The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-22
Are There Two Standards Of Morality 7
Since tho rage for speculation and th'

Since tho rage for speculation and the
greed after riches have increased 90
enormously among US, as they have been
doing Of lato years, vicious notion has
crept into circulation, and has even been
defended in quarters pretending to respecta.
bility, that there are two standards Of NOR.
ality, one for the transaction of business,
and another for the conduct Of other affairs,
one for the merchant and another for tho
rest of the community. Tho sopbism by
which this idea Is sought to be maintained,
is, that man cannot be censured who does
no worse than his neighbors, and that rs
there are conventional maxims OF right and
wrong in the commercial and political world,
which differ FROM the ma1ims Of the moral
coue, therefore he is an honest man who rs
o merchant or politician ful6ls the one, even
If he violates the othoy. We could quote
instances, II necessary, in which these falla.
cious arguments have been employed, pub
licly and privately, to excuse malversation,
palliate trea,hery, defend cheating, and
exonerate villainy. We could also cite ex.
amples, where, by the same process, the
payment OF on outlawed debt has been ex.
alted into an act Of generosity, because the
law could not compel the payment, nor com.
mercial custom anticipate 1t.
Il is time that the honest and independent
press, which flls the place, to o great ex.
tent, which the pulpit occupied two centur.
les ago, and rhieh IS tie modern eonservator
of public morals, took ground boldly and
decidedly against this abominable doctrine.
That II has been suffered to 60 so long unre.
buked in private circles, that 1t has ever
been permitted to be asserted in public un.
opposed. Is both o disgrace to the moral
sense of our age and nation. and fertile
source Of diminish and diminishing mercan.
tile and financial integrity. The Schuyler
frauds arc as much the foul offspring Of this
fouler ancestress. as where the hell.hounds
that Milton 90 awfully describes as bowling
from their mothers womb, the children OF
Sin and Death. II Is folly, nay, 1t Is crime
TO mince words ut time like this. When
" operators" swindle by millions, violating
every old.fashioned principle Of honesty, yet
defending their conduct by asserting tha,
they break no human law, 1t 10 time that
independent men and journals spoke sternly
out. We are coming 10 o terrible pass, II
because great villains can 60 unwhipt OF
justice" in consequence Of the in6rmity Of
our laws, men must refuse 70 censure the
criminal, and society 10 give him "'he right
hand Of fellowship
There is but one salvation for The cause
Of morals, or for society, and that is in q
return 10 the straight forward maxims OF
our forsiaihers. We mus, all teach and
practice the great truth, that there is but one
code Of right and wrong, alike for The mon.
eyed operator and the rest Of the communi.
iy-alike for the politician and The mere vo.
ter. We must learn 10 call things by their
right names, bu, we must 70 furiher-we
must show by Withdrawing OF granting our
counienance, that sin, even u "plaied with
gold," will not pass current with Us for hon.
es,y. What is swindlIng in The day.labor.
or or mechanic, is swindling in The mer.
chan, or siocl jobber. We must not, there.
fore, while we discharge The one from our
employment, receive the other al our tables
or visit his own. The very magnitude Of
the crimes Of the latter, ought, in fact, TO-
call down on them Steiner osiracism. IL
poor man becomes a notorious cheat, be
is'"cu," by all his acquainiances. Is Il SO
IN higher circles when great operaior de-
frauds! And might not these circles
which presump,uously call themselves the
most intelligent, refined, aud even moral,
lean lesson from the less prs,enliousi !
So many enormous frauds have come out
within the last few years. that thinking n,sn
begin 10 DO alarmed for society, 10 ask what
We are tending 10, 10 demand II no remedy
can DO found. Are We 10 20 back 10 the
true standards Of righ, and wrongi or shall
We accept this modern Pharisaical. scan.
dalOus doctrine Of the standards Of morality.