The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-11-08
NUMl,BI:|EE46 j:

| inc, Sorfhe failure Of natural causes 90 Y0fk
thaissresults, that is cbargeable. in mostse1sse
withfhe decline Of peoples prosperity bit
tbesdlenf sure operation ofmoral disorders md
IA: II ,is with individuals. Most Of men fafl ~
basiriess, not through Overwhelming physicas
Emislortune, such as loss of health and Eeasons
Dor the destruction by FIRE OF flood Of their pros
perty, but generally through. disregard of fihs
simplest principles of morals. ln mos. eassss
we suspec:, it would appear, the truth knossns
that the ruined man has brought bis affairs INTO
hopeless condition by his graspfag spirit ia.
volving him in ruinolis extension and specus
lafions; or by his overreaching. disppsItionf
which, becoming notorious has driven 6eiS
customers; or by his meanness, which dis1
gusted them; or by some other bad iu aienf
in his moral mixture. b 800 !.
The samnpriuciple operates in the case. Of
corporation; Tor, notwithstanding the adage that
"corpnrdti6ns have no souls, there ih public
sentiment at all times surrounding them, which
holds them to rigid moral responsibility, and
dooms them If they disregard it. We see The
fra gme MIS- Of broken institutions; banks, tor err
am,.r; floating down 10 nfamy. simply because
they had not the wisdom to fulfill honestly the
purp, ses of their existence; and ne see Others
rapidly tending to The same hglorious destiny,
not hecause there is not profitable baaness
enough tor them, bot because they are not beld
by strong sense Of moral obligation 10 toe
path Of their dmty, and because. like grasplng
indis iduas, they are not content with lrgif.
mate and reasonable gains. Morally corrupt
in their internal administration; they not only
ensure their own ultimate decline, hut involve
in il the community they were hound ioserye;
for there is a prodgious force in the corfupting
influence of bankrupt hank Upoh mercantile
morals. A bank that SETS at housht its solemn
promises to pay its obligations, opens the Hood
gates through which individual honor and re.
s sponsbi,y are swept away. To be az good
as the bank is the climax of mercantile credit,
and few men care to be regarded as better.--s
The bank Is the standard; and when that hlist
those who are regulated by j, fall also. and g
common and proriscuo,s corruption reIgns.
1t is bad enough when physical calamity
overwhelms community, such as New York
sufft ID from the great fires in 1885 and l645,
wbe. many millions of property were 10 a few
tu,rs reduced 10 ashes, and the monnn,enfsof
Industry and enterprise which century q to,!
had reared tot!ered and fell in vast blackened
ruins. But from such calamities we cau rec1y.
er. Uuder such Affections we gather Strength
resolution, and buoyancy, and, like the fabied
phenix sprnging from her ashes, we, rise ia
brighter forms. The memorials Of destrucfion
are effected, the warehouse Of commerce are
restored, and the iabors of enterprise resumed
with fourfold energy. Such calamities do not
unmake, hnt make ds. But when the lofty tohs
of mercantile honor. integrity, and stern n,ofals
is lowered; when the craft and cunning, ths
shire wd overreaching, nsurp The spirit and pfihs
ciples ofthe hishminded merchants, when trade
becomes a trick, and mercantile enterprises q
game, in which the parties nhly aim 70 circuns
vent each other and sweep the gains into Thslr
own Golfers. then are we ruined indeed, With
Out hoped and beyond remedy. ~. 49,
We make these remarks beeause the keen
encounter Of competition in this day of intense
activity in all mercantile pursuits, tends con.
s,anly and powerfully 70 blunt the moral sense,
to deteriorae the better feelings Of our nature,
and to superinduce narrow, selfish, grasping.
immoral sentiments, than which no Rreatef evil
can befal US. But space fails us. and We most
leave the subject TO the readers own thoushts.