stream however
large, is divided into thousand rs and the pro-
portion is but small Of those whose large possessions
are calculated to excite the envy Of the Besides,
" the paths which lead TO wealth are open alike to all;
the laws which protect II are equal to all, and such is
the Joint operation of the law and the customs Of society
that the wheel of fortune is in constant revolution and
the poor of generation furnish the rich Of the next
The rich man who treats poverty with arrogance and
contempt tramples the ashes OF his father or his
grandfather; and the poor man who nourlshes feelings
of bitterness against wealth. makes with the pros
poets of his children, and chershes principle which
may rob them in of the wealth their industry has
acquired
influences of commerce, it you'd be deeply interesting,
il time permitted follow her footsteps through the
pages of history. To the merchant indeed, it must be
source of pride and pleasure, to see in those pages The
evidences of the dignity and Importance OF his pursuits
In that mirror lie best perceive the operation of
that vast machine Of which he forms part-a part,
(howcver nconsderable) yet essential to the move
ment of the whole. There will he from the earli-
est ares the benign influence Of broodng
over the world. Its first germ was 10 be found in
changes between man and man but even through the
, mists of remote antiquity see how soon that germ
was quckened into life and energy. As early as the
DAYS of the patriarch Jacob, the hardleared brethren
of Joseph Gifted up their eyes and looked and behold
a company of lshmaeltes came from Gead with their
camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going 10
carry il down into Egypt" and soon they are found
themselves the command of their venerable father
across the isthmus that fertile land, 'to buy little
{ corn tina, they might live and not die And then
see the ships of Tarshish lrcgh.ed with the gold Of
Ophir and The ivory of India adorn and beautify the
tempie ofthe Living God And there is Tyre, butby
the plastic hands Of commerce. and offering herself with
heroic devotion, barrier to universal conquest
but in vain. she fell before the of Alexander and
left the conqueroT weeping for other worlds TO conquer
Commerce fled from her ruins and fixed her abode upon
the ancient Carthage. The power and trade Of Tyre
laa
tined surpass in wealth and strength the splcndor
and renown of Tyre itself. And here we begin 10
have distinct historical accounts of the state of the
commercial world. Commerce the predominant
characteristic Of ancient Carthage. II formed its great
est strength its chief support. It's power, conquests
credit glory, were all derived from trade Situated on
the of the Mediterranean, and stretching ont It's
arms 10 the East and the West the extent of Cartha
, ginan commerce took in The then known world, and
waited its products the coasts of Spain and Maui
ritann, and even beyond the pillars OF Hercules to
The cliffs of Britain and the level shores of Gau From
Egypt they transported corn-from the Red Sea spices
aud perfumes and gold and pearls and precious stones
and from Phu.nica the Tyrian purple and scarlet
stuifs and the richest and most costly tapestry--
Wealth poured in upon them, and they soon became
RI the masters Of tho Sea. But Rome was growing into
power and Carthage like her parent Tyre, was soon
found battling for her existence against the spirit of
universal domination. After three tremendous
Of various success she sank beneath the conqucrors Of
the world, who thought her thoroughly snbdued
until deprived Of that commerce, which had so sgnay
proved to he the sinews of her strength.
In the history of Rome the ache OF COM
mcrce are lost amid the din oarms and the glory ofvc
tories and the spendor of rnmphal professions, which
were illustrated by kings and princes led in chains and
by the os,cntaors display Of the dazzling riches Of
pundcred world. But Rome herself was destined to
her fall Overthrow by barbarian hordes, her
merce translated 10 Consantlnople, or scattered
among the islands Of the All Europe was for cen
turtles enveloped in Cimmerian darkness The Cloths
and Vandals seized every land. They assumed to
themselves such portions they chose assigning
share the Prince and other shares to Chieftains,
great part of whose rctaners serfs who lived in
, state of absolute slavery vlalnase, swearing iron
collars about their nccks like dogs, with their masters
names inscribed upon them. Among the mass UNI
vcrsa scrvtude prevailed. War was the sport OF
, kings and mobiles Knights armed in FURNISHED steel
from head 10 foot attended by suppIant followers
10 The field. Nothing was seen but "Inan and steel,
the soldier and the sword. Liberty was banIshed
from the Continent, and commerce was IN exile with
her They ensconced themselves upon the shores Of
| the Mediterranean in the city of Genoa, which was
partially protected the land side by the Apprentices,
which rose behind her. They brooded, too, over the
waters Of the Adriac, and srag htway sea-born Ve-
nice above lis These noble cities, whose
names have filled so large space in history in poetry,
and both republics; and thong we cannot
arrogate TO them weregulaed freedom, yet We have
perhaps to wonder that SO much had been
saved from Tic wreck OF CIVILIZATION lhey attained
pitch OF grandeur and power which placed them on
level with the most powerful monarchies and Venice
had the glory having been the successful champion
of Chstendom against the Turks, in The famous bat
lie of Lepnno Together with the Italian cities, they
ouslcd by the folly Of the Crusaders to whom they
furnished the supplies for their anatcal expeditions
The Hansc towns and the United Provinces, IN their
turn, the trophies Of successful trade England,
at this day, the first among commercial nations, was
long overaid by the incubus of feudalism; until at
length commerce struck her trident the strand, and
cities and trade began tolourish, and the shack!es of
feudasm TO drop off, and liberated man more re-
sumed his rights aud dignity.
As glorious, however, as have been the triumphs of
commerce in other ages and nations of the world, an
American may turn from them without blush, to the
commercial history Of youthful nation, since her
severance from the dominion o! Great Britain. The
spirit Of rprse have been greater II has