Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-01-20
'PUNCH,' ON RECTITUDE IN TRADES.


: PUNCH,' ON RECTTTUDE IN TRADES
The following letter, from young man
en!srIng business, to retired tradesman,
with The reply of the latter, we extrs It from
our witty cotempo-ary:
Respected Sir:--When we last met, you
were kind enough to say that the benefit OF
your long experience in business should be
always at my service; and that as the friend
OF my poor late father, it would always be
pleasure to you TO advise his son. A, the
same time you desired me to give you my
notions of tho duties Of tradesman 10 the
world and TO himself. that you might at the
onset correct my errors, and strengthen my
judgment. therefore hasten 10 comply
with your request.
or course, sir, consider the old school.
boy copy that "Honesty is the best Policy
TO be the golden rule Of life, and that the
shortest way from one point to the other is
always in the straghtest line. Hence, il
viii: ever be my pride to let my practice
see why shop may not be made a temple
OF trpth-and cannot understand why o
falsehood "n the way Of business is not,
after all, a falsehood in all its bearings
Lies are lies, and no outside, skin-deer
gliding, will give TO the base metal the value
OF the precious ore. have, am sorry &c
say, known lradesmen with great wrathful
ness hai q p.offered pocket-piece to their
counter, and still from their own mouths
continpe 10 issue counterfeit trulh-in fact,
to do nothing but speak pocket-pieces.-
Yes, sir; have known them TO do this,
and never blush or stammer when their
eyes have fallen OH the copper countenance
OF the false half crown cleaning reproach-
fully Upon them. But then to pass bad
money is a statutable offence &c
pass lies for truths, if adloi,ly uttered from
behind counter, is nothing more than to
do clever stroke oil business. The one
ractice has led men to the gallows-,he
other has taken them 10 the Bank Of Eng
land.
"Ail in the way of trade: is, know, a
phrase that covers great hypocrisy. great
practical deceit, great injustice between
man AID man. 1t is convenient phrase,
that from long custom has become an al
lowed apology tot The trickeries Of dealers
But a highwayman, who takes a purse,
might as We'll believe that the black Grape
which hides his face from the knowledge
Of the despoiled, does also hide from his
own soul the knowledge of his iniquity.-
How often is The sway OF trade" no other
than so much black Grape worn behind the
counter! A man may be as completely
robbed by means Of false pro;es,ation, as
'hougi the lie were a loaded pistol.
There is, know, n tenderness in the
law towards the ,rippings Of trade, thai
seems to show positive sympathy between
law and roguery. Men, it would almos,
seem, by general understanding, allow the
necessity OF wrong as II proper alloy to keep
society together. Pure, unmixed gold, is
too good for coin that is to suffer the wear
and tear Of passing from hand to hand /;
and so, ha: il may endure the longer, it is
10 the like way, law seems to think pure
honesty as altogether too refined for the
Woodworking day purposes OF trade, and
therefore looks indulgenly upon its little
shils-i:s winning ways" LIE. ne fur
cher explain myself
My opposite neighbor is chandler and
green-grocer: he makes his gains out OF
The verest poor. Rags and keenest hun
ger are his miserable customers. You
would think, sir, that when trad-sman
held the scales for such buyers, justice
would be TO him high religion. Well.
sir, it was only that yesterday this man was
found to use false we'ghts. 1t was his third
offence; and he was fined by tho compass;
sionate law-.cn pounds!
This same man hns, at the present mo.
ment, q boy in goal, doomed for six months,
for stealing from his shop, when very hun
cry, one red herring. Thus, the tradesmar
may rob by means Of scales and measures,
merely paying for sort of license to cheat
when detected: the very gains of his iii
putty, too, go TO lessen The fine; he can
in fact, with ,olerable luck, afford to rob- -
Now, does not law, tina: makes such rob
berry only fineabe, look most tenderly upon
the evil deings Does il not give marked
preference TO the thief behind the counter
above the picker and stealer before it p
Hence-use light weights, and pay money
for the theft fitch with your Eve fingers
and to do hard labor in goal. Besides, tie
tradesman is sweetened-purifed by the
fine the stain upon his reputation is bio:
ted up with bank paper; now the vuga,
thief always bears about him the foul odor
OF prison. The keen nos,rils Of the DO
lice continually smell in him his frs, mi
guilty,
Now, sir, i. will be my endeavor, as q
tradesman, TO acknowledge no "ways Of
irade"-to consider each as truth in the
smalles, as in the creates, affairs of life
With this Belief shall take my daily
stand behind the counter, and cheerfully
leave 10 Providence the rest. Tell me,
dear sir, if am not right. and believe me
Yours sincerely,
john BALANCE.