The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-02
pub,,e Eeonomy.-No. 1.

would not perhaps, OBJECT W series Oh prief pa
pers ON the important subject of public economy.
Public Economy as il is connected icih Freedom.
Mr.. Cotton is the first writer on public economy
who has made freedom prominent aim in the con-
struction Of his system; and he Is the hrst writer
that has ever attempted a scientific definition OF
freedom. 1t is in the following terms: Freedom
consists in the enjoyment of commercial rights,
and in the independent control of commercial
values fairly acquired The term commercial"
here, ID used in the most comprehensive sense, and
covers every thing that is priced by money, or
bought and sold; and the words .'fairly acquired"
seem TO be necessary qualification, both in
spect to the fruits Of ones labor and skill and in
application to what one receives by inheritance,
is allowed to possess by the regulations of society
1t is based the law of meim et t,.,l,--mine and
hire-and is virtually definition of that law MIR.
Cotton seems think that this rule is incorporated
with the instincts of all animated nature He says:
''Disturb the den Of wild beast or the nest of a
bird, and you will quickly it manifested He
also intimates that the law of property in society
originates in and is based upon the same principle;
and that the natural guide of legislation, so far
it relates to property lies in the instincts OF man as
an anima-a reasoning animal, if you pease-the
object being TO ascertain and determine what be-
longs this person and what to that, to the salts
all parties. The feeling Of mine and thine, it
lists in the breast of man. is claimed TO be worthy of
respect, as precept of instinct. Here, apparently
is the origin of the law institution of property.
How, in some countries, it has grown up into mon
strous shapes, is not less apparent.
Commercial rights" in Mr.. Colton's definition
of freedom, indicate those regulations OF society
which protect commercial values.' OF course,
the great question, one of freedom, is to have
those rights defined and established, that the
members of society will generally feel that they
are just because they have that in their breast
which teaches them so. Mr. Cotton maintains that
the sole cause of the American revolution the
violation of the commercial rights of the colo
nsts by the crown, and that the only freedom con-
tended for and acquired by independence was the
recovery and re-establishment of those rights In
other words, that ''freedom consists in the enjoy
ment of commercial rights" &c. All political
rights, therefore, commonly called, merge in
commercial, and valuable only they secure
the latter. Political and commercial, in this ap-
pcation are convertible terms; the first indicating
the general structure of society," in relation to other
similar structures, and the latter pointing to the
details of this structure, they apply to all portions
of the community, and define their rights relative
each other. Commercial rights constitute the mine
and thine of society.
1t may be pronounced an achievement to have de-
fined freedom as to apply to the subject in all its
forms and phases; and no definition is perfect that
falls shortof this Men have been fighting and dy-
ing for freedom for centuries, forever. Is freedom
phantom? Probably not. 1t must, then, have
substances palpability; and if 50, it can be de-
fined 50 that men can see and appreciate it, Give
us, them that substance-show what it is, that
may know how to acquire it, and when we have it,
Il, ~. L.. L-,, - Z.
My father has left me some property, which is
composed of commercial values" That is mine,
not only as feel, but by general consent have
worked and acquired some commercial values"
which also mine by the rules. have
some talents and skill, which employed for the
benefit of others, and they pay me for it. This pay
is mine, and my talents and skill my own, as
productive capital My life, my body, my limbs
and muscles, my mind, my talents and skill, Of
whatever description, as productive agents, and
any abilities possess to make useful TO Others by
labor, by art by social or public functions, have
commercial value" in them, and they mine.
Give me, then, the rights which will secure to me
these values and their products now and forever,
and ! have freedom-al that | want will, of
course cheerfully consent to part with fair pro-
portion of these values support society, which is
my benefit, and j can afford to pay for il. But
representative, else am not free; otherwise, arb-
trary power might take from me, for its own pur-
poses more of my commercial values" than
think is right. ! must also have hand on the
purse-strings of the public treasury as to be able
to stop supplies when my governors seem to me to
be going too fast and too far in their expenditure
else am not free. Freedom consists" not only
Gin the enjoyment Of commercial rights but Gin
the Independent CONTROL Of commercial values fair
ly acquired"
Does not every one that the principle Of this
definition, carried out in society would secure the ut
most freedom that man could desire' He would then
have sovereign control Of all he calls his own,
cept the small fraction taken by his own consent,
and for his own good for the support Of society;
and he would have a social control over this in a
representative capacity; for it is supposed that he
is part of this society, and that nc has a voice in
its structure and administration. Every thing i'm
the government may not go exactly he might
wish; but he enters into the social compact on the
condition that every other member shall be as free
himself in the choice Of Legislators and governors;
and the majority may sometimes desire things
which he does not desire. But il is certain that, in
free society of this kind, great and unnecessary
burdens, in which all participate, will not be long
endured. II is also certain that people, a whole,
cannot be stirred up to a violent revolution, which
they accomplish at the next election by their
This is the highest degree Of freedom hitherto
conceiyed and, 40 long there is imperfection in
man, there will be some mperfections in society.
It will be found, on scrutiny, that all the com
plants made against despotisms, Of every name, in
history, have arisen from forced cxsctions and
bitrary appropriations Of the commercial values
Of the people, in order 10 Cypress them; and that
the power TO Cypress is composed Of those
tons or commercial Values II when the
American colonies-now the United states-re-
belled against the British This the
sole cause Of the Revolution; and il IL in every
country where despots rule. They would have no
power to Cypress but for the commercial values"
extorted from the people; for all their power Is
composed of these values Freedom" therefore,
consists in the enjoyment commercial rights, and
in the independent control Of commercial values,
fairly acquired"
And as Mr. Cotton has shown, this definition ap