Washington telegraph., 1851-06-18
correspondence OF the Telegraph.
New YoRK, NJ;

New YORK, May ~, 1851.
willis and Forrest have been hard at il, for
week or ten days, in the Superior Court. room
that is their respective lawyers have been. The
case, however, is adjourned 10 June 5th, when
thew will have another bout at il. think For
rest would do we'll to give Willis and settle
the matter; aud that it would be wise in Willis 10
ACCEPT it, If it were specie paying bank.
Both of these gentlemen have enough to attend
to else where. Willis has two personal enemeu
who WELD great deal of power Col. Webb Of
the Courier and Enquirer, and Raymond, lately
Of the same paper, but now IN England, on trip
to strengthen himself for the arduous duties OF the
conductorship of the new Wing paper to be started
in this city, Webb is giving Willis some hard
rubs; but the latter has the sympathies Of most Of
city papers. ~,
I feel in relation to the fight as the western
Isdy did, whom she witnessed the fight between
her husband and bear-I don't which whps.
l do not dislike either, have l any cause
Willis, whom know slightly, have never had
reason TO think other than fine fellow; and
Webb, whom do not know, have heard well
spoken of, by his intimate friends. My indiffer-
ence arises from the contempt which have for
editors who are SO conceted as 10 imagine, that
their subscribers wish 10 pay for long articles
laudng their own private character, and endeavor-
ing to ruin those Of their contemporaries
Now, that Forests suit with Willis is adjourned,
the divorce suit Of, the former occupies his atten-
ton, and that of his counsel The variety must
be pie asant for him. Heaven keep from law.
New York has for many weeks presented the
appearance of beleaguered city. Intern;nabie
troops of country merchants still continue 10
crowd upon US; and, considering the Iateness Of
the season, great activity prevails throughout the
mercantile portion of the Empire City. A great
and unavoidable tendency TO Capitalization is per-
ceptible in all branches of commerce. Money,
aro fiIxra ani.. linz fha
hands of the fep; and. before another decade
shall have passed away, both city and country,
so far as commerce is concerned, will be, think,
under the despotic sway of a score or less Of
merchant monarchs, whose immense resources
will enable them to seriously iDiure, if not to
wholly anniiiIate, all minor traders.
This prediction is already partially verified.
Stewart the owner of the "MarbIe Palace" for
example, is monopolIzng the whole Of the city
retail trade in the manner above alluded to. He
sells everything necessary for family, hotel or
steamboat use, including furniture, &c., and thus
cuts uuder the small retailers who cannot keep
such large acknowledgements generally pre-
ferripg to make many purchases as they can
at one place, especially when they can get them
cheaper there. Among the wholesale traders,
the same tendency to the Capitalization OF power,
or, which is the same thing, wealth, is observable
What Stewart is among the retailers, Wilson &
CO., of No. I2, Courtlandt street, are among im-
porters and jobbers. This firm is eating up all
the small men in their line; and they are lndI-
rectly assisted by city jobbers and country mer-
chants, who have discovered that il rs both un-
necessary and Improbable for them TO go, in
times past, to one house for silks, to another FOR
woolens, and to a third for calicoes, &C., &c
Wilson & Co. fast putting end TO that way
OF doing business; and the jobbers find that il is
far easier and cheaper for them to buy all their
goods under one roof! Where an establishment;
SELLS $4,000 worth of goods day, it can, OF
course, be content with very small per centage,
and can afford TO rely solely upon legitimate
profits. These things, again, act and re-act upon
each other. A who can afford to be content
with small profits is sure TO draw customers and
increase his trade-he is commercial magnef
So wags the commercial world in New York.
/ see no way by which this tendency to mon
opoly can be checked. But there is some con-
ISOLATION in Lord Bacon's assertion, that ''tht
Future will always take care of itself" l am
content. therefore, that Wilson g. Co. any
body else shou Id sell all the goods that carried
out of New York, and become the riches, men IL
it, or in ''a creation" IL l can get a coat, o.
my wife dress, cheaper by another mans mo-
nopolizng the sale o. these articles, why let hin
monopoIize. say l.
| The shameful neglect and Indifference OF on
city authorities to all subjects of public health,
| safety, have long been a matter Of general out
cry among those who have to support these laz.
| officials. The salaries Of these gentlemen arr
enormous Will it be credited that we pay owe
| $4,000, 900 year TO the various members of th,
| City Government Take, for example, the Polio
force. We maintain 1000 policemen, at an an
nua expense of $650,00O. This distinguished
corps is noted for its inactivity and general inu
tiIity. Loaferism is strong feature in New
| York policemans character; but how should it b.
otherwise7 Ii the higher authorities neglect thei
duties, their subordnates will quickly imi,at,
| them. In fact, the distinguishing characteristic
Of the whole aspect Of municipal affairs, is th
most intense and hopeless lazness!
| Yours trolyy
PETER PIKE.