Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-12-20
From the New York Tribune.
Progress and Influences OF Com.
npcrCe,
BY THE REV. DR.. viYToN.

or the Progress ana influences Of COm
merce," TO large audience.
The Lecturer introduced his subjcc
with a eulogy on Agriculture, Art, and
Commerce MS noble triad, not indeed
born together, yet knit into a fellowship
Of kindred and affinity. Aftor histori.
cal sketch Of the origin and develop
mcnts Of trade, and also Of tho usefn
arts, the more immediate topic Of th'
lecture wns entered upon with the re
mark that Solomon was q royal merch
ant. He was among the first potentatel
who made "navy Of ships" They
were built on the shore OF the Red Sea
in the land OF Edom. Solomon had {
partner in the person Of Hiram. They
pushed their joint adventures with grca
profit. The earliest voyages had gold
gathering for their object. Hence Ophi
was the great point Of attraction. Silve
and iron and other minerals were added
to their freight, and also the beautiful
woods Of the country from which "stair
cases for tho Lords house were made
After some genealogical speculations a,
TO where Ophir was located, in which
the hypothesis that California now oc
cupies its seat was broached and favor
ed as among probabilities, and further
notice Of the progress Of commerce in
Solomon's time, a general survey wa:
taken OF the more ancient International
exchanges, the lecturer went on TO say
that the modern merchant had attained
his proud pre-. sminence by slow and
painful steps Of trembling ventures. l,
was contended that no department Of hu.
man enterprise had called for stronger
cxertions, or greater spirit OF da,ing ad.
venture than that of Commerce. In the
Eas, the birth OF civilization took place
and there it soonest attained 10 old age.
Eishop Berkelcy's famous Ole was
framed on this circumstance, pointing
out the course Of Empire:
.Wcstward the course of Empire takes its way,
The four iirs, acI slreidy past,
A fifth shall close the iruma with the day,
Times mobiles, offspring is her last"
The greater part of the Eastern Com.
mcrce of the ancient cras was Of land
carriage. The caravan was the only fleet
that went from nation to nation.
The invasion of the Roman Empire by
The Northern Barbarians was dwelt on,
and its consequences pointed out, and
tho origin of the cities Of Venice, Genoa,
Pisa, Florence, trading as they rose,
" and rising higher by trading" was
&" clearly described. The Medici, and
" other merchant princes" were noticed
honorably in passing to other topics.
The Crusades, and their influence on
trade, were not forgotten, and the strik.
ing fact Of Aeir beligerent intentions
being overruled for the promotion Of
peace. Next, Holland and Flanders
were brought into review, AMI justice
was done to the persevering Dutch mer.
chants, with their wondrous rec llama.
tions Of sea side lands with dykes. These
indomtable men damed back the sur.
ges, repelled the tides Of old Ocean -
aye, fought the very Moon anil conquer.
ed On these reclaimed shores they
built their habitatons, thus invading the
very territories of the waters. A warm
eulogy was passed upon Hollanlic en-.
terprise and perseverance. To the Hans.
towns, was referable the origin Of the
principle Of commercial honor. They
were not afraid to trust each other, and
thus they gave an example TO their peo.
pie which had much to do in modifying
the system Of exchange and valuation.
Credit needed an exponent. Hence
sprang up Bills Of Exchange, as cur.
rency of Commerce. The history of Ex.
changes was traced, and an interesting
account was given Of the Lombardy
Jewish Bankers, whose certificates ol
deposit circulated in Lombard street,
London, as the first approach to the
modern bank bill. Out Of this grew the
all powerful banking and credit system
of our owners. The monsy changers
little bench on the Rislto in the twelfth
century, has become the sensitive index
Of changes in the world, and the very re.
gulator Of the world-the very sport oil
political accidents, and the controller oi
politics-the creature Of ommerce, and
the mighty director O. universal trade;
sustained by the trembling, nervous,p pal.
pta,iny thing called CREDIT, and up.
holding credit in its brawny arms all ov.
er the round earth. The speaker then
considered the slow progress Of trade in
England, and passed. thence TO sketch
of the history Of modern commerce, from
the first venture Of Columbus from Pa.
los. In the eighteenth century com.
merce began to take the position Of prime
minister, and to rule the sovereign and
guide the legislature. 1t assumed the
ermine, sat upon the bench, and intro.
duced new chapters into the law reports.
|, formed alliances with religion. and
suggested big thoughts Of missionary un'
dertakings to the heathen world. 1t was
omnipresent among all classes, opening
markets for agriculture and arts, provid.
ing means for popular education, COM
torting poor and rich with foreign pro.
ductions that once no potentate could
command. And when the nineteenth
century broke into day, commerce was
dealing with men in the farthest corners
of the earth. Dr.. V. next spoke Of the
invention Of the steam. engine and the
Telegraph, most eloquently depicting
their immense labors and incalculable
value in aid Of commerce. He conclud.
ed in the following words: The grand
principle Of commercial credit, on which
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