Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-10-14
MORALS IN TRADE.
FROM nuNr's MEncuAyrs' nAeAzIsE.

MORALS IN TRADE.
HUNTS MERCHANTS MAGAZINE.
No greater mistake is conceivable than the common one Of
excluding the principles of hghtoned morality from the cal
cuaons business There are thousands ready to ask with
astonshment What possible connexion can there be be-
tween mans moral principles and character and his success
in business " Nor is this ALL Not few are in the
habit of imagining that very strict and conscientious adhe
to moral principle not only help, but very serious
hndrance TO prosperity in trade; and that man. get ahead
in the world at times stretch his conscience e
reach his neghbor occasionally take advantage of his gnor
inattenon.
Now without wishing assume the position Of lecturer on
morals to mercantile readers be permitted doubt
not only but deny utterly, the expediency business view
merely of dsregardng any Of the dictates of sound morals
the conduct Of business affairs We only deny the neces
y of any resort to oSeneachng any violation of the
rule Of integrity, any violence our own conscience in
matters Of business but prepared maintain that every
kind and degree of dishones: dealing with fellow
positive and serious, and often fatal impediment to ultimate
success We believe that large proportion Of the failures of
individuals and associations owing to bad moral principles
deficient rule of integrity. The late Gideon Lec of New
York, memoir OF whose life will be found the eighth
une of the Merchants Magazne-himsef Of most
upright and At the same tine successful business men
accustomed TO predict the ultimate failure Of those whose
strict uprghtness he had doubt On one oc
casion individual dealing with him boased that be had
oveueached him in particular transaction. II came to the
Of Mr.. Lee, who simply remarked that he regretted for
the individuals sake for with such principles he could
all ultimately overeach himself and get straits. The
event proved the sagaciy Of the prediction. In few years
the individual in question: from being Of handsome pro-
pey, became penness dependant upon charity and applied
to Mr. Lee, among others, for assistance.
Il is seldom, indeed that the revusons in trade which dis
urb the general prosperity attributable to physical Prov
dentsl influences. II is the earthquake, the pesence
the famine the failure of natural work their
suits that is chageabe, in most cases, with the decline of
peoples prosperity but the SILENT operation Of moral s
orders and it with individuals Most men fail in bus
ness through overwhelming physical misfortune such
loss of health reason the destruction by FIRE flood of
their property, but generally through disregard of the simplest
principles OF morals In most cases. suspect, it would ap
pear, the truth known that the ruined has brought
his affairs into hopeless condition by his graspng spirit invov
ing him in runous extensions and speculaons by his
oyerreachbg disposition, which, becoming notorious, has d
of his customers by bis meanness which has dis
gusted them by other bad ingredient in his moral
mixture.
The principle operates in the of corporations
for Notwithstanding the adsge that Corporations have no
SOULS" there is public sentiment all times surrounding
them, which holds them a rigid moral responsibility, and
dooms them il they disregard it. We see the fragments OF
broken insutonsbanks, for example-hoang DOWN to in
fanny, simply because they had the wisdom to fulfil hon.
esy the purposes Of their existence and see others
pdy tending to the ngorous destiny, because there
profitable business enough for them but because they
held by strong Of moral obligation the path
Of their duty, and because, like grapng individuals they
II -
corrupt their internal administration they not only ensure
their ultimate Decline but involve in il the community
they were bound serve for there is prodgious force in
the couupng influence Of bankrupt bank upon mercantile
morals. bank that nought its solemn promises to
pay its obligations opens the aoodgaes through which nd
vidual honor and responsibility swept away To be as
good the bank is the climax Of mercantile credit and few
be regarded better The bank is the standard
and when that falls those who regulated by fall also
and common and promiscuous corruption reigns.
II is bad enough when physical calamity overwhelms com
muniy, such New York suffered from the great fires Of
1885 and ls45, when many millions Of property were n
few hours reduced ashes and the monuments Of industry
and enterprise which century Of toll had reared otered end
fell in bsckened ruins But from such cslami,es we
can recover Under such affections gather strength reso
luon and buoyancy, and, like the fabed phnx sprngng
from her ashes rise in brighter FORMS The memorials Of
destruction eced the warehouses Of
sored and the abors Of enterprise resumed with fourod
egy Such calamiiies do not unmake, but make us But
when the lofty Of mercantile honor integrity and
morals lowered when the craft and cunnng the shrewd
overeachng and the nordnse grdspng Of the pcdc usurp
the spirit and principles Of the hgh-mnded merchant when
trade becomes trick, and mercantile enterprise game in
which parties only aim ccumvent each other and sweep
the gains into their coers,hen ruined indecd
without hope and beyond remedy.
Wemske these remarks because the keen of
petition in this day Of intense activity in all mercantile pur-
SUITS tends constantly and powerfully blunt the moral sense
TO deteoratc the better feelings Of nature and supcn-
duce narrow, selfish, grasping. immoral sentiment than
which no greater evil befa But space fails us and
we must leave the subject TO the readers thoughts
PosrHumous Joxr.--It is stated of Venetian great
humos who died years since, that made provision
of torches for his funeral which he caused TO be privately
loaded with crackers and anticipated confidential friend
t bbtb which would result the explosion and which