Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-09-13
COMMERCE.

COMMERCE..
II would seem from the fact, that one of the
political parties Of this country. take every oppor tn.
atty 10 draw n line Of demarcarion between the
farming and commercial classes, or The producer on
the one hand and The dealer on the other, that a ie "
remarks upon The na,1re Of CONNIE rec, its character
and uses. nay necessity. 10 a civilized community,
would not be out Of place. mmer strictly
defined, is simply "an exchange OF commodities"
yet It is 30 interviewer with all the wants of civilized
man, that the extent to which il iS carried. and the
perfection To which it has attaine,i, Is the criterion.
nearly. by which civilization is 10 be judged.
Tho only good definition Of man. in a few words.
that We hsVe ever seen. is, that he is IAN animal
that makes bargains" The dogs do not trade their
bones, the birds their ne SIS. or the horses their oats.
the negIo, in lis natural Stale trofica but little
neither does The Indian, and Us nations and races
rise higher aud higher, commerce. assumes a more
intricate and sbslruss form.
Commerce is coeval with the fist dawn Of civil
izlIion. So soon as man ceased to sup
ply all his own wants, nav. SO soon as
his clothing assumed anything like form or Comolness
N 1870 nv FAo1eNo " AiiAgu III anu GApGIl
once ,one became the maker and the other purchased,
ard by the payment in hs surplus produce.
cancelled the obligation, this was commerce.. The
earliest ages Of mankind as developed in sacred
history. show that commerce eIised-not onlY
individuals Taded with each other but nations traded
with HaIions. aad systems OF commerce were
praciised, One nation became commercial. as a
- o0ricultur,I 81
and thus The wants Of each were supplied, in The
cheaper 1T possible manner, and ina superior quality
Of production.
The exchange Of commodities by The owners. was
the first slep-lhe lext for coin, and as tho waEts OF
the people increased with the increased products Of
aud The arts. it became inconv enienI for
The producer to make the r ecessary Exchanges, se
hereby suffering expense of time aad money
Were there no merchants, the farmer de irous Of
selling his crops, would be compelled to seek a
customer for his article, and dispose Of what he
could; then another aud another. until he had
dsPc sed Of his surplus. lie must then seek the
manufacturers Of all the different goods e desired,
and buy Of them. In the present state Of society
that would be impossible, or rather. the PRESENT. tate
- 49, ANNNa 'eA1 NaHN AtaA a. W. CilN-
uercs aud commercial men come to the aid Of
civilization. The producer now knows where he
can at once dispose Of his whole surplus, and pur,
chase al he needs. Thus The intervention Of the
merchant Npeeds alike The plough and the shuttle,
and were The class nnnihilated oil the springs Of
industry would be paralysed.an and men must, for want
Of access 10 the com forts Of life, return 10 q stale Of
III. I..5ro Il, r;, -, ~. ....1I -
improve our condition, would decline, as il became
difficult tograriy it, TIE numberless difficulties
that would occur in efecting exchanges, would lead
each one 10 produce all he consumed within his
family, the division Of labor would be relin-
pushed, and We would soon return 10 primeyal bar.
barsm. What s0rt Of plough or harness. or cham
could The farmer make. or how could he who had
learned and devoted his time to making bis clothes
OF his plOughs. cultivate The ground.
This matter requires neither reference or eluciJs.
lion. u only requires rhat attention should be called
10 The fact. 10 convince The most obtuss in ~iateIlect.
that neither agriculture Of any kind. the arts or
sciences. could exist without commerce, and obser-
WALTON shows. that where commerce is truly brought
70 the greatest perfection. there tho arts and sciences
best aOarsh.
is then the merchant, tho snemy OF The armsri
does he irjuro The farmer or mscha nic7 or have they
The moral right, have ne mouth pieces Of any party
The mOrsl right 10 abuse them, and insil into the
minds Of any portion Of The people. distrusi Of the
men engaged IN The exchange Of commodmosl DO
thsy or their calling less command our respect Than
those or that Of auy otbsi9 Are they less hilarious.
dothsy do less sexual labor. are ihey in reality, les
producers OF wealth, Of mtlersl. than he who pick,
the mine from The earth, soWs the seed or rsaps the
harvest
Should tho man who hsws stone or holds the
plough envy the merchann Con he in HE Lsau
think The labor Of the nerohsnl less severe than bl,