The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-07-28
THE WALL STREET. FRAUD.


The New York Herald draws the following
flattering picture ofthe state of morals among
the upper tens and fast people of tina. inter:
esting burg:
"Qudnd on erie roleur," says the French
proverb, stout le monde Sc Sdure." The adsge,
although Bohemian in its origin, bids fair TO
be strictly applicable to the financial circles of
our city. When the members of railway
boards and banking firms stoop to the com
mission of offences which differ in nothing but
their enormity from the vulgar crimes that ill
our Jalls and penitentiaries, it is time for us to
scrutlnize jealousy the company into which
we happen to fall. Wall street is so rapidly
acquiring the Infamous notoriety that formerly
Gla.ked out rs infected localities the Cour de
Miracles and Little Britain, that il will soon
be dangerous for an honest man even to stray
accidentally into it. Ii he does not lose his
money there he is almost certain to lcse his
reputation, for, as the proverb above quoted
says, "When the cry of thief is raised, every
body takes to his heels"
If things go on at this rate we shall become
disciples of DiOgenes, and seek for honesty in
those dreary abodes of misery and reputed
vice which have hitherto afforded such fruitful
themes to pulling moralists and tract distri-
buting old maids Talk of the Five Points,
Water street, and the Hook Why they
sink into insignifcance beside the hugher
rascaity and depravity of Wall street. Per-
haps the exact definition of the moral differ
ence that exists between them, is that the
inhabitants of the former steal loaf to keep
body and soul together, whilst that of the
lnttpr N N M lnuclu nj 1ar Nuhola
munity-the superanuated citizen, the friend
less widow, and the unprotected orphan-to
crafty their luxurious tastes, or, perhaps their
vicious appetites. In the measure of moral
guilt there can be no comparison between the
gigantic frauds of the Wall street brigand and
the petty larceny exploits of the shirtless,
shoeess and vagabond denizen of the Five
Points. And therefore it is, we presume, that
the justice of man allows the greater criminal
to go UNPUBLISHED, whilst the comparatively
venal offences of the starving wretch, who is,
perhaps. more sinned against than SHINING,
are visited with all the discriminating severity
of an impartial code.
And what comfortable and edifying re-
Election it is for those who have been all their
lives struggling, by dint of untirng industry,
to raise themselves to the level of what, in
New York, is called aristocratic society, but
which is in reality nothing more than vulgar
and purse-proud ostentation, to find their il
lusions at once dispelled by such astounding
facts as are daily transpring in the financial
world How agreeable for the well-mcanng
but ambitious class of small minds, of which
the Potiphars are such excellent types, to find
that their gods are, after all, only made of
clay, and that the fruits of their toadyism
have turned to ashes What shock it must
be to the moral sense Of such people to dis.
cover that they have been worshipping at the
shrines Of imposture and licking the dust at
the feet of idols that turn out to be nothing
but cheats Even the blunt perceptions Of
Mrs. Potiphar must feel revolted at having
been associated with Inequalities, the expen-
SEES Of which have been betrayed by whole
sale speculation, and which have been brought
to an unexpected and disgraceful close by a
visit from the Chief of Police.