Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-06-06
influence of Slavery on Com
merCo,

Some months since, HUNT's Merchants Mao.
acme contained an interesting lecture on the
history and principles of ancient commerce as
illustrated IN the commerce of ancient Rome.
In taking few of those institutions which have
a connection with commerce, the writer nf tho
article naturally refersto domestic slavery as il
existed among the Romans. He then aIlndas
10 tne injurious influence of slavery on ancient
commerce as follows:
Slavery prevailed more or less in all onciont
nations. The lands were cultivated bv slaves
the various branches of manufacture vero carri.
ed on by slaves Each landlord had an es,ab.
Ilshment OF slaves, whose labor supplied him
with most OF the articles necessary for his con-
sumption. In some cases the slaves sold for
the beneht OF their masters, the articles thew
lau MADE. Commerce was carried on chiefly
by treemen, or the inferior class of citizens
The result of this was, that manufacturnp
labor was looked upon with contempt. In ali
slave countries there is an aversion to labor, at
least an aversion to that kind of labor which is
performed by slaves. At the commencement of
the Roman State, agriculture was considered
honorable, and the greatest OF her sons worked
at the plough; but when agriculture was per
formed by slaves, the citizens RETAINED from Ia
Dor and Rome imported her provisions from u
broad. This change produced disastrous eff
tects As the poorer citizens could not engage
In manual work, they were, when not engaged
in war, dependent on the bounty of the
State, and received a certain sum for their sup
port Had not slavery existed, they might have
become artisans, the citizens became paupers.
But this was not the worst. Had the citizens
received with QuietIess the public bouaty, the
evll would have been comaratively light; but
wealthy men, who were ambitious of political
honors, sought to attain their object by feastinp
the poorer citizens. Hence, every rich man had
the means of keeping constantly in his pav a
turbulent party, who would go any lengths in
support OF the man from whom they derived
their subsistence; and, as they were all sol.
diers, they were readyt to embroil their country
IN civil war in support of their patron Il
was by means only of his wealth that Crassu.
obtained the chief honors of the state.
The institution Of slavery compelled ever,
citizen to be a soldier. Had no foreign wars
been feared, it would still have been fount
necessary that every citizen should acquire tn,
use Of arms in order to keep down the slaves
: A slave country resembles sleeping Volcano
, an eruption may take place ia moment-tht
/. citizens must be always on their guard. Thu
military spirit which was thus maintained wa
exceedingly unfrendly to commerce.
Notwthstang this military spirit, the defen
sive position of a country is weakened by sav
i cry. In a country where all are free, every mar
in case of invasion, will become soldier; tn
weaver will forsake his loom, the dealer hi
shop, the husbandman his plough-all fly t
! arms to fight for their country. But a slave no
, no country; it matters not to him who may b
the proprietor of the soil on which he is doom
ed to labor. The slaves cannot be trusted wit
: arms to fight tor their masters, because the
} may turn those arms against their masters