The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-13
oomm.roe-rhe Maiis-Ths Telegraph.

i
fairly and honorably conducted. The tricks of the
gaming table, or the sharpness of the jockey may
do well enough in their place, because they are
pected and provided against. But any unfairness
| introduced into the commerce of city or State,
although it may result in the advantage of the in
dividuals by whom it is used, must be detrimental
to those with whom they deal, and finally lead to
the permanent injury of the entire community In
which it is practised Trade is only so far fair as
the parties are placed upon an equality, as far as
may be, and the transactions effected amount in
fact to what they are supposed 10 be in theory-an
exchange Of equivalents. That some men are better
fitted for the mercantile career than others-have
intimate knowledge of the resources and wants
of nations and communities better acquaintance
with the elements of individual wealth and public
prosperity, is fact which results from the organ-
cation of man, and the different degrees of cutiva-
tion which the different persons have received. 1t
is an inequality between the parties, of which no
one has right to complain. Nor yet can any one
object that the superior energy, wealth. or enter
prize of another should have given him greater in
formation to the present condition the markets
of the relative demand and supply of various COM
modities, at particular points-or of the political
movements which constantly going Onto In
fuence sometimes entirely change the course of
trade. All these advantages, where legitimately
obtained, are fair and commerce will only flourish
the more from The competition of those engaged in
it to outstrp each other in acquiring its first great
Observation-Disclosures
But where any combination of individuals, how
ever intimate the connection between them may
be, and however respectable they may be in the
general estimation, obtain these advantages by per-
verting the public institutions of the country-as
by causing failures of the mail when any important
news is on the way, or by employing the mail car
riers to run an express to beat themselves; or by
using any private means, protesting to be equally
open to all, to hasten their own, or to retard the
intelligence of others-as by the improper use ofthe
telegraph, either by its officers or operators-the
thing is unfair, injurious and wrongful to individu
ais, and blighting to the honest commerce of the
city. Commerce, under such circumstances, is
mere game of chance to the greater part of those
engaged in it-a game of certain gains to those who
hold the cards which themselves have stocked, or
cast the die cogged under their own inspection.
Take, for instance, the history of trade in this
city for the last three years consider the sudden
rise and fall in flour and all kinds of grain, as the
apprehensons or existence of famine, became alarm
ing in extent or dwindled into nothing, or as the
policy of foreign Government relative TO its tariff,
was involved in doubt settled into certainty. The
arrival of every steamer brought over news of re-
markable fluctuations in the market; now corn
would be rising; then it would temporarily de-
cline; again it would reach the highest famine
price, and shortly after sink below the average one
of plentiful years. If at that time, combination
of merchants had existed, Git is supposabe case,
certainly who paid the mail carriers enormous
prices to push the intelligence through to them in
advance of the mail-whether it was done by out
stripping the usual conveyance or by leaving the
mail bags behnd-does it require any particular
acumen to discover that they would have had all
others at their mercy, and that trade far as they
were concerned, was a mere game, in which they
were betting on certainties!
What was true of corn during the existence or
apprehensiolfof European famine, has been equally
true of the great staple of the South-cotton-
during the revolutionary vicisitudes of the last
twelve months. The price in Havre or Liverpool
would rise or fall with new outbreak of popular
fervor in Paris Berlin, or Vienna, Or the arrest of
agitator in Ireland or the dispersion of crowd
of Chartists by the police on Kensington Common.
There is a connection between politics and cotton
more intimate than one would imagine. The cleo
hoh VI LOUIS DOLdpdIlc ny 50 ONcTWH6lfnlDg d
majority, gave an idea of stability resulting from
the unanimity of the people, which was imme-
diately felt in the cotton market Can it be doubted
that had our honest, immaculate telegraph been
capable of being perverted for private purposes,
that one who could have used that powerful instru-
ment for four whole days before the rest of the city
knew the state of the markets, would have had
immense and dangerous advantages
The suspicion that such state of things exists
in our city has long been current-and, as fellow
once said before the Criminal Court, it has come
mighty nigh being proved" That our merchants
have quietly endured it long has been to us Won
derful-t is an evidence of patience under suffer-
ings, very cOmmendable a christian virtue, but
very lily adapted to the trying and pressing scenes
of this rough-and-tumble world But we do not
believe that they inclined to bear it much longer
Their patience must be sorely tried, remarkable as
it has been we assured that the good nature
of many of the cotton planters, who have come to
understand the game, is rapidly giving way, and
much of the trade which now comes to this CITY
will be carried off to Charleston or other points,
on railroads constructed out of what would be
equivalent to the losses of only one or two perform
ances of the amusing trick of "open and shut -
which is being played. For the welfare and char
acter of the city for the protection of the honest
lrader for the safety of the confding planter, we
believe it is the duty of the press to attempt to
arouse public opinion against all such unfair prac-
ices. We hope it will do so. None should hest |
tate in such cause. None should even by its
silence leave chance for suspicion that it is allied
with the spectators but if there should be one |
really connected with them
-~>s
PANORAMA OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIvER.-There |
will be exhibition of this great picture to-day at